photo stories

    The Runyon Cemetery, located on the north side of Lockport, is the burial place of some family members of Armstead Runyon's family.  The cemetery is located in the Runyon Forest Preserve, however it is not easily accessible from the main entrance to the park at Morgan and Table Streets. In order to easily access the cemetery, you need to take Table St. north to Bluff St., make a right on Bluff and then take a right at the end of Bluff on to West St. Once you are on West, you will drive past a mailbox on your right that says 410 and just past that on the right side is an opening in the trees with a   wooden barricade and a grass path. There is no marking indicating that the cemetery is there. You will need to park along the street and be careful not to block the road or any driveways. Once on the   path, you head west a short distance and then make a right. By this time the small cemetery is already in view. 

    Dellwood Park was built in 1905-06 by the Chicago & Joliet Electric Railway Company to help promote ridership on the line. Costing nearly $300,000 to build, Dellwood Park officially opened   July 4, 1905, and quickly became one of the most outstanding and beautiful park sites in the state. During the peak years, as many as 15,000 persons visited the park on weekends during company picnics.  A grandstand was built at a cost of $10,000, and as many as 5,000 spectators sat in the stand to watch many events, including baseball games and sulky races. For over 30 years, Dellwood Park, just north of Joliet in Lockport, was one of the finest amusement, recreational and picnic areas in the region. Thousands of people came to the park each year by rail from Chicago and other surrounding communities.
 

    During the summer months, visitors would use the lake, which was created by damming Long Run Creek, to swim and boat. During the winter months, visitors would enjoy ice skating on the frozen lake.  

     The "Music Man Marching Band" under the leadership of Ernest Caneva and Herbert Tatroe, brought fame and renown to Lockport Township High School on June 19, 1962. This was when the LTHS marching band was named the official band of the movie "Meredith Willson 's The Music Man" which was debuting in theaters on that day starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones.
 

    They were given the award in Mason City, Iowa and from there the band immediately left on an all expense paid trip to New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, where they appeared on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and then back to New York for a two day appearance on the Arthur Godfrey Radio Show.
 

    During the trip the band entertained the public by playing concerts at Coney Island, the Capitol steps and the National Music Convention in New York.
 

    Upon their return to Lockport, the band kept up its fast pace and entertained crowds on the Fourth of July, at the Music Festival in Chicago, at Moorehead, Minnesota, as well as the home crowds right here in Lockport.
 

   On Friday April 27 2012 LAGHS celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the win of this prestigious national award with a program at the Gladys Fox Museum. Herb Tatroe was the guest of honor and many original band members joined in for this program.