Lockport is both a city and the

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

that surrounds it in

Niagara County Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word ''Onguiaahra''; meaning ''the strait'' or ''thunder of waters''. Niag ...

, New York. The city is the Niagara county seat, with a population of 21,165 according to 2010 census figures, and an estimated population of 20,305 as of 2019. Its name derives from a set of

Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing t ...

locks Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

(Lock Numbers 34 and 35) within the city that were built to allow canal barges to traverse the 60-foot natural drop of the

Niagara Escarpment The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in Canada and the United States that runs predominantly east–west from New York through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, and into Illinois. The escarpment is most famous as the cliff over ...

. It is part of the

Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area The Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area, designated by the United States Census Bureau, encompassing two counties — Erie and Niagara in Western New York. It has a population of almost 1.2 million peop ...

History

The New York State Legislature authorized the

's construction in April 1816. The route proposed by surveyors was to traverse an area in central Niagara County, New York, which was then "uncivilized" and free of White settlers. At the time, the nearest settlers were in nearby Cold Springs, New York. Following the announcement, land

speculators In finance, speculation is the purchase of an asset (a commodity, goods, or real estate) with the hope that it will become more valuable shortly. (It can also refer to short sales in which the speculator hopes for a decline in value.) Many s ...

began to buy large plots along and near the proposed route of the canal. By December 1820, when the exact location of the step locks had been determined, the area that would become Lockport was owned by only fifteen men, many of whom were

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...

. The canal reached Lockport in 1824, but the

Flight of Five Locks The Flight of Five Locks on the Erie Canal in Lockport, New York is a staircase lock constructed to lift or lower a canal boat over the Niagara Escarpment in five stages. The locks are part of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor The E ...

were not completed until 1825. By 1829, Lockport was an established village. The community was centered on the locks, and consisted mainly of immigrant Scottish and

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

canal workers brought in as labor. The workers remained in Lockport after the completion of the locks, giving the city a heavy

Celt The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient ...

ic influence still discernible today, especially in the Lowertown and North Lockport neighborhoods. The city of Lockport was incorporated in 1865. The

was supplanted by the larger

New York State Barge Canal New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

in 1918, and the famous south "Flight of Five" locks was replaced by two much larger locks E34 and E35. The north "Flight of Five" lock chambers still remain as a spill way. In recent years, public officials and private businesses have made an effort to promote Lockport history as a regional or national tourist attraction. This includes the completion of the Canal Discovery Center, the Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride tour, and the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises. Local officials are seeking state grants to reconstruct the historic "Flight of Five" and make it a living history site complete with boat rides and reenactors. Published reports state that such a living history site in Lockport, marketed as a day trip from Niagara Falls, could draw thousands of tourists to Lockport each year. The city has a number of properties on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. They include the Bacon-Merchant-Moss House, Col. William M. and Nancy Ralston Bond House, Chase-Crowley-Keep House, Chase-Hubbard-Williams House, Nathan Comstock Jr. House, Conkey House, ''

Day Peckinpaugh ''Day Peckinpaugh'' is a historic canal motorship berthed at the Matton Shipyard on Peebles Island, Cohoes in Albany County, New York, United States. Early years ''Day Peckinpaugh'' was built in 1921 by the McDougall-Duluth Shipyard in Dul ...

'', Dole House, Gibbs House, High and Locust Streets Historic District, Hopkins House,

House at 8 Berkley Drive 8 Berkley Drive is a historic house located at the address of the same name in Lockport, Niagara County, New York Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lock ...

Lockport Industrial District Lockport Industrial District is a national historic district located at Lockport in Niagara County, New York. The district features the two sets of Erie Canal locks constructed in 1859 and 1909–1918, respectively known as the Northern Tier ...

, Lowertown Historic District, Maloney House, Benjamin C. Moore Mill, Niagara County Courthouse and County Clerk's Office, Thomas Oliver House, Pound–Hitchins House, Stickney House,

Union Station A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

United States Post Office The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

, Peter D. Walter House, Watson House, and White-Pound House. Lockport's largest employer is General Motors Components, the former

Harrison Radiator Corporation Harrison Radiator Corporation was an early manufacturer of automotive radiators and heat exchangers for crewed spacecraft and guided missiles, as well as various cooling equipment for automotive, marine, industrial, nuclear, and aerospace applicat ...

