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Waukegan, Illinois

Waukegan, Illinois

FieldValue
nameWaukegan, Illinois
settlement_typeCity
image_skyline{{multiple images
borderinfobox
total_width285
perrow1/2/2
caption1Downtown Waukegan
image2Genesee Theatre.jpg
caption2Genesee Theatre
image3Slippery when wet - Flickr - Joe K Gage.jpg
caption3Waukegan Harbor Lighthouse
caption4Waukegan Harbor
image5Waukegan Downtown During the Holidays.jpg
caption5Genesse Street
mottoAn Illinois Arts-Friendly Community
nicknamesWaukTown, Green Town
mapframeyes
mapframe-zoom10
mapframe-pointnone
pushpin_mapIllinois#USA
pushpin_labelWaukegan
pushpin_reliefyes
image_sealWaukeganILseal.png
blank_emblem_size150
image_blank_emblemCity of Waukegan Logo.jpg
blank_emblem_typeWordmark
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameUnited States
subdivision_type1State
subdivision_name1Illinois
subdivision_type2Counties
subdivision_name2Lake
subdivision_type3Townships
subdivision_name3Waukegan, Warren, Libertyville, Benton, Newport, Shields
established_titleFounded
established_date1829
established_title1Incorporated (town)
established_date1March 31, 1849
established_title2Incorporated (city)
established_date2February 23, 1859
named_for
(Fortress or Trading Post)
government_typeMayor–council
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameSamuel D. Cunningham, Jr (D)
unit_prefImperial
area_footnotes
area_total_km263.38
area_land_km262.72
area_water_km20.66
area_total_sq_mi24.47
area_land_sq_mi24.22
area_water_sq_mi0.26
population_as_of2020
population_total89321
population_rank10th largest in Illinois
390th largest in U.S.
population_density_km21424.06
population_density_sq_mi3688.36
population_metro9472676
population_demonymWaukeganite
pop_est_as_of2024
pop_est_footnotes
population_est88570
timezoneCST
utc_offset−6
timezone_DSTCDT
utc_offset_DST−5
elevation_footnotes
elevation_ft715
area_codes847 & 224
postal_code_typeZIP Codes
postal_code60079, 60085, 60087
coordinates
blank_nameFIPS code
blank_info17-79293
blank1_nameGNIS feature ID
blank1_info2397222
blank2_nameU.S. Routes
blank2_info[[File:US 41.svg26pxlink=U.S. Route 41 in Illinois]]
blank3_nameMajor State Routes
blank3_info[[File:Illinois 120.svg31pxlink=Illinois Route 120]] [[File:Illinois 131.svg31pxlink=Illinois Route 131]] [[File:Illinois 132.svg31pxlink=Illinois Route 132]] [[File:Illinois 137.svg31pxlink=Illinois Route 137]]
blank4_nameWaterways
blank4_infoWaukegan River
blank5_nameAirports
blank5_infoWaukegan National Airport
website

| mapframe-zoom = 10 | mapframe-point = none (Fortress or Trading Post) 390th largest in U.S.

Waukegan ( ) is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located 36 mi north of Chicago, Waukegan is a satellite city within the greater Chicago metropolitan area.

As of the 2020 census, its population was 89,321, making it the most populous city in Lake County, the seventh-most populous city within the Chicago metropolitan area and the 10th-most populous city in Illinois. However, unlike nearby wealthy North Shore suburbs, Waukegan has long been classified by the Illinois state government as overall "socioeconomically distressed" despite having some middle class inhabitants.

History

Founding and 19th century

The site of present-day Waukegan was recorded as Rivière du Vieux Fort ("Old Fort River") and Wakaygagh on a 1778 map by Thomas Hutchins. By the 1820s, the French name had become "Small Fort River" in English, and the settlement was known as "Little Fort". The name "Waukegance" and then "Waukegan" (meaning "little fort"; cf. Potawatomi wakaigin "fort" or "fortress") was created by John H. Kinzie and Solomon Juneau, and the new name was adopted on March 31, 1849.

Waukegan had an abolitionist community dating to these early days. In 1853, residents commemorated the anniversary of emancipation of slaves in the British Empire with a meeting. Waukegan arguably has the distinction of being the only place where Abraham Lincoln failed to finish a speech. When he was campaigning in the town in 1860, he was interrupted by a ringing fire alarm.

During the middle of the 19th century, Waukegan was becoming an important industrial hub. Industries included ship and wagon building, flour milling, sheep raising, pork packing, and dairying. William Besley's Waukegan Brewing Company was one of the most successful of these businesses, being able to sell beyond America. The construction of the Chicago and Milwaukee Railway through Waukegan by 1855 stimulated the growth and rapid transformation and development of the city's industry, so much that nearly 1000 ships were visiting Waukegan harbor every year. During the 1860s, a substantial German population began to grow inside the city.

