Built in 1838 on the canal side of downtown Lockport, Illinois, the Gaylord Building began as a large limestone warehouse serving construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, whose route made Lockport an important planning and supply point. After the canal opened in 1848, the building passed into private use and, under the name of merchant George Gaylord, housed a succession of industrial and commercial functions, including a machine shop, foundry, printing facility, and plumbing supply warehouse. Restored between 1983 and 1987 after serious decline, it now operates as a museum and historic site that powerfully reflects both the canal’s creation and later preservation efforts.

Crest Hill, Illinois · USA