Dresden Island Lock and Dam Historic District

The Dresden Island Lock and Dam Historic District is a lock complex on the Illinois River that moves vessels between different water levels using nine large gates and eighteen smaller gates. The structure spans across the river and includes a concrete gravity dam connected to the historical Illinois and Michigan Canal embankment.

Construction of the lock complex started in 1929 under Illinois state management and was completed in 1933 with federal government support. The project was part of efforts to make the Illinois River navigable for larger vessels and improve transportation connections across the country.

The site reflects the role water transportation once played in connecting communities across the region. You can see how the lock remains a working part of the landscape where people still engage with the Illinois River and its history.

You can walk around the area and watch lock operations from several viewpoints, especially when vessels pass through. Weather conditions like storms or high water levels may affect visibility, so visiting during calm weather is more enjoyable.

Engineer Walter Mickle Smith designed the structure with an arched gravity dam that connects directly to the historic Illinois and Michigan Canal embankment. This direct connection links two waterways from different historical periods at a single location.

Location: Morris

Architects: Walter Mickle Smith

Elevation above the sea: 156 m

GPS coordinates: 41.39980,-88.28132

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:42