History of Lockport

New York State Legislature passes an act marking present-day Lockport and its surrounding region as the area where the Erie Canal will pass through.

Jesse Haines, a Quaker settler, maps the future city of Lockport.

Lockport citizens convince the owner of the printing press, Bartimus Ferguson, to relocate from Lewiston to Lockport, which in turn becomes the seat of Niagara County.

As a solution to the 60-foot drop of the Niagara Escarpment that would prevent packet boats from completing their journey to Buffalo, construction begins on the Flight of Five lock system, an idea proposed by Nathan Roberts.

The Erie Canal opens from the Hudson River to the foot of the Lockport locks. Without their completion, freight and passengers are transported by carriage through Pendleton, then are repacked to continue their journey.

A $4 million loan with 5 percent interest is granted to enlarge the canal.

The Lockport Public School system is founded.

A saloon owner learns that President Lincoln is calling for civilian volunteers to fight in the Civil War before official notice is given. He rounds up Lockport residents, who are later recognized as the first volunteer regiment of the war.

The first election held makes Benjamin Carpenter the city’s first mayor.

Birdsill Holly, one of Lockport’s most prominent residents and the co- inventor of the steam fire engine, gets a patent for the fire hydrant.

Lockport City Hospital, which would later become Lockport Memorial, opens its doors with accommodations for 18 patients.

Lockport Palace Theatre opens, “built not for aristocracy, but for the people.”

The Lockport Public Library opens at its present site on East Avenue.

DeSales Catholic School opens its doors as an all- boys secondary school. It becomes co-ed about a decade later.

Mike and Sharon Murphy start Lockport Canal Tours. They began their business with 2 pontoon boats.