Waukegan's development began in many ways with the arrival of industries such as United States Sugar Refinery, which opened in 1890, Washburn & Moen. This barbed-wire manufacturer prompted both labor migration and land speculation beginning in 1891, U.S. Starch Works, and Thomas Brass and Iron Works. Immigrants followed, mostly from southeastern Europe and Scandinavia, with large groups from Sweden, Finland, and Lithuania. The town also became home to a considerable Armenian population. One member of this community, Monoog Curezhin, even became embroiled in an aborted plot to assassinate Sultan Abdul Hamid II, reviled for his involvement in massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Curezhin lost two fingers on his right hand while testing explosives for this purpose in Waukegan in 1904.

A map of Waukegan in 1920

20th century

By the 1920s and 1930s, African Americans began to migrate to the city, mostly from the South. The town was afflicted with racial strife. In June 1920, an African-American boy allegedly hit the car of an off-duty sailor from nearby Great Lakes Naval Base with a rock, and hundreds of white sailors gathered at Sherman House, a hotel reserved for African Americans. Although newspaper reports and rumors suggested that the officer's wife was hit with glass from the broken windshield, subsequent reports revealed that the officer was not married. The sailors called for lynchings, but were kept back by the intervention of the police.

Marines and sailors renewed their attack on the hotel several days later. The Sherman House residents fled for their lives as the military members carried torches, gasoline, and the American flag. The Waukegan police once again turned them away, but not before firing and wounding two members of the crowd. The police were not always so willing to protect Waukegan's citizens. The chief of police and the state's attorney in the 1920s, for example, were avowed members of the Ku Klux Klan, facts that came to light when a wrongfully convicted African-American war veteran was released from prison on appeal after 25 years. Labor unrest also occurred regularly. In 1919, a strike at the US Steel and Wire Company – which had acquired Washburn & Moen – led to a call for intervention from the state militia.

Noted organized crime boss Johnny Torrio served time in Waukegan's Lake County jail in 1925. He installed bulletproof covers on the windows of his cell at his own expense for fear of assassination attempts.

The Waukegan urban area developed independently of Chicago before being officially incorporated into the Chicago metropolitan area during the 2000 census. This inclusion took place as a result of suburban sprawl, effectively dissolving the region's identity as self-standing. Despite this, Waukegan has retained a distinct industrial character in contrast to many of the residential suburbs along Chicago's North Shore. The financial disparity created by the disappearance of manufacturing from the city in part contributed to the Waukegan riot of 1966. Central to this event and the remainder of Waukegan's 20th-century history was Robert Sabonjian, who served as mayor for 24 years, and earned the nickname the "Mayor Daley of Waukegan" for his personal and sometimes controversial style of politics.

21st century

On Sunday, May 31, 2020, a peaceful protest against the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis turned violent when a portion of the protesters looted and damaged local businesses along Lewis Avenue from Glen Flora Street north into the Village of Beach Park. According to local activist Ralph Peterson, who organized the earlier peaceful march moving east along Grand Avenue into the downtown area, two intoxicated locals and about five "professional provocateurs" not recognized by attendees attempted to incite to violence 50-75 protesters gathered at the corner of Glen Flora and North Lewis Avenue. Following the arrival of police, Peterson and Clyde McLemore, founder of the Lake County chapter of Black Lives Matter, attempted to disperse the crowd and diffuse police confrontations. Many in the dispersed and agitated crowd then began damaging and looting local businesses near Waukegan Plaza, as well as confronting arriving police with displays of violence and damage to police vehicles. The crowd size was then estimated to have grown to several hundred.

Businesses from Glen Flora Avenue north to Yorkhouse Road in Beach Park suffered looting of merchandise, property damage, and vandalism. In addition to the Waukegan Police Department, about 100 officers from neighboring departments and several dozen sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the area. Mayor Sam Cunningham issued a city-wide curfew. Five county squad cars were damaged during the confrontations, and over twenty people were arrested with no injuries reported. Upon finding that the vast majority of rioters were Waukegan residents, Cunningham stated, "That really hurts, that you would hurt your own block, your own store, your own business, your own neighborhood, city." The next day, local business owners and volunteers gathered to clean up the damage. Later on Monday, another protest was held at Waukegan Plaza, which was peaceful and caused no damage. On Tuesday, local faith leaders organized a vigil to denounce looting as counterproductive while demanding justice for the murder of George Floyd. At least one attendee and long-time resident was also present at the 1966 Waukegan Riot and expressed regret that it had occurred again.

