Waukegan Illinois is located on the shores of Lake Michigan, 36 miles north of Chicago and 60 miles south of Milwaukee. Waukegan is one of the oldest communities in Illinois. Early explorers visited the area in the 1650s. By 1725, traders had established a French trading post and Potawatomi Indian settlement known as Little Fort. In 1849 the residents of Little Fort changed the name of their town to Waukegan, the Potawatomi word for fort/trading post.
The town continued to grow and diversify. Waukegan incorporated as a city on February 23, 1859. Waukegan became a thriving center of industry. By the mid-nineteenth century, Waukegan harbor was one of the busiest on the Great Lakes. Industrial growth was further stimulated by construction of the railroads.
Today Waukegan is a culturally diverse city with a population of over 90,000. It is largely a residential community with shopping districts, industry, financial, governmental, health care and legal services. Waukegan's historical downtown area is undergoing a revitalization and preservation through the volunteer-based, non-profit Waukegan Main Street Organization. Waukegan is a great place to live and work!
Community Links: |
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City of Waukegan City Hall 100 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue Waukegan, IL 60085 (847) 599-2500 http://www.waukeganweb.net |
Waukegan Fire Department 1101 Belvidere Street Waukegan, IL 60085 (847) 249-5410 Non-Emergency 911 Emergency http://www.waukeganfire.com/ |
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Waukegan Public Library |
Waukegan Police Department 420 Robert V. Sabonjian Place Waukegan, IL 60085 (847) 360-9000 Non-Emergency 911 Emergency http://www.waukeganpd.com/ |
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Waukegan Park District 2000 Belvidere Street Waukegan, IL 60085 847-360-4700 http://www.waukeganparks.org/ |
Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center 3010 Grand Avenue Waukegan, IL 60085 (847) 377-8000 http://www.co.lake.il.us/health/ |
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Waukegan Historical Society 1917 N. Sheridan Road Waukegan, IL 60087 (847) 336-1859 http://www.waukeganhistorical.org/ |
Department of Child and Family Services 500 N Greenbay Rd Waukegan IL 60085 (847) 249-7800 http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/index.shtml |
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Waukegan Main Street 221 North Genesee Street Waukegan, IL 60085 (847) 623-6650 http://www.waukeganmainstreet.org/ |
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Boys and Girls Club of Lake County
Genesee St. Clubhouse 724 S. Genesee Street Waukegan, IL 60085 (847) 249-4878 Keller Avenue Clubhouse |
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 Boy Scouts of America Northeast Illinois Council 2745 Skokie Valley Road Highland Park, IL 60035 (847) 433-1813 http://www.scouting.org/ http://www.neic.org/ |