, which was founded locally in 1912 and which became a division of General Motors Corporation in 1918. After 10 years of ownership by Delphi Corporation as Delphi Thermal Systems, it returned to General Motors in October 2009. In 1948, the Lockport Chief of Police denied a permit for a

Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...

minister to preach in a public park using a

sound truck A sound truck is a vehicle equipped with a public address system and loudspeakers, typically used to play recorded messages at high volume to the public while driving through residential areas. They are used in many countries by groups to dissem ...

. In '' Saia v. New York'', the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the city ordinance as a violation of the

First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.4 km²), of which 8.5 square miles (22.1 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) (1.39%) is water. The

passes through the center of the city, turning south toward

Tonawanda Creek Tonawanda Creek is a small tributary of the Niagara River in Western New York, United States. After rising in Wyoming County, the stream flows through Genesee County before forming part of the boundary between Erie County and Niagara County. ...

. It climbs the Niagara Escarpment through a series of two modern locks. Originally, a double set of five smaller combined locks were used. Lockport is at the junction of several major truck routes, including NY Route 78 (Transit Road), NY Route 31, NY Route 77 and NY Route 93. It is 17 miles north of

Interstate 90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...

via NY Route 78. The highest point is the bell tower at 452 High Street, with the street itself being the highest street as measured by frontage above the 650 feet elevation. Lockport lies in

area code 716 Area code 716 is a telephone area code in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and four surrounding counties in western New York. It was one of the original North American area codes established in 1947. Histor ...

Tourist attractions

* The Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises boat rides are offered on the Erie Canal, with one proceeding upward through the modern locks for a short cruise, and returning to pass downstream under two lift bridges and then returning to the docks. * The Lockport Erie Canal Museum is in an old lock control structure between the modern Locks 34 & 35 and the remaining original "Flight of Five" Locks spillway, and contains historic photographs, maps, engineering drawings and antique machinery. * The Canal Discovery Center is housed in an old church about 100 yards to the west of the locks. * Lockport has the widest bridge (399' wide x 129' long) in North America, which spans the canal to the southwest of the locks. * The Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride tour can be taken near the locks. * The Niagara County Historical Society, at 215 Niagara Street, is a complex of buildings that tell the story of Niagara County history. * 100 American Craftsmen is an annual show of arts and crafts held at the Kenan Arena. The arena is on the historic Kenan Center campus. * Ida Fritz Park plays host to the Taste of Lockport every August and to a cruise night every Monday during the summer. * Lockport recently added a new ice rink for the Clarence Mustangs and Lockport Express (now defunct team in the

North American 3 Hockey League The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) is an American Junior ice hockey#Tier III, Tier III junior ice hockey league that consists of teams from Connecticut, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, M ...

) called Cornerstone Arena.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, there were 21,165 people, 9,153 households and 5,172 families residing in the city. There were 10,092 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 87.5%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 7.2%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.5% Native American, 0.5%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.8% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.5% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

people of any race were 3.2% of the population. At the 2000 census, there were 9,459 households; 30.5% of households included children under the age of 18, 41.4% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 3.03. 25.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...

was $35,228, and the median family income was $44,614. Males had a median income of $35,197 and females $23,944. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

was $19,620. About 11.7% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local politics

The city is governed by a mayor and a city council. The mayor is elected to a four-year term, the aldermen to two-year terms. There are five wards in the city, resulting in five aldermen plus one alderman-at-large, who is elected by the entire city. In 2003, Michael W. Tucker was elected mayor of the city of Lockport; he was subsequently reelected in 2007 and 2011. However, he resigned in 2014 instead of serving his third four-year term. City of Lockport Common Council President and 2nd Ward Alderwoman Anne McCaffrey replaced Tucker as interim mayor and was sworn in on February 24, 2014. She was later elected to a full four-year term that began in January 2016. She resigned and accepted the position as president and CEO of Eastern Niagara Hospital.

