The historic Illinois and Michigan Canal connected the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, and therefore the Gulf of Mexico. The inland waterway became so important to trade that it enabled Chicago to become the most economically important city in middle America. The city of Lockport shares in this history because it was named after Lock No. 1 of the I & M Canal.

The lock is still there, and it is a testament to the spirit of Western expansion that made America a world power. The city undoubtedly deserves its tagline: “City of Historic Pride.” Although many other places can lay claim to this, Lock No. 1’s role in history is economic, not related to politics or warfare.

We can imagine the waterway in its heyday — the channel through which so many goods and immense amounts of raw materials were transported. Citizens and the government in this place go the distance in maintaining the historic reputation and the economy that this reputation created.

If history defines a place, then Lockport is one that is aware of its stature as well as the responsibility that goes with it. That makes for a city that is well-kept and citizens that are more aligned with keeping the law and maintaining peace.

Even a publicly-followed lawsuit like one filed by Bryan Whateley against Lockport police officer Gregory Grunder seems in alignment with good citizenship. The case grew out of a DUI arrest and trial in 2016, where charges against Whateley were dropped. The 2018 lawsuit against Grunder resulted in an out-of-court settlement, with Whateley’s lawyer reporting his client happy with the outcome of the case.

People of Lockport can take advantage of so many information services or sources in Cook County. For legal information, a branch of the Cook County library system is available for the general public. For more advanced searches, LegalMatch has a wide-ranging online Law Library.

Law in this city is represented by its legal department. For private attorney services, people can go to law firms here or find a perfect attorney match with LegalMatch services. Whatever legal specialty needed, LegalMatch can match it with a specific legal expert.

In terms of free legal services, the Lockport area is served by organizations like Debtstoppers and Legal Aid Legal Services Corporation. Both serve the public with legal clinics and specialized services like financial law and child custody. More organizations specializing in legal aid are found in nearby Chicago.