A new exhibit at the Gaylord Building Historic Site celebrates a milestone in Lockport’s story: fifty years since its downtown was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
50 Years to Overnight Success: The Story of the Lockport National Historic District, 1975–2025 explores how a small town rallied to save its historic core, and in doing so, redefined its future. Through detailed building histories, captivating visuals, and local voices, the exhibit tells the story of how decaying industrial sites became restaurants, galleries, museums, and community hubs.
Featuring unique and original artwork by Lockport artist and architect Bob Morris, and with contributions from historian Clint Cargile, the exhibit traces key preservation victories that helped shape today’s Lockport. From saving the old Central School (now City Hall) in the 1970s, the Gaylord Building in the 1980s, the Norton Building in the 1990s, to more recent revivals like Embers, the Roxy Theater, and the Opera House, the exhibit chronicles how decades of preservation have transformed downtown into a vibrant cultural destination.
The exhibit is on view through March 2026 in the third-floor gallery of the Gaylord Building, 200 W. 8th Street in Lockport. Admission is free.
The Gaylord Building is a National Trust Historic Site and a nationally recognized model of adaptive reuse. Built in 1838 as an I&M Canal warehouse, it now serves as a hub for history, art, dining, and cultural programming. To learn more about The Gaylord Building and upcoming events, please visit www.gaylordbuilding.org.