Education

Lockport City School District oversees all local public schools. * Anna Merritt Elementary School * Charles Upson Elementary School * George M. Southard Elementary School * Roy B. Kelley Elementary School * Emmet Belknap Intermediate School * Aaron Mossell Junior High School * Lockport High School * Lockport High School West * DeSales Catholic School DeSales Catholic School is a local private elementary school within the regional Diocese of Buffalo. The school was named after St. Francis de Sales. Previously a high school, it now teaches classes from pre-school through eighth grade.

Notable people

Some people of note who were born in Lockport are: *

Kim Alexis Kim Marie Alexis (born July 15, 1960) is an American supermodel and actress who was famous in the 1970s and 80s. She appeared on the cover of magazines like ''Sports Illustrated'', ''Vogue'', ''Harper's Bazaar'', '' Glamour'', ''Self'' and ''C ...

supermodel A supermodel, also spelled super-model or super model, is a highly paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in ''haute couture'' and commercial modeling. The term ''supermodel'' became prominent in the po ...

Walter Ransom Gail Baker Walter Ransom Gail Baker (November 30, 1892 – October 30, 1960) was an American electrical engineer. He was a vice president of General Electric, and was Director of Engineering for the Radio Manufacturers Association (now the Electronic Indust ...

, former vice president of

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...

, director of engineering for the

Radio Manufacturers Association The Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA; until 1997 Electronic Industries Association) was an American standards and trade organization composed as an alliance of trade associations for electronics manufacturers in the United States. They devel ...

, founder of

NTSC The first American standard for analog television broadcast was developed by National Television System Committee (NTSC)National Television System Committee (1951–1953), Report and Reports of Panel No. 11, 11-A, 12–19, with Some supplement ...

* Philip Baruth, writer and politician * George W. Batten, former New York State Treasurer *

Anna Smeed Benjamin Anna Smeed Benjamin (, Smeed; November 28, 1834 – June 1, 1924) was an American social reformer and activist involved in the Temperance movement in the United States, temperance movement. After being drawn into the work of the Woman's Foreign M ...

(1834-1924), social reformer * Holly Broadbent Sr., orthodontist *

Lillian Bronson Lillian Rumsey Bronson (October 21, 1902 - August 2, 1995) was an American character actress. She performed in more than 80 films and 100 television productions. Biography Bronson was born in Lockport, New York, the daughter of a carriage build ...

, film/TV character actress *

Ellen Burrell Ellen Louisa Burrell (June 12, 1850 – December 3, 1938) was an American mathematics professor, head of the Department of Pure Mathematics at Wellesley College from 1897 to 1916. Early life Burrell was born in Lockport, New York, the daughte ...

, professor of mathematics at

Wellesley College Wellesley College is a private women's liberal arts college in Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant as a female seminary, it is a member of the original Seven Sisters Colleges, an unofficial g ...

* Bernard Buzyniski, retired

American Football League The American Football League (AFL) was a major professional American football league that operated for ten seasons from 1960 until 1970, when it merged with the older National Football League (NFL), and became the American Football Conference. ...

player *

Helen Stuart Campbell Helen Stuart Campbell ( pen names, Helen Weeks, Helen Campbell, Helen Wheaton; July 5, 1839 – July 22, 1918) was an American author, economist, and editor, as well as a social and industrial reformer. She was a pioneer in the field of home econo ...

, social reformer and home economist *

Jerry Cook Jerry Cook (born June 20, 1943) is a NASCAR modified championship race car driver. He began racing at the age of 13 and won the track championship at Utica-Rome Speedway in 1969. Racing career He eventually went to become a six-time champion in ...

, race car driver * Francis R. Delano, banker and lawyer * Geoffrey Deuel, actor *

Lyman Draper Lyman Copeland Draper (September 4, 1815August 26, 1891) was a librarian and historian who served as secretary for the State Historical Society of Wisconsin at Madison, Wisconsin. Draper also served as Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisco ...

, secretary for the

Wisconsin Historical Society The Wisconsin Historical Society (officially the State Historical Society of Wisconsin) is simultaneously a state agency and a private membership organization whose purpose is to maintain, promote and spread knowledge relating to the history of N ...

, Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin *

Ferrin Fraser Ferrin Fraser (May 11, 1903 – April 1, 1969 in Lockport (city), New York, Lockport, New York) was a radio scriptwriter and short story author who collaborated with Frank Buck (animal collector), Frank Buck on radio scripts and five books. Edu ...

, radio script writer for ''

Little Orphan Annie ''Little Orphan Annie'' is a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and it made its debut on Aug ...

'' and '' Frank Buck'' *

Harold Huston George Harold Huston George (14 September 1892 – 29 April 1942) was a general officer in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He began his military career before World War I when he enlisted as a private in the 3rd New York Infantry ...

, general officer in the United States Army Air Forces during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Lt Col Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

William G. Gregory William George "Borneo" Gregory (born May 14, 1957) is an American retired NASA astronaut and United States Air Force lieutenant colonel. Early life and education Gregory was born in Lockport (city), New York, Lockport, New York, into an Al ...

, astronaut (ret.) in the

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program na ...

program *

Katherine Hannigan Katherine Hannigan (born 1962) is a children's and young adults' writer. Biography Hannigan was born in Lockport, New York in 1962. She has undergraduate degrees in mathematics, education, and painting, and a Master of Fine Arts in studio art. ...

, writer * Tommy Hicks, boxer * Alice Tisdale Hobart, novelist *

William Leonard Hunt William Leonard Hunt (June 10, 1838 – January 17, 1929), also known by the stage name The Great Farini, was a well-known nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Canadian funambulist, entertainment promoter and inventor, as well as the first kn ...

(1838–1929), also known by the stage name the Great Farini, tightrope performances at Niagara Falls, inventor of the "

human cannonball The human cannonball act is a performance in which a person who acts as the "cannonball" is ejected from a specially designed cannon. The human cannonball lands on a horizontal net or inflated bag placed at the landing point, as predicted by phys ...

" * James Jackson, Jr., former US Congressman, Mayor of Lockport *

Sean Kugler Sean Patrick Kugler (born August 9, 1966) is an American football coach and former run game coordinator and offensive line coach for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach at the Uni ...

, head coach for the

UTEP Miners football The UTEP Miners football program represents University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in the sport of American football. The Miners compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the West Div ...

team * William F. Leonard, Medal of Honor recipient *

Duane Lyman Duane Lyman (1886–1966) was an architect based in Buffalo, New York, known for his prolific career which included 100 school buildings, many churches, and numerous large homes both in the city and suburban communities. At the time of his death, ...

, architect *

Othniel Charles Marsh Othniel Charles Marsh (October 29, 1831 – March 18, 1899) was an American professor of Paleontology in Yale College and President of the National Academy of Sciences. He was one of the preeminent scientists in the field of paleontology. Among h ...

, 19th-century paleontologist, discovered and named many fossils found in the American West *

Timothy McVeigh Timothy James McVeigh (April 23, 1968 – June 11, 2001) was an American domestic terrorist responsible for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people, 19 of whom were children, injured more than 680 others, and destroyed one-third o ...

, convicted terrorist responsible for

Oklahoma City bombing The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, on April 19, 1995. Perpetrated by two anti-government extremists, Timothy McVeigh and Terry N ...

Stephanie Miller Stephanie Catherine Miller (born September 29, 1961) is an American political commentator, comedian, and host of '' The Stephanie Miller Show'', a Progressive talk radio program produced in Los Angeles, California, by WYD Media Management and s ...

, nationally syndicated radio talk show host and daughter of William E. Miller *

William E. Miller William Edward Miller (March 22, 1914 – June 24, 1983) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from New York as a Republican. During the 1964 presidential election, he was the Republican nominee fo ...

, 1964 vice presidential running mate of

Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and United States Air Force officer who was a five-term U.S. Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for presiden ...

William G. Morgan William George Morgan (January 23, 1870 – December 27, 1942) was the inventor of volleyball, originally called "Mintonette", a name derived from the game of badminton which he later agreed to change to better reflect the nature of the sport. H ...

