Then & Now: Gaylord Building/Public Landing – Lockport

At the north end of the Public Landing, and bordering the I&M Canal on the east bank, is the Gaylord Building. Built in 1838, the 1½-story limestone and timber structure first functioned as a supply depot, mule barn and warehouse during canal construction.

The Illinois and Michigan Canal served as a major means of communication and transportation for areas southwest of Chicago for much of the 19th century. The primary goods moved along the canal included grain and flour, and limestone from the quarries in the Des Plaines Valley. Other products transported by way of the canal included timber shipped from the north, and agricultural products such as sugar and coffee from the south.

In 1853, George Martin purchased the building for use as a grain warehouse, and made several modifications to the structure, such as the addition of arched doorways on each side of the building.

By the early 1860s, Martin had added a three-story building to the east side of the structure for additional storage and office space. Julius Scheibe, a German immigrant, was contracted to construct the Italianate stone addition. Different owners have owned and occupied the building over the years, including Hiram Norton, the Barrows Lock Co. and the Hyland Plumbing Supply Co.

By the early 1980s, the building had fallen into disrepair and needed to be restored. With the help of the Canal Corridor Association, contact was made with descendents of the Gaylord family that had once owned the building. Philanthropist Gaylord Donnelley (retired chairman of Chicago’s R. R. Donnelley & Sons) and his niece Barbi Donnelley, an avid preservationist, helped to spark an interest in refurbishing the building while also helping to revitalize downtown Lockport and bring tourism to the area.

With the creation of the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor in 1984, the Gaylord Lockport Co., with the leadership of Gaylord and Barbi Donnelley, began to raise funds and restore the building. The Gaylord Lockport Co. raised nearly $3 million to rehab the building.

The project was so successful and well-executed that President Ronald Reagan recognized the Gaylord Building by presenting Gaylord Donnelley with a President’s Award for Historic Preservation.

Today, the Gaylord Building is one of 28 National Trust Historic Sites and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The 14,000-square-foot building is a national example of adaptive reuse and serves as a gateway to the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor.

In 1987, the Gaylord Building opened to the public, featuring the Public Landing Restaurant and Banquet center.

The Then photograph shows a view of the Gaylord building and old warehouse from the west side of the canal.

The Now image shows a view of the building from the Public Landing today.