Waukegan, IL

Tucked far north of Chicago on Lake Michigan, Waukegan has a rich history as one of the oldest communities in Illinois. French traders were familiar with the area as far back as 1650 and finally established the "Little Fort" trading post in 1725. By 1849, residents no longer believed that the "little" part of their name applied, so they changed the town's name to Waukegan, the Potawatomi word for "fort." The area enjoyed explosive growth in the following decades. With its plum position roughly midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, as well as its placement on the railroad and directly on the lake with its shipping lines, Waukegan was a thriving industrial center by the mid-19th century. Waukegan's harbor saw nearly a thousand ships per year, making it one Lake Michigan's busiest ports. Eventually, the boom waned and Waukegan transitioned into a more residential community. When several of the area's remaining manufacturers closed in the 1970s and '80s, Waukegan fell into urban blight and decay. Waukegan is now a community struggling to stay viable in today's economy. However, several committed residents and government programs are working to turn things around for the city.

COMMUNITIES

Variety is the key with Waukegan, where "diversity" is more than just a catch phrase - it's a way of life. The city boasts a culturally rich, racially mixed and economically diverse population. Interestingly, the area has had an African-American population all the way back to the 1870s. What started as a small number of inhabitants has grown to encompass about 19 percent of the population. About 50 percent of its 92,000 residents are white. There is also a sizeable Latino population (of any race) at 45 percent. Residents are not overwhelmingly white- or blue-collar; instead, the population is mixed between the two. Many residents work in manufacturing, retail, health care and administration. About 66 percent of residents graduated from high school, and about 16 percent graduated from college. Waukegan is a young city; almost 85 percent of the residents are younger than 55, and roughly 40 percent have children under 18 living with them. The median age is a mere 29 years old.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

About half of Waukegan's housing stock is single-family homes. Most homes have one, two, or three bedrooms, and the vast majority of the housing was built before 1994. Given its boomtown history, it's not surprising to learn that Waukegan has a sizable stock of historic homes built before 1939 - about 16 percent of its total housing. Waukegan has a large rental population, with owner-occupied realty accounting for only about 53 percent of the market. Therefore, there are quite a few apartment/condominium complexes and small apartment buildings in the city. Adding to the apartment stock, several of the area's larger single-family homes were divided into apartments or converted to rooming houses when the post-industrial economic downturn hit the city and housing flooded the market. This blight seems to have to begun to turn around for some Waukegan neighborhoods in recent years.

Waukegan's most expensive neighborhoods are on the northeast side of the city, clustered near the lakefront north of Waukegan Harbor. This is a quiet area of mostly older, owner-occupied single-family homes. The Beach Park neighborhood on the city's far north side is one of the more expensive areas. This mostly quiet area is largely composed of single-family homes occupied by a mix of owners and renters.

Less-expensive real estate tends to cluster on the southern side of the city, especially the south and southeastern areas. These areas, however, also tend to have higher crime rates. The areas tend to be peopled mostly by renters in small apartment buildings.

Waukegan's City Center neighborhood is a more artsy area with mostly smaller homes. The area is a blend of owners and renters in the lower-middle income bracket.

The city's Near North Historic District, roughly bounded by Ash Street, the railroad tracks and Glen Flora Avenue, was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The neighborhood includes houses in Italianate, Prairie School, Victorian and Greek revival styles.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Some of the leading industries in the city are manufacturing, social assistance and educational services. Leading employers in the city are Cardinal Health, Vista Health, Uline Shipping Supplies, WMS Industries Inc. and Vista Medical Center West.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Genesee Theatre: This 2,416-seat concert hall originally opened in 1927 as a vaudeville theater and cinema. It closed its doors in 1989 after falling on hard times but was saved and renovated as part of the city's downtown renovation project. The $23 million project produced eye-popping results, and the theater today hosts concerts and plays.

Jack Benny Center for the Arts: This center, named in honor of native son comedian Jack Benny, is home to the Waukegan Park District's Cultural Arts Division. The center is devoted to music, dance, theater and the visual arts. The Waukegan Symphony Orchestra, the Waukegan Concert Chorus, the Bowen Park Theatre and the Bowen Park Opera all stem from the Jack Benny Center.

BEST BETS

Field House Sports & Fitness Center at Hinkston Park: The center features a 14,000-square-foot fitness area as well as a three-story climbing wall, an indoor track and hardwood courts.

Waukegan BMX/Northern Illinois BMX: This BMX bike-racing track hosts weekly races as well as the occasional qualifier race for regional championships. It is a National Bicycle League-sanctioned track.

Waukegan Harbor: Waukegan's lakefront offers beaches as well as the harbor, which has a promenade and is open for fishing and recreational boating. Charter operations are also on site.

Waukegan Skate Park: The skate park has three separate areas for beginning, intermediate and advanced skaters. All told, the park boasts 17,000 square feet of skateable concrete and several trick surfaces, including a half-pipe.