, inventor of

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

* John Murphy,

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...

radio announcer *

Edwin Griswold Nourse Edwin Griswold Nourse (May 20, 1883 – April 7, 1974) was an American economist who served as the first chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers from 1946 to 1949. Biography Born in Lockport, New York, Nourse moved to a western suburb of C ...

, economist *

Joyce Carol Oates Joyce Carol Oates (born June 16, 1938) is an American writer. Oates published her first book in 1963, and has since published 58 novels, a number of plays and novellas, and many volumes of short stories, poetry, and non-fiction. Her novels '' Bla ...

, author and professor *

Frank C. Penfold Frank (Francis) Crawford Penfold (1849–1921) was an American artist and teacher, remembered for his genre, landscape and portrait paintings, many of which he completed while living in Pont-Aven in Brittany.Cuthbert W. Pound, former Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals *

John J. Raskob John Jakob Raskob, KCSG (March 19, 1879 – October 15, 1950) was a financial executive and businessman for DuPont and General Motors, and the builder of the Empire State Building. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1928 t ...

, DuPont and General Motors executive * John B. Raymond, delegate from

Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...

to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

Chris Sacca Christopher Sacca (born May 12, 1975) is an American venture investor, company advisor, entrepreneur, and lawyer. He is the proprietor of Lowercase Capital, a venture capital fund in the United States that has invested in seed and early-stage te ...

, tech start-up venture capitalist, former Head of Special Initiatives at

Google Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. ...

John Shulock John Richard Shulock (born April 29, 1947) is a former professional baseball umpire who worked in the American League from 1979 to 1999 and throughout Major League Baseball between 2000 and 2002. Shulock wore number 29 when the AL adopted them fo ...

, retired MLB umpire *

Clip Smith Warren P. "Clip" Smith (April 22, 1941 – August 21, 2004) was a Buffalo, New York media personality and newsman. Smith was a sports reporter at WKBW-TV from 1971 until being fired in December 1988, and later returned to radio in Buffalo at WGR ...

, talk radio host *

Mark Snell Mark Snell (born February 23, 1958) is an American retired professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. Snell played professionally in the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League and coached in the FC Dallas you ...

, retired professional soccer player, former coach * Brandon Stickney, journalist, author, and documentarian * Daren Stone, professional football player * Robert Thurston, science fiction writer *

Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...

, race car driver * Charley Wood, amusement park developer *

Brock Yates Brock Wendel Yates (October 21, 1933 – October 5, 2016) was an American print and TV journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was longtime executive editing, editor of ''Car and Driver'', an American automotive industry, automotive magazine. In ...

, automotive writer and author, senior editor of ''Car and Driver'' magazine, wrote story and scripts for movies ''

The Cannonball Run ''The Cannonball Run'' is a 1981 action comedy film. It was directed by Hal Needham, produced by Hong Kong's Golden Harvest films, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Filmed in Panavision, it features an all-star ensemble cast, including B ...

'' and ''Smokey & the Bandit 2'' Some people of note who have resided in Lockport are: *

Maltbie Davenport Babcock Maltbie Davenport Babcock (August 3, 1858 – May 18, 1901) was a noted American clergyman and writer of the 19th century. He authored the familiar hymn, ''This is My Father's World'', among others. Early life Babcock was born at Syracuse, Ne ...

, clergyman *

John J. Bagley John Judson Bagley (July 24, 1832 – July 27, 1881) was a politician from the US state of Michigan, as well as the 16th governor of Michigan. Early life in New York and Michigan Bagley was born in Medina, New York to John and Mary M. (Smith) B ...

, former Governor of Michigan * Raphael Beck (1848–1947), artist, sculptor *

John Beilein John Patrick Beilein ( ; born February 5, 1953) is an American professional basketball coach who currently serves as the Senior Player Development Advisor for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before being hired b ...

, former collegiate and professional basketball coach * John Black, former mayor of

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee is ...

* William W. Campbell, former New York State Senator * Lot Clark, former US Congressman *

Richard Crowley Richard Crowley (December 14, 1836 – July 22, 1908) was a United States representative from New York. He was born in Pendleton, New York. He attended the public schools and Lockport Union School. Later, he studied law, was admitted to the bar ...