Geography

Waukegan is on the shore of Lake Michigan, about 11 mi south of the border with Wisconsin and 37 mi north of downtown Chicago at an elevation around 650 ft above sea level. Chicago has two major streets that venture north to Waukegan, one being Sheridan Road, which extends north from Diversey Parkway in Lincoln Park. The second street is Milwaukee Avenue, which starts at the intersection of Desplaines Street and Kinzie Street in downtown Chicago.

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Waukegan has a total area of 24.48 sqmi, of which 24.23 sqmi (or 98.99%) is land and 0.25 sqmi (or 1.01%) is water.

Major streets

  • [[Image:US 41.svg|20px]] Skokie Highway
  • [[Image:Illinois 43.svg|20px]] Waukegan Road
  • [[Image:Illinois 120.svg|20px]] Belvidere Road
  • [[Image:Illinois 131.svg|20px]] Green Bay Road
  • [[Image:Illinois 132.svg|20px]] Grand Avenue
  • [[Image:Illinois 137.svg|20px]] Sheridan Road/Amstutz Expressway
  • Lewis Avenue
  • Washington Street
  • Genesee Street

Climate

Waukegan is located within the humid continental climate zone (Köppen: Dfa) with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold and snowy winters. The record high temperature is 108 F, which was set in July 1934, while the record low is −27 F, set in January 1985. Waukegan's proximity to Lake Michigan moderates the climate, cooling it in the summer and warming it in the winter.

| Jan record high F = 64 | Feb record high F = 71 | Mar record high F = 83 | Apr record high F = 92 | May record high F = 95 | Jun record high F = 105 | Jul record high F = 108 | Aug record high F = 102 | Sep record high F = 103 | Oct record high F = 90 | Nov record high F = 80 | Dec record high F = 69 | year record high F = 108 | Jan avg record high F = 48 | Feb avg record high F = 51 | Mar avg record high F = 67 | Apr avg record high F = 80 | May avg record high F = 86 | Jun avg record high F = 92 | Jul avg record high F = 95 | Aug avg record high F = 93 | Sep avg record high F = 90 | Oct avg record high F = 81 | Nov avg record high F = 67 | Dec avg record high F = 53 | year avg record high F = 96 | Jan avg record low F = -9 | Feb avg record low F = -3 | Mar avg record low F = 8 | Apr avg record low F = 23 | May avg record low F = 32 | Jun avg record low F = 42 | Jul avg record low F = 49 | Aug avg record low F = 49 | Sep avg record low F = 38 | Oct avg record low F = 27 | Nov avg record low F = 13 | Dec avg record low F = -2 | year avg record low F = -12 | Jan record low F = -27 | Feb record low F = -24 | Mar record low F = -12 | Apr record low F = 8 | May record low F = 24 | Jun record low F = 32 | Jul record low F = 41 | Aug record low F = 40 | Sep record low F = 27 | Oct record low F = 11 | Nov record low F = -5 | Dec record low F = -23 | year record low F = -27

Superfund sites

Waukegan Harbor, with OMC (purple), WCP (red), and Johns-Manville (yellow) Superfund sites

Waukegan contains three Superfund sites of hazardous substances that are on the National Priorities List.

In 1975, PCBs were discovered in Waukegan Harbor sediments. Investigation revealed that during manufacturing activities at Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC), hydraulic fluids containing PCBs had been discharged through floor drains at the OMC plant, directly to Waukegan Harbor and into ditches discharging into Lake Michigan. The OMC plants were subsequently added to the National Priorities List, and was designated as one of 43 Great Lakes Areas of Concern. Cleanup of the site began in 1990, with OMC providing $20–25 million in funding. During the OMC cleanup, additional soil contaminants were found at the location of the former Waukegan Manufactured Gas and Coke Company. Soil removal was completed at the coke site in 2005, and cleanup of that soil will continue for several years.

The Johns Manville site is located 1 mi north of the OMC site. In 1988, asbestos contamination found in groundwater and air prompted listing on the National Priorities List and subsequent cleanup. In 1991, the soil cover of the asbestos was completed. However, additional asbestos contamination was found outside the Johns-Manville property, which will require further cleanup.

