Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. It's also the name of the town that surrounds the city. Lockport is the main city in Niagara County. In 2020, about 20,876 people lived there.

The city gets its name from the special water elevators, called locks, on the Erie Canal. These locks (Numbers 34 and 35) help boats travel up or down a 60-foot natural drop in the land. Lockport is part of the larger Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area.

History of Lockport
Geography of Lockport
Fun Things to Do in Lockport
Lockport's Population
Schools in Lockport
Famous People from Lockport
Important Businesses in Lockport
See also

History of Lockport

Lockport 1839 by William Henry Bartlett

The Erie Canal was a huge project started in New York State in 1816. Surveyors planned for the canal to go through an area that was mostly undeveloped. People who bought land, called "speculators," quickly bought up plots along the canal's planned path. By 1820, when the exact spot for the locks was chosen, only 15 men owned the land that would become Lockport. Many of them were Quakers.

The canal reached Lockport in 1824. The famous "Flight of Five Locks" were finished in 1825. By 1829, Lockport was a busy village. Many of the first residents were Scottish and Irish immigrants. They came to work on the canal and stayed after it was built. This gave Lockport a strong Celtic feel, which you can still see today.

Lockport officially became a city in 1865. Later, in 1918, the Erie Canal was replaced by the bigger New York State Barge Canal. The original "Flight of Five" locks on the south side were replaced by two much larger locks, E34 and E35. The northern "Flight of Five" locks are still there, used to control extra water.

In recent years, people have worked to make Lockport's history a fun tourist attraction. This includes places like the Canal Discovery Center, the Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride, and the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises. There are also plans to rebuild the historic "Flight of Five" locks. This would create a "living history" site with boat rides and actors. It could bring many tourists to Lockport, especially from nearby Niagara Falls.

Lockport has many historic buildings. Some of these are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include old houses, a courthouse, and a train station.

One of Lockport's biggest employers is General Motors Components. This company started in Lockport in 1912 as Harrison Radiator Corporation. It became part of General Motors in 1918. They make parts for cars, like cooling and heating systems.

Geography of Lockport

The modern Lockport Lock is in the distance. The northern Flight of Five is to its right. St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church is in the background.

The original northern five-step lock structure at Lockport. It is now used for excess water. The modern locks are to the left.

Lockport covers about 8.6 square miles (22.4 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. The Erie Canal runs right through the middle of the city. It then turns south towards Tonawanda Creek. The canal uses two modern locks to climb the Niagara Escarpment. Long ago, there were two sets of five smaller locks here.

Lockport is a meeting point for several main roads. These include NY Route 78, NY Route 31, NY Route 77, and NY Route 93. It's about 17 miles north of Interstate 90.

Fun Things to Do in Lockport

Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises: You can take boat rides on the Erie Canal. Some tours go through the modern locks. Others go under lift bridges.
Lockport Erie Canal Museum: This museum is in an old lock control building. It has old photos, maps, and machinery from the canal's history.
Canal Discovery Center: This center is in an old church. It teaches visitors about the Erie Canal.
Widest Bridge: Lockport has the widest bridge in North America! It's 399 feet wide and crosses the canal.
Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride: You can take a tour of a cave and an underground boat ride near the locks.
Niagara County Historical Society: This place has several buildings that tell the story of Niagara County.
100 American Craftsmen: This is an annual show where artists and craftspeople display their work. It's held at the Kenan Arena.
Ida Fritz Park: This park hosts the "Taste of Lockport" event every August. There's also a car cruise night every Monday in the summer.
Cornerstone Arena: Lockport has an ice rink where you can watch hockey.

Lockport's Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	10,871	—
1870	12,426	14.3%
1880	13,522	8.8%
1890	16,038	18.6%
1900	16,581	3.4%
1910	17,970	8.4%
1920	21,308	18.6%
1930	23,160	8.7%
1940	24,379	5.3%
1950	25,133	3.1%
1960	26,443	5.2%
1970	25,399	−3.9%
1980	24,844	−2.2%
1990	24,426	−1.7%
2000	22,279	−8.8%
2010	21,165	−5.0%
2020	20,876	−1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 21,165 people living in Lockport. There were 9,153 households. Most people (87.5%) were White. About 7.2% were Black or African American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, and people of two or more races. About 3.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2000, about 25.8% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 36 years.

Schools in Lockport

The Lockport City School District manages all the public schools in the area. This includes schools in Lockport city and most of Lockport town.

Anna Merritt Elementary School
Charles Upson Elementary School
George M. Southard Elementary School
Roy B. Kelley Elementary School
Emmet Belknap Intermediate School
Aaron Mossell Junior High School
Lockport High School
Lockport High School West

There is also a private school called DeSales Catholic School. It teaches students from pre-school up to eighth grade.

Famous People from Lockport

Louis Tiffany stained glass window at the First Presbyterian Church

Many interesting people have come from or lived in Lockport:

Kim Alexis: A famous supermodel.
Walter Ransom Gail Baker: A former vice president at General Electric.
Lillian Bronson: An actress who appeared in movies and TV.
Jerry Cook: A race car driver.
Geoffrey Deuel: An actor.
David Fluellen: A professional football player.
William G. Gregory: A retired astronaut for NASA's Space Shuttle program.
Katherine Hannigan: A writer.
William Leonard Hunt: Also known as the Great Farini, he was a tightrope walker and inventor.
Sean Kugler: A football coach.
William F. Leonard: A recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Othniel Charles Marsh: A paleontologist who discovered many dinosaur fossils.
Stephanie Miller: A radio talk show host.
William E. Miller: A politician who ran for Vice President in 1964.
William G. Morgan: The person who invented the sport of volleyball.
John Murphy: The radio announcer for the Buffalo Bills football team.
Joyce Carol Oates: A well-known author and professor.
Chris Sacca: A venture capitalist in the tech world.
John Shulock: A retired umpire for Major League Baseball.
Daren Stone: A professional football player.
Brock Yates: An automotive writer and author.

One of the new steel locks – 24.5-foot (7.5m) lift

Other notable people who have lived in Lockport include:

John J. Bagley: A former governor of Michigan.
John Beilein: A basketball coach.
Birdsill Holly: An inventor who created the first integrated fire hydrant system.
Mark Hopkins, Jr.: A businessman who helped build the Central Pacific Railroad.
Washington Hunt: A former governor of New York.
Tom Jolls: A TV weatherman.
William R. Kenan, Jr.: A businessman.
William E. Miller: A prosecutor at the Nuremberg War-Crimes trials.
Aaron Albert Mossell: The first African American to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Jeremy O'Day: A retired Canadian Football League player.
Chauncey Olcott: A stage actor and songwriter, famous for "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling."
The Seven Sutherland Sisters: A singing group with very long hair who performed with Barnum and Bailey's circus.

Important Businesses in Lockport

Yahoo: This company has a large data center located just west of the city.
First Niagara Bank: This bank started in Lockport in 1870. It grew to be one of the largest regional banks in the country.
General Motors: The Lockport General Motors plant started in 1910 as Harrison Radiator Company. It makes many parts for cars, like cooling and heating systems. It employs almost 1400 people in the area.
The Palace Theatre: This beautiful old theater was built in 1922 and opened in 1925. It has a mix of art deco and Italian Renaissance styles. The theater closed for a while but was reopened and restored by a community group. It continues to host events today.

Lockport, New York facts for kids

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