Gurnee, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Gurnee is a village in Lake County
, Illinois
, United States. The population was 28,834 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 30,772 in 2005. The village borders the city of Waukegan
and is considered a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Gurnee is perhaps best known for being the location of Six Flags Great America
, a theme park. The village is home to many Chicago Bears
players, including NFL recordholder Devin Hester
, Gurnee has benefited from its location as the midway point between Milwaukee and Chicago.
, which was named in honor of Major General Joseph Warren
, killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill
. Warren Township, formed in 1850, was also named after him. The first settlement of Warren Township commenced in 1835 in the vicinity of the Aux Plaines River (now the Des Plaines River
).
In 1835-36, a land company from New York State erected a Community House (site of the old Gurnee Grade School) to accommodate families while they were locating and getting government land grants to their farms. Near the Community House there was a ford used by the Potowatomi Indians for crossing the river. A floating log bridge was built there in about 1842. Later a stationary wooden bridge was constructed, and still later an iron bridge was erected.
With the erection of a permanent bridge, roads were established and this area became the hub of the township. It was at this junction that the Milwaukee Road crossed the river from west to east and then continued in a northeasterly direction to eventually join Chicago to Milwaukee. This road was "laid out" in 1836 by three early settlers, Thomas McClure, Mark Noble, and Richard Steele. The east-west road, now known as Grand Avenue, was a main route from McHenry County
to the port of Waukegan. Stage coaches ran on this route as late as 1890.
The village is named after the train-station that was built there. The station was named after Walter S. Gurnee, one of the directors of the train route. It is possible that Mr. Gurnee never took a step in the village of Gurnee.
Just east of the bridge, at the junction of Milwaukee Road and Grand Avenue, was the Mutaw Tavern, earlier known as "Marm Rudd's Tavern" and more recently as the Mother Rudd House. This was a stage coach stop between Chicago and Milwaukee and was a stopover for farmers from the west traveling to Little Fort (Waukegan) to barter their crops for supplies and to ship out from the ports. It also served as a stop during the underground railroad
. This building was acquired by the Village of Gurnee in 1984, has been restored, and now houses the Warren Township Historical Society.
In May 2004 Gurnee received major rainfall, causing the worst flooding
in 100 years. The flood caused major building damage and flooded roads that overpassed the Des Plaines River. At the intersection near Viking Middle School (Grand Avenue and O'Plaine Road), people had to canoe to get out of their house. This had been called "The Hundred Year Flood". Three years later, there was another major flood.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 13.4 square miles (34.7 km²), of which, 13.4 square miles (34.7 km²) is land and 0.07% is water. Gurnee is located on the banks of the Des Plaines River
and is split by Interstate 94 which divides the village into East (old) and west (new) sides.
of 2000, there were 28,834 people, 10,629 households, and 7,716 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,151.6 people per square mile (830.8/km2). There were 10,929 housing units at an average density of 815.5 per square mile (314.9/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 82.12% White, 5.06% African American, 0.18% Native American, 8.20% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.15% from other races
, and 2.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.03% of the population. 21.7% were of German, 10.0% Irish
, 7.6% Italian
, 7.3% Polish and 5.8% English
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 10,629 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples
living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 37.2% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the village was $71,455, and the median income for a family was $81,200. Males had a median income of $56,274 versus $35,713 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $31,517. About 2.6% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Gurnee is home to Gurnee Mills
, the fourth largest shopping mall
in Illinois, which includes McDonald's, Rink Side Family Entertainment Center and Ice Arena. Gurnee also includes Six Flags Great America
, a large amusement park
, along with Key Lime Cove Water Resort.
Gurnee has a wide selection of restaurants and stores. Some stores include Sears Grand, Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, Old Navy, Walgreens, Borders, Home Depot, Jewel, PetSmart, Dominick's, and Menards. Some restaurants are Starbucks, Olive Garden, Oberweis, McDonald's, Wendy's, Applebee's, TGI Friday's, Lone Star, Tacos El Norte, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Panera, Steak 'n' Shake, Chipotle, Golden Corral, Einstein Bagels, Denny's, Potbelly, Noodles & Company, Salutos, Domino's, Baskin Robins, Dunkin' Doughnuts, Five Guys, and IHOP.
The western section of Gurnee, along with portions of the village's eastside is served by Woodland Grade School District #50. Woodland comprises:
The village is served by Warren Township High School
which is made up of the O'Plaine Road Campus (freshmen and sophomores) and the Almond Road Campus (juniors and seniors).
According to the 2007 state report card, Gurnee School District #56 has full recognition. Woodland District #50 also has full recognition. Warren High School District #121 is in the third year of Academic Watch Status. Warren has this status because the district failed to meet the minimum standards of No Child Left Behind for six years in a row.
Following the PSAE test in April, 2009, Warren was the subject of an investigation by the Illinois State Board of Education. In July, 2009, the ISBE found that the school district had violated state and federal law when they prevented over 150 juniors from taking the state assessment. Because of the illegal action, the high school will fail its 2009 Report Card no matter how well the students do on the test. Superintendent Sobocinski believed that other schools in the state did the same thing. He stated publicly, "If they get a pass, we want a pass."
offers a collection of over 270,000 books, hundreds of magazines, and over 37,000 CDs and DVDs, as well as programming for all ages designed to provide personal enrichment, education and entertainment. The library serves a population of 60,000 residents.
