About Us
Lockport, Illinois is a town rich in history with the first settlers arriving in the area in 1830. Lockport is located on the old Illinois and Michigan Canal, which served as an important mode of transportation in the 1800's. The city derives its name from the locks that controlled the water level on the canal. In 1848 the I & M canal was opened and Lockport became a port on the 100 mile journey between Lake Michigan and the Illinois river. Although the canal was once a means of transportation of goods and passengers, it is now a picturesque link to the past and is the heart of the I & M National Heritage Corridor.
Soon after settlers arrived, school classes began in a log cabin on what is now Division Street. The first village school was built in 1857, and housed students of all ages. The three story building was built of local dolemitic limestone, with a four-sided clock tower on its roof. The first graduation commencement was June 28, 1888 with seven graduates. A fire destroyed the school on August 10, 1895. Classes were held in churches and other buildings until a new structure was ready.
Subsequently in 1896 a new school opened, also built of local dolemitic limestone and on the same site as the school that burned. John Barnes, the Joliet architect who designed it, trained in the Richardson Romanesque style. The new school likewise, housed all of the village students.
Construction was started in 1909 on a high school at 1222 S. Jefferson. In 1910, Lockport High School opened and was accredited by the North Central Association. Since the time of the dedication, two major additions in 1930 and 1953 have been made to the school. With these additions, the high school now occupies the entire block of Twelfth, Jefferson, Thirteenth, and Madison Streets.
In 1963, Lockport West High School opened as a four-year high school, and in 1964, Lockport Township High School-East Campus opened for freshman and sophomores at 1323 E. Seventh Street. Juniors and seniors attended the older school referred to as Lockport Township High School - Central Campus. In 1971, deannexation took place and Lockport High School District 205 was separated into two districts. Both Lockport Central and East Campus remained in District 205. Lockport West Campus became District 211.
Lastly, in the spring of 1995, the communities within District 205 passed a referendum to remodel the interior of Lockport East Campus and increase its size, renovate areas of Central Campus, upgrade and expand the technology resources and infrastructure at both campus. The renovation project enabled District 205 to house 3,000 students at East Campus and 1,000 students at Central Campus. The project was finished in the fall of 1997. East Campus was changed to a Sophomore, Junior, Senior Campus. Central Campus became the Freshman Center.