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Waukegan History

Memories of Yesteryear

Waukegan has a long and honored history as one of the Great Lakes region’s pioneers in commercial and industrial development. The famous French missionary and explorer, Pére Jacques Marquette, first visited the region around Waukegan in 1673.

The city that started as a French trading post along the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan is one of the oldest known communities in Illinois. It was originally a Potawatomi Indian settlement that was known as “Little Fort.” Records from the early part of the nineteenth century show that a treaty was signed between Potawatomi natives and the Federal Government. This 1829 treaty transferred the land in this area to government control.

Soon, Little Fort became the County Seat. In 1841, by virtue of its population, it became the center of regional government. The town’s population grew from 150 to 750 people between 1844 and 1846. By 1849, the population had risen to 2,500, and the town began to experience a period of rapid growth and change.

The hardy pioneers that established the town were proud of its growth and wanted to improve its name. In 1849, the residents of Little Fort changed the name to Waukegan, which is the Potawatomi word for “fort” or “trading post.” Waukegan was incorporated as a city on February 23, 1859.

Early settlers were initially attracted to Waukegan due to its value as a commercial port city.

Farmers shipped produce and grain from Lake and McHenry County farms to Chicago via Waukegan. The creation of the Illinois Parallel Railroad (Chicago & North Western) in 1855 stimulated manufacturing interest in Waukegan, and new businesses and industries formed. By the middle of the nineteenth century, Waukegan Harbor bustled with regional trade and economic activity.

The town continued to grow and diversify and Waukegan was incorporated as a city on February 23, 1859, with an area that included 5.62 square miles.

Today, Waukegan is the ninth largest community in Illinois and the largest community in Lake County, and boasts a population of over 90,000 people. As a prime business, industrial and residential community, Waukegan continues a trend of steady growth and economic prosperity. Waukegan is also proud to have a sister city in Kiyotake, Japan.