Will County Historical Society Headquarters - Lockport, IL - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Thanks to cldisme for allowing me to borrow some of his info from (visit link)

The historic importance of the Illinois and Michigan (I & M) Canal and the canal region was officially recognized on August 24, 1984, when President Ronald Reagan signed legislation that established this region as the nation's first National Heritage Corridor. Standing at the center of I & M Canal history, in Lockport, Illinois, is the original I & M Canal Headquarters, now home to the Will County Historical Society.

The one-story wing of this frame building was built in 1837 as the headquarters of the I & M Canal. It was the first canal structure, and therefore is the oldest surviving structure. The building housed the engineering office as well as the land office. (The land office was responsible for selling land that had previously been given to the state by the federal government. Proceeds from the land sales aided in the financing of the canal.)

The building later contained the canal telegraph office, and for awhile, a branch of the Bank of Illinois. (In 1840, this branch issued paper notes which it hoped would be used for currency. The Bank of Illinois, however, failed a short while later.) A two-story wing was later added to the south part of the original headquarters to provide housing for the canal manager and the toll collector.

The I&M Canal, extending from Chicago in the northeast to Peru in the southwest, was in operation from 1848 to 1914.

Today, the Canal Office houses the headquarters for the Will County Historical Society. The building also hosts the Will County Museum which contains both Will County and the I&M Canal artifacts. The importance of the I & M Canal throughout local, regional, and even national history is still evident today.

Street address: 803 S. State St., Lockport, IL USA 60441 County / Borough / Parish: Will County Year listed: 1972 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering Periods of significance: 1825-1849, 1850-1874 Historic function: Commerce/Trade, Transportation Current function: Recreation And Culture Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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