Peoria Lock and Dam

Peoria Lock and Dam is a navigation system on the Illinois River at Creve Coeur that allows vessels to pass between different water levels. The lock chamber spans 100 feet (30 meters) wide and 600 feet (180 meters) long, with a lifting capacity of 11 feet (3 meters) to accommodate commercial boats traveling upriver and downriver.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built this system between 1938 and 1939 to improve boat passage between Chicago and the Mississippi River. This project was part of a larger effort to develop the Illinois River waterway for commercial transportation during that era.

The control station displays Art Deco details at its entrance, showing how federal projects of the 1930s favored this modern design style. You can see geometric shapes and clean lines that were popular when this building was made.

This location provides a good vantage point to watch boats passing through the system and observe the working waterway. The best time to visit is during daylight hours when you can see the lock operations and get a clear view of how vessels move through the structure.

The dam contains 108 Chanoine wicket gates, making it one of only two structures in Illinois that still uses this historical engineering approach. These particular gates are rare examples of a disappearing technology found in just a handful of locations across America.

Location: Creve Coeur

Elevation above the sea: 137 m

GPS coordinates: 40.63195,-89.62500

Latest update: December 14, 2025 14:40