, former US Congressman *

Oliver Dyer Oliver Dyer (April 26, 1824 – January 13, 1907) was an American journalist, author, teacher, lawyer and stenographer. A pioneer in phonography, he developed his own shorthand system which was the first to be adopted for use in the United Sta ...

, first Congressional shorthand reporter * Brent Nicholson Earle, AIDS activist *

Lewis Eaton Lewis Eaton (February 17, 1790 – August 22, 1857) was a United States Congressman from New York. Life Eaton became a farmer, also becoming active in politics, including serving as Duanesburg Town Supervisor from 1819 to 1820. From 1821 to 182 ...

, former US Congressman * Timothy E. Ellsworth, former New York State Senator * Thomas T. Flagler, former US Congressman * David Gibson, Canadian politician *

Geoffrey Giuliano Geoffrey Giuliano (born September 11, 1953)
''Tell Me What Y ...

, author, actor and syndicated radio host *

, NASA astronaut * Herbert C. Harrison, sometimes credited with the invention of the modern honeycomb automobile

radiator Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in cars, buildings, and electronics. A radiator is always a ...

and founder of Harrison Radiator, now a part of General Motors' components division * William Hawley,

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

Brigadier General *

Birdsill Holly Birdsill Holly Jr. (November 8, 1820 – April 27, 1894) was an American mechanical engineer and inventor of water hydraulics devices. He is known for inventing mechanical devices that improved city water systems and patented an improved fire hy ...

, inventor, credited with inventing the first integrated fire hydrant system along with 150 U.S. patents, many related to the

Holly Steam Combination Company The Holly Steam Combination Company was an American company that was the first steam heating producer to commercially distribute district heating from a central steam heating system. The company was established in 1877 by engineer Birdsill Holly ...

* Mark Hopkins, Jr., 1813–1878, lawyer and businessman who lived in Reynales Basin (east of Gasport in Niagara County) and later Lockport from c. 1829 to c. 1848; eventually became one of the "Big Four" of California (i.e. The Central Pacific Railroad) with partners Stanford, Crocker, and Huntington that was formed in 1861 *

Washington Hunt Washington Hunt (August 5, 1811 – February 2, 1867) was an American lawyer and politician. Life and career Hunt was born in Windham, New York. He moved to Lockport, New York in 1828 to study law, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and opene ...

, former Governor of New York * Michael Huskey,

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recipient *

Tom Jolls Tom Jolls (born August 16, 1933) is a retired television personality best known for his 34-year tenure at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York. At WKBW, Jolls hosted "The Weather Outside" segments during ''Eyewitness News'', performed many of the station' ...

, TV weatherman * William R. Kenan, Jr., businessman *

Benajah Mallory Benajah Mallory (ca 1764 – August 9, 1853) was a farmer, merchant and political figure in Upper Canada. He was born in the Thirteen Colonies around 1764; he was living in Vermont at the start of the American Revolution and served with the lo ...

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...

political figure *

, American prosecutor at Nuremberg War-Crimes trials; member of

1951–1965;

Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is a U.S. political committee that assists the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican brand and political platform, as well as assisting in fu ...

Chairman 1961–1964; Republican Party Vice President nominee on 1964

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-Miller ticket; only practicing Catholic to be nominated for national office by the party until Paul Ryan in 2012; later starred in

American Express American Express Company (Amex) is an American multinational corporation specialized in payment card services headquartered at 200 Vesey Street in the Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. The company was found ...

"Do you know me?" commercials * Charles F. Mitchell, former US Congressman *

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, first African American to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania Law School *

Jeremy O'Day Jeremy O'Day (born August 31, 1974 in Buffalo, New York) is the current general manager and vice president of football operations for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and a former Canadian Football League offensive lineman. He grew up in Lockport, New ...

, retired CFL player *

Chauncey Olcott Chauncey Olcott, born John Chancellor Olcott and often spelled Chauncey Alcott, (July 21, 1858 – March 18, 1932) was an American stage actor, songwriter and singer of Irish descent. Biography He was born in Buffalo, New York. His mother, Mar ...

