Illinois State Museum Lockport aka Norton Building  

Picture Norton Building

Norton Building West Side Facing I and M Canal

     This building is located at 200 W. 11th Street, Lockport, Illinois.   It was built by Hiram Norton. Construction was between 1848 and 1855.    The building walls are yellow limestone quarried from the adjacent Illinois Michigan Canal. 

     The structure is massive measuring 100 feet by 100 feet. It is 3 and one half stories.

     The building was constructed to store, process, package,  and distribute barrels of grain to Midwest and Western populations.  There was also a nautical store, offices.  It also provided sleeping quarters for young boys who worked on the canal.

    Norton, Inc was sold to American Grains in 1897. It subsequently was acquired by Quaker Oats. Grain operations ceased in 1950’s.  In 1989, the Norton Building was acquired by Norton Building Company.  They conducted an extensive renovation.  The building is now used as residential lofts, offices, commercial spaces and the Illinois State Museum’s Lockport Facility.

Drawing Norton Building 1873.

     The Illinois State Museum, Lockport occupies the first floor Norton Building.  There are three galleries.  There are high ceilings and hardware floors.  The museum was closed during the Covid pandemic but is currently open.