The Yeoman Creek Landfill is a Superfund site located 1.5 mi west of the Johns Manville site. The site operated as a landfill from 1959 to 1969. In 1970, it was discovered that the lack of a bottom liner in the landfill had allowed leachate to enter groundwater, contaminating the water with volatile organic compounds and PCBs, and releasing gases that presented an explosion hazard. All major cleanup construction activities were completed in 2005, and monitoring of local water and air continues. The book Lake Effect by Nancy Nichols gives an account of the effects of PCBs on Waukegan residents. The Johns Manville site was cited due to its high concentration of PCBs and asbestos.

Demographics

|align-fn=center

There were 29,822 households, out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.11% were married couples living together, 17.44% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.05% were non-families. 26.29% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.41% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.50 and the average family size was 2.85.

The city's age distribution consisted of 26.7% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 29% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $53,778, and the median income for a family was $63,401. Males had a median income of $34,308 versus $26,367 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,827. About 12.6% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Waukegan city, Illinoisurl=https://data.census.gov/table?g=1600000US1779293&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004website=United States Census Bureauaccess-date=January 26, 2024}}title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Waukegan city, Illinoisurl=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=1600000US1779293&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2website=United States Census Bureauaccess-date=January 26, 2024}}% 2000% 2010
White alone (NH)27,18619,37014,00330.93%
Black or African American alone (NH)16,35416,24014,64718.61%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1681731290.19%
Asian alone (NH)3,0923,7224,5763.52%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)3726350.04%
Other race alone (NH)3985778170.45%
Mixed or Multiracial (NH)1,2701,3582,0111.44%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)39,39647,61253,10344.82%
Total87,90189,07889,321100.00%

2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates

thumb = lefturl=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT1Y2023.B03002?q=B03002&g=160XX00US1779293title=B03002 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – Waukegan, Illinois – 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimatesdate=July 1, 2023publisher=U.S. Census Bureauaccess-date=November 17, 2024}}label1 = White alonecolor2=#36Alabel2 = Black alonecolor1=#6A5label3 = Native American alonecolor3=#FF33AClabel4 = Asian alonecolor4=#1A9label5 = Pacific Islander alonecolor5=#E17720label6 = Some other racecolor6=#F0FF00label7 = Two or more racescolor7=#64ECDFthumb = leftcaption = Racial Makeup of Waukegan treating Hispanics as a Racial Category (2023)
NH=Non-Hispaniclabel1 = White NHcolor2=#36Alabel2 = Black NHcolor1=#6A5label3 = Native American NHcolor3=#FF33AClabel4 = Asian NHcolor4=#1A9label5 = Pacific Islander NHcolor5=#E17720label6 = Other race NHcolor6=#F0FF00label7 = Two or more races NHcolor7=#64ECDFlabel8 = Hispanic Any Racecolor8=#9400D3thumb =leftcaption = Racial Makeup of Hispanics in Waukegan (2023)label1 = White alonecolor2=#36Alabel2 = Black alonecolor1=#6A5label3 = Native American alonecolor3=#FF33AClabel4 = Asian alonecolor4=#1A9label5 = Pacific Islander alonecolor5=#E17720label6 = Other race alonecolor6=#F0FF00label7 = Two or more racescolor7=#64ECDF

Religion

Over half (54.4%) of the population identified as members of a religious group. The largest group were Roman Catholics, who comprised 31.0% of city residents. Other Christian groups included Lutherans (3.2%), Baptists (1.9%), Presbyterians (1.6%), and Methodists (1.5%); about 11% adhered to other Christian denominations. Other faiths practiced include Judaism (2.7%) and Islam (1.4%).

Christ Episcopal Church on the corner of Grand Avenue and West Street is a historic church, one of the first in Waukegan.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago operates Catholic churches. On July 1, 2020, St. Anastasia Parish and St. Dismas Parish merged, with the former having the parish school and the latter having the parish church.

Economy

According to Waukegan's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:

#Employer# of Employees
1Lake County2,400
2Southwire Co., LLC1,500
3Vista Medical Center East840
4Lake Behavioral Hospital700
5Medline Industries Inc.650
6Jewel-Osco515
7Waukegan Community Unit School District 60500
8City of Waukegan483
9Bel Resources450
10Kiley Developmental Center425

Revitalization

The city has plans for the redevelopment of the lakefront. The lakefront and harbor plan calls for most industrial activity to be removed, except for the Midwest Generation power plant and North Shore wastewater treatment facilities. The existing industry would be replaced by residential and recreational space. The city also set up several tax increment financing zones, which have been successful in attracting new developers. The first step in the revitalization effort, the opening of the Genesee Theatre, has been completed, many new restaurants have opened, buildings have been renovated, and the City of Waukegan has made substantial investments in the pedestrian areas and other infrastructure.

The city has had an annual "Scoop the Loop" summer festival of cruising since 1998, which, since 2010, has become a monthly event during the summer. The current incarnation is known as "Scoop Unplugged".