, stage actor and songwriter, known for the ballad "

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"; Olcott spent summers as a youth in Lockport in an "Irish shanty" with his maternal grandmother *

Charles Gilbert Peterson Charles Gilbert Peterson (January 31, 1848 - October 3, 1918), was an American contractor from Lockport, New York. He was an associate in Peterson & Sons with his father, Gilbert Peterson and brother, Jesse Peterson. The company executed such ...

, former mayor and contractor *

Gilbert Peterson Gilbert Peterson (August 5, 1824 - November 14, 1890), was an American contractor from Lockport, New York. He was the founder and President of Peterson & Sons, which he ran with his two sons, Charles Gilbert Peterson and Jesse Peterson. The co ...

, contractor of multiple waterworks and reservoirs projects along with expansion of the Erie Canal; superintendent of both the Western and Eastern divisions of the Erie Canal * Jesse Peterson, presidential elector and industrialist, president of the United Indurated Fibre Company * Lyman C. Pettit, founder and first president of the Pentecostal Collegiate Institute (now

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) * Thomas Stinson,

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, businessman * The

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, long-haired singing group traveling with

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's "Greatest Show on Earth" *

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, former US Congressman * Thomas Wall, Wisconsin businessman and state legislator *

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, former New York State Senator

Notable businesses

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operates a large data center to the west of the city. *

First Niagara Bank First Niagara Bank was a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-insured regional banking corporation headquartered in Buffalo, New York. Its parent company, First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. was the 44th-largest bank in the United States with a ...

, founded in 1870 as Farmers & Mechanics Savings Bank, has grown to include branches throughout New York and Pennsylvania and, with the April 2011 acquisition of

NewAlliance Bank NewAlliance Bancshares, doing business as NewAlliance Bank, was the second largest Connecticut-based savings bank. It was formed in 2004 through the union of The Savings Bank of Manchester, New Haven Savings Bank, and Tolland Bank. First Niagara ...

based in New Haven, Connecticut, is one of the largest regional banks in the country. *General Motors, Lockport was founded in 1910 as the Harrison Radiator Company for the purpose of designing, manufacturing, and selling automotive radiators and components. Since that time the company has flourished into a lean manufacturing site that produces a wide array of Powertrain Cooling and HVAC components and systems. The company has historically been a significant employer of the local population and currently employs almost 1400 people. *The Palace Theatre a neoclassical theatre, was constructed by Charles Dickinson beginning in 1922 and opening July 18, 1925. During opening, Lock City Theater Company President A. Edmund Lee was quoted as saying it was "built not for the aristocracy, but for all the people.” It is designed with a mix of art deco and Italian Renaissance styles complete with wall and ceiling murals. The theatre underwent an interior redesign in 1936, with

John Eberson John Adolph Emil Eberson (January 2, 1875 – March 5, 1954) was an Austrian-American architect best known for the development and promotion of movie palace designs in the atmospheric theatre style. He designed over 500 theatres in his lifetime, ea ...

as the architect. In 1969, the Palace Theatre closed its doors, and it stood vacant until it was bought by Granchelli Real Estate in 1972. Although there was talk of demolishing the theatre, the Palace reopened later that same year "under either direct or indirect management of the Dipson Theatres chain." The theatre underwent restorations in 1973, and it reopened in 1974. By 1999 profits started to dwindle as other businesses began to leave Lockport's downtown area and patrons became less frequent. Later that same year, "Curtain Up Productions" leased the space until 2003, when the theatre was sold to Historic Palace Theatre Inc., a community-based not-for-profit organization which has maintained its commitment to keeping the theatre active. In 2021, the Palace Theatre finished its most recent restoration project at a cost of $4.1 million, with "$600,000 coming through Lockport's Downtown Revitalization Initiative award."

References

* Peca, Paulette (2005), ''Lockport'', Arcadia Publishing,

Notes

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lockport, New York Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area Cities in New York (state) Cities in Niagara County, New York County seats in New York (state) Erie Canal