Exhibitions for All Ages


The Gaylord Building features a range of exhibits on the history of the canal: the people who built it, the towns that prospered along it, and the landscape that was shaped by it.


The First Floor Gallery

On the ground floor is the permanent exhibit Illinois Passage: Connecting the Continent, which examines the impact of the Illinois & Michigan Canal on the development of the northeastern Illinois. Blending artifacts, historic photos and an engaging interpretive text, the exhibit provides visitors with an introduction to the role that the I & M Canal played in shaping Illinois' destiny. The Illinois State Historical Society awarded the exhibit a Superior Achievement for exhibitions. Part of the citation states, “Based on extensive and impeccable research, the exhibition is a model of high quality design in service of sound educational goals.”


Second Floor Minor Gallery

Abraham Lincoln and the I&M Canal examines the connections between our 16th President and the historic waterway. Throughout his public life, Abraham Lincoln advocated for improvements to the nation’s transportation network, including a canal system that would be tied to the harbors, rivers and roadways of America. He believed the waterways held the key to success, advancing the economic development of his home state and the entire nation. As a legislator, an attorney, and the President of the United States, Lincoln actively supported the construction, use and expansion of the Illinois & Michigan Canal.


Second and Third Floor Major Galleries

Places, Pieces and People that Matter: Celebrating Will County’s 175th Anniversary is inspired by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “This Place Matters” initiative. The exhibition consists of two main parts. The second floor of the historic site features the work of local artists who have created original artwork about some aspect of Will County that matters to them. The artwork will be available for purchase, but with delivery after the exhibition close. The third floor celebrates a special part of Will County: Lockport! The display features “things” loaned by local residents commemorating some aspect of the city that matters to them. Area residents are encouraged to participate in the ongoing and ever changing third floor display by loaning something that is personally meaningful about Lockport.


The exhibition opened to the public on Saturday, September 17, 2011, and will close on Sunday, January 15, 2012. To discover more about the exhibition, especially how to contribute something that matters to you about Lockport, please contact The Gaylord Building staff at 1.815.838.9400