In 1837 the town of Lockport was laid out by the Illinois and Michigan Canal commissioners and a residence-office was built. The first floor of the permanent structure was completed in 1837 and became headquarters for construction and administration of the waterway. The canal extended ninety-six miles from the South Branch of the Chicago River near Lake Michigan to the Illinois River at Peru and was in operation from 1848 to 1914. This building, now owned by the Will County Historical Society, houses the Illinois and Michigan Canal Museum.
