Lock and Dam No. 17 Historic District
Why it's listed
Lock and Dam No. 17 crosses the Upper Mississippi River near New Boston, Illinois, in a rural setting of marshes, sloughs and islands. The 86.93-acre complex includes a main lock with an 8-foot lift, an incomplete auxiliary lock, a dam with eight Tainter gates and three roller gates, earthen dikes, a Moderne-style central control station and a lawn esplanade. Contractors built most of it between 1935 and 1938, and it opened to navigation on May 14, 1939. It was among the last locks in the 9-foot channel project paid for with emergency relief funds. The site was so remote that a 3.7-mile access road and a worker camp with eleven bunk houses and a mess hall were built first; 626 men worked there at the 1936 peak. Later additions include 1951 guide wall extensions to correct outdraft problems and a 1991 rehabilitation. The lock, auxiliary lock, dam, control station and two stage recorders contribute to the district's historic character.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1935-1948 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Lock and dam; Moderne (central control station); machinery |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Maritime History, Commerce, Social History, Conservation, Economics, Politics/Government, Military |
| Acreage | 86.9 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Lock and Dam No. 17 Historic District (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.