Last updated: 1/5/2018
803 S. State St
Lockport, IL 60441
803 S. State Street
Lockport, IL 60441
Private group tours available by appointment
Sunday, Wednesday - Saturday
12 PM - 4 PM
Closed end of December-mid February
Donations are greatly appreciated.
Free. Donations Accepted.
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Sandy Vasko
phone: 815-838-5080
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Brian Conroy
phone: 815-838-5080
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In 1837, the town of Lockport was laid out by the Illinois and Michigan Canal commissioners, and an office was constructed and became headquarters for administrative of the waterway. The office played a central role in the design, financing, and construction of the I & M Canal, which connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. The canal extended ninety-six miles from the south branch of the Chicago River near Lake Michigan to the Illinois River at LaSalle-Peru, and was in operation from 1848 to 1914.
In 1876, a residence for the Canal Superintendent was added to the office building, and a bank vault was installed in the administration office to store canal records. It later served as headquarters for the Sanitary and Ship Canal. In 1972, the building was recognized by the National Park Service with a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This building is now operated by the Will County Historical Museum and Research Center, and is part of the I & M Canal National Heritage Area.
The Will County Historical Society exists so that people and organizations may be connected to the rich history of Will County, Illinois.
We possess:
-Multiple 19th century buildings arranged in our Heritage Village
-Dr. William Dougall's Victorian era office
-Militaria of Will County from Native American through the Korean War
-20th century kitchen artifacts
We possess:
- Ancestry.com
- Early 20th Century Will County African American Genealogical Records
- Obituaries
- School year books
- Mortgages
- Cemetery books
- Thousands of photographs
- Canal, County, and Court records
- Church records
- Local newspapers on microfilm
- Architectural surveys
- Photographs
- Plat maps
- Blueprints
- Miscellaneous correspondence
- Mortgages
- Chattel mortgages
- Civil War histories
- E J & E Employee List
Please contact the museum for program costs.
The educational programs we provide are:
-Exhibitions
-Docent training
-Gallery tours
-Community lectures
The museum is operated under the umbrella of the Will County Historical Society Board of Directors.
Access: General Public, Students, Scholars, Members
Appointment required: No
Books/Publications
Children's items:
- Church dolls
- Native American and settler toys and games
Collectible items
- Canal Days collector plates
- Hand made bonnets, aprons, towels, and crafts
- Hand carved wooden plaques
- Blacksmith created items
Gift Shop
Group Tours
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