Arts and culture

ArtWauk is an art event that happens every third Saturday of the month in downtown Waukegan. It features paintings, sculptures, films, dance, theater, comedy, music, performance art, food, and pedicabs all in the Waukegan Arts District. Other events include the Chicago Latino Film Festival and HolidayWauk. The Fiestas Patrias Parade and Festival in downtown Waukegan highlights and celebrates the independence of the many Hispanic countries that are represented in Waukegan.

Historical sites

  • Bowen Park
  • Genesee Theatre
  • Jack Benny Center for the Arts
  • Naval Station Great Lakes
  • Waukegan Building
  • Waukegan Harbor Light
  • Waukegan Public Library

Government

Lake County Courthouse

Waukegan is run on a mayor–council government. The city government consists of a single elected mayor and city clerk, with a city council composed of nine alderpersons, who are elected to represent the nine wards of the city. Any new members are sworn in on the first Monday in May of their respective election year, as it coincides with the first city council meeting of the month.

The mayor of Waukegan is Sam Cunningham. He was elected in April 2025, defeating incumbent Ann B. Taylor. He had previously been mayor from 2017–2021.

NameTerm startTerm endNotes
Robert V. Sabonjian19571977url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sabonjiantitle=Robert Sabonjianpublisher=Wikipediaaccess-date=April 4, 2025}}
Bill Morris19771985Defeated Sabonjian in 1977; served two terms.
Robert V. Sabonjian19851989Returned for a sixth term after Morris's tenure.
Haig Paravonian19891993Succeeded Sabonjian upon his retirement.
William F. Durkin19932001url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/17/former-mayor-william-f-durkin-remembered-for-deeply-inspired-vision-of-what-waukegan-could-be/title=Former Mayor William F. Durkin remembered for 'deeply inspired vision of what Waukegan could be'publisher=Chicago Tribunedate=March 17, 2025access-date=April 4, 2025}}
Robert Sabonjian Jr.20092013Son of Robert V. Sabonjian; served one term.
Sam Cunningham20172021url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Cunningham_(mayor)title=Sam Cunningham (mayor)publisher=Wikipediaaccess-date=April 4, 2025}}
Ann B. Taylor20212025First female mayor.
Sam Cunningham2025Incumbentdate=2025-04-01title=Former Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham defeats incumbent Ann Taylorurl=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/former-waukegan-mayor-sam-cunningham-defeats-incumbent-ann-taylor/3711609/access-date=2025-04-20work=NBC Chicagolanguage=en-US}}

Education

The majority of Waukegan is within Waukegan Public School District 60. It serves about 17,000 students in preschool through grade 12. Waukegan has three early childhood schools, 13 elementary schools, five middle schools, and three high schools. The multicampus Waukegan High School serves local high school students in two different campuses: Brookside and Washington. Brookside Campus serves as a 9th–10th grade learning center, while Washington Campus serves as an 11th–12th grade learning center.

Parts of Waukegan extend into other school districts. One portion is within Gurnee School District 56 and Warren Township High School District 121, and a small section is in Beach Park Community Consolidated School District 3 and Zion-Benton Township High School District 126.

A network of private schools exists within the city. Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep is a private Catholic high school, located within a former Kmart in Waukegan. Immanuel Lutheran School is a prekindergarten - grade 8 school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Waukegan.

Transportation

Waukegan Harbor

Waukegan has a port district that operates the city harbor and regional airport. Waukegan Harbor has a recreational marina and an industrial port, which provides access for 90–100 large shipping vessels yearly. Companies with cargo facilities at the port include Gold Bond Building Products (capacity for 100,000 tons of gypsum), LaFarge Corp (12 cement silos), and St Mary's Cement Co (two cement silos).

Waukegan National Airport is certified for general aviation traffic and has a U.S. Customs facility, allowing for direct international flights.

Pace provides bus service on numerous routes throughout the city with a hub in downtown Waukegan. Separated from downtown by the Amstutz Expressway, the Waukegan station provides Metra commuter rail service along the Union Pacific North Line. Trains travel south to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago and north to Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Lake County McClory recreational trail passes through Waukegan. It provides a non-motor route spanning from Kenosha, Wisconsin, to the North Shore, along the right of way of the former Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Waukegan, Illinois

Sister cities

Waukegan has one sister city:

Japan Miyazaki, Japan

Although the city has no official sister city relationship, Waukegan is home to about 6,000 people from Tonatico, Mexico, according to a February 2017 article in The Washington Post. This has created ongoing ties between the two cities.

References

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