La Grange Lock and Dam Historic District
Also known as: Lock and Dam 8
Why it's listed
La Grange Lock and Dam is a navigation facility on the Illinois River in Brown County, Illinois, placed in operation in 1939. It is the southernmost lock and dam of the Illinois Waterway. The district has a lock with an 11-foot lift and a 110 by 600 foot chamber, a 1,066-foot concrete and earthen dam with wicket gates and a Tainter gate, and a two-story brick control station designed by Army Corps engineer Paul LeGromwell. The control station was built with key operations on the upper floor so the lower story could be cleared of flood mud and debris. It was the last of the 1930s lock and dams on the waterway. It was listed for its part in the system that lets barges and towboats travel between Chicago and the Mississippi, and as a representative example of Army Corps of Engineers design of its period. Two later boats, a maneuver boat and a push boat, are not counted as historic. The facility keeps a high degree of integrity.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion A for its role in the maritime and transportation history of the Illinois Waterway, a slackwater system giving commercial barges access between Chicago and the Mississippi River. It is significant under Criterion C as a good representative example of Army Corps of Engineers lock and dam construction of the period. It retains a high degree of integrity despite some replaced equipment and surfaces.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 04000170, listed March 10, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 0.75 mi. S of Cty Rte 795N at Illinois River, Versailles |
|---|---|
| County | Brown County |
| Listed | March 10, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000170 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1939-1951 |
| Architect / builder | LeGromwell, Paul |
| Architectural style | No Style: control station; Other: lock and dam |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Maritime History, Engineering |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating; the lock and dam retain their original appearance and function, with some equipment and surfaces replaced. The maneuver boat is still used to raise and lower the dam wickets. |
| Acreage | 17.6 |
| Coordinates | 39.94268, -90.53389 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 04000170.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16893851
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.