Gaylord Building HistoryArchived 2006-07-10 at the Wayback Machine: "Items stored in the warehouse included provisions, shovels, picks, wheelbarrows, lumber, ropes, iron and steel for making tools and machinery, chains, cordage, cranes, black powder and staple provisions for winter sustenance of the workmen."
This imageArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine (from the Canal Corridor site) of downtown Lockport shows a lot of yellow limestone buildings, as does this oneArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, taken looking across the Metra tracks from the building to downtown.
Gaylord Building HistoryArchived 2006-07-10 at the Wayback Machine: "After briefly renting it to the firm of Norton and Blackstone, which made thorough repairs on the building, it was sold in September 1848 for $4,000. Shortly afterwards the firm of Martin and Townsend rented out the space for grain storage, and by 1850 they were doing a booming business. George B. Martin purchased the building in November 1853."
Canal Corridor site, Gaylord history pageArchived 2006-07-21 at the Wayback Machine: " Gaylord had been in business long before he came to the building that now bears his name. Like many who rose to prominence in Illinois in the 19th century, George Gaylord had roots in the east. Born in White Hall, New York, Gaylord came to Illinois in 1839, finally settling in Lockport in 1847. Gaylord engaged in a variety of work, including farm laborer, school teacher and blacksmith before he and a partner (Dennis Smith), opened up a dry goods store in 1847. (Smith retired in the fall of 1849.)During the Civil War Gaylord went into the grain business in a big way, handling up to 400,000 bushels a year. According to one account, he was the first in Lockport to buy grain at legal weights, eventually convincing others to do the same. For a time Gaylord also owned Oak Hill Quarry just south of Lockport.In 1878 Gaylord bought the building from George B. Martin, the man behind the 1859 storefront addition."
Canal Corridor site photoArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine credited The Gaylord Building and busy Lockport Landing circa 1880 (courtesy of Gerald W. Adelmann)
Gaylord Building HistoryArchived 2006-07-10 at the Wayback Machine: "The 1859 was used to store barbed wire in the 1880s. During the Barrows Lock Company era the building housed machine shops, a brass foundry, a carpentry shop, and storerooms. In 1945 the Will County printing Company had a specialty print shop here. From 1948 until the early 1980s the building was occupied by the Hyland Plumbing Supply Building."
The Encyclopedia of Chicago History site's Lockport page documents how "History became a focus of commercial development" starting in the 1960s, as Lockport saw the creation of museums, historic districts and even a 1970's rebranding as "the Old Canal Town".
lewisu.edu
This photo (and the next two in sequence) from the Lewis University site shows the old headquarters building, just uphill and across the tracks from the Gaylord Building
maj.com
This imageArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine (from the Canal Corridor site) of downtown Lockport shows a lot of yellow limestone buildings, as does this oneArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, taken looking across the Metra tracks from the building to downtown.
This image from Maj.comArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine shows the plaque designating the building as part of the Lockport National Historic District
Gaylord Building HistoryArchived 2006-07-10 at the Wayback Machine: "Items stored in the warehouse included provisions, shovels, picks, wheelbarrows, lumber, ropes, iron and steel for making tools and machinery, chains, cordage, cranes, black powder and staple provisions for winter sustenance of the workmen."
This imageArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine (from the Canal Corridor site) of downtown Lockport shows a lot of yellow limestone buildings, as does this oneArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, taken looking across the Metra tracks from the building to downtown.
Gaylord Building HistoryArchived 2006-07-10 at the Wayback Machine: "After briefly renting it to the firm of Norton and Blackstone, which made thorough repairs on the building, it was sold in September 1848 for $4,000. Shortly afterwards the firm of Martin and Townsend rented out the space for grain storage, and by 1850 they were doing a booming business. George B. Martin purchased the building in November 1853."
Canal Corridor site, Gaylord history pageArchived 2006-07-21 at the Wayback Machine: " Gaylord had been in business long before he came to the building that now bears his name. Like many who rose to prominence in Illinois in the 19th century, George Gaylord had roots in the east. Born in White Hall, New York, Gaylord came to Illinois in 1839, finally settling in Lockport in 1847. Gaylord engaged in a variety of work, including farm laborer, school teacher and blacksmith before he and a partner (Dennis Smith), opened up a dry goods store in 1847. (Smith retired in the fall of 1849.)During the Civil War Gaylord went into the grain business in a big way, handling up to 400,000 bushels a year. According to one account, he was the first in Lockport to buy grain at legal weights, eventually convincing others to do the same. For a time Gaylord also owned Oak Hill Quarry just south of Lockport.In 1878 Gaylord bought the building from George B. Martin, the man behind the 1859 storefront addition."
Canal Corridor site photoArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine credited The Gaylord Building and busy Lockport Landing circa 1880 (courtesy of Gerald W. Adelmann)
Gaylord Building HistoryArchived 2006-07-10 at the Wayback Machine: "The 1859 was used to store barbed wire in the 1880s. During the Barrows Lock Company era the building housed machine shops, a brass foundry, a carpentry shop, and storerooms. In 1945 the Will County printing Company had a specialty print shop here. From 1948 until the early 1980s the building was occupied by the Hyland Plumbing Supply Building."
This image from Maj.comArchived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine shows the plaque designating the building as part of the Lockport National Historic District