The Warren-Newport Public Library District began in 1971 when the Gurnee Women's Club began to look for a meaningful service which their club could offer the area. Opening day for the library came on January 10, 1973. The library opened its doors for 45 hours per week with 3,000 volumes. The library moved into its current location in 1978. In 1997 the library opened a $5.6 million, 31000 square feet (2,880 m²) addition. In fall of 2010 a $8.5 million construction project began to add 4,500 square feet and renovate 28,000 square feet of the oldest parts of the building.
communities that fall completely within the boundaries of the district are Gurnee, Illinois
; Grandwood Park, Illinois
; Park City, Illinois
; and Wildwood, Illinois
. Partially included in the district are the communities of Beach Park, Illinois
; Grayslake, Illinois
; Lake Villa, Illinois
; Old Mill Creek, Illinois
; Third Lake, Illinois
; Wadsworth, Illinois
; Waukegan, Illinois
; and Milburn, Illinois. http://www.wnpl.info/index.php/library-profile/.
The Warren-Newport Public Library District began in 1971 when the Gurnee Women's Club began to look for a meaningful service which their club could offer the area. Opening day for the library came on January 10, 1973. The library opened its doors for 45 hours per week with 3,000 volumes. The library moved into its current location in 1978, and in 1997 opened a $5.6 million, 31000 square feet (2,880 m²) addition.http://www.gurnee.il.us/history/history_library.html
In 2004, the library was one of the early adopters of passive RFID (radio frequency identification
) technology for the automation of item check-in (News Sun, September 28, 2004).
According to statistics gathered by the Library Research Center at the University of Illinois, the Warren-Newport Public Library is the second busiest library in Lake County, after the Cook Memorial Library in Libertyville. (News Sun, October 3, 2006).
According to its mission statement, the Warren Newport Public Library "provides the community with access to information, kindles the imagination of children and adults, and supports lifelong learning."
Stephen Bero is the library's current director.
(The Tri-State Tollway
) is the main expressway servicing Gurnee, allowing easy access to Milwaukee and Chicago.
Gurnee is notable as being one of the only major Chicago suburbs that is not serviced by Metra
, although there are nearby stations in Waukegan, Grayslake, and Libertyville.
municipality
which functions under the council-manager form of government
with a village President and a six-member Board of Trustees, all of whom are elected to four-year terms. The Village President and three of the Trustees are elected every four years. The other group of three Trustees are also elected for four-year terms, but this election is staggered and takes place two years after the first group.
As of 2011, the village office holders are:
Lake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States. The population was 28,834 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 30,772 in 2005. The village borders the city of Waukegan
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...
and is considered a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Gurnee is perhaps best known for being the location of Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
, a theme park. The village is home to many Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
players, including NFL recordholder Devin Hester
Devin Hester
Devin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
, Gurnee has benefited from its location as the midway point between Milwaukee and Chicago.
History
Early settlers in the Gurnee area came by foot horseback and by "Prairie Schooners" drawn by oxen or via the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes. They came from the town of Warren, New YorkWarren, New York
----Warren is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census. The town is named after General Joseph Warren, who was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill....
, which was named in honor of Major General Joseph Warren
Joseph Warren
Dr. Joseph Warren was an American doctor who played a leading role in American Patriot organizations in Boston in early days of the American Revolution, eventually serving as president of the revolutionary Massachusetts Provincial Congress...
, killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
. Warren Township, formed in 1850, was also named after him. The first settlement of Warren Township commenced in 1835 in the vicinity of the Aux Plaines River (now the Des Plaines River
Des Plaines River
The Des Plaines River is a river that flows southward for through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois in the U.S. Midwest, eventually meeting the Kankakee River west of Channahon to form the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River....
).
In 1835-36, a land company from New York State erected a Community House (site of the old Gurnee Grade School) to accommodate families while they were locating and getting government land grants to their farms. Near the Community House there was a ford used by the Potowatomi Indians for crossing the river. A floating log bridge was built there in about 1842. Later a stationary wooden bridge was constructed, and still later an iron bridge was erected.
With the erection of a permanent bridge, roads were established and this area became the hub of the township. It was at this junction that the Milwaukee Road crossed the river from west to east and then continued in a northeasterly direction to eventually join Chicago to Milwaukee. This road was "laid out" in 1836 by three early settlers, Thomas McClure, Mark Noble, and Richard Steele. The east-west road, now known as Grand Avenue, was a main route from McHenry County
McHenry County, Illinois
McHenry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 308,760, which is an increase of 18.7% from 260,077 in 2000. Its county seat is Woodstock. This county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest county, in...
to the port of Waukegan. Stage coaches ran on this route as late as 1890.
The village is named after the train-station that was built there. The station was named after Walter S. Gurnee, one of the directors of the train route. It is possible that Mr. Gurnee never took a step in the village of Gurnee.
Just east of the bridge, at the junction of Milwaukee Road and Grand Avenue, was the Mutaw Tavern, earlier known as "Marm Rudd's Tavern" and more recently as the Mother Rudd House. This was a stage coach stop between Chicago and Milwaukee and was a stopover for farmers from the west traveling to Little Fort (Waukegan) to barter their crops for supplies and to ship out from the ports. It also served as a stop during the underground railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
. This building was acquired by the Village of Gurnee in 1984, has been restored, and now houses the Warren Township Historical Society.
In May 2004 Gurnee received major rainfall, causing the worst flooding
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
in 100 years. The flood caused major building damage and flooded roads that overpassed the Des Plaines River. At the intersection near Viking Middle School (Grand Avenue and O'Plaine Road), people had to canoe to get out of their house. This had been called "The Hundred Year Flood". Three years later, there was another major flood.
Geography
Gurnee is located at 42°22′N 87°56′W (42.3737, -87.9344).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 13.4 square miles (34.7 km²), of which, 13.4 square miles (34.7 km²) is land and 0.07% is water. Gurnee is located on the banks of the Des Plaines River
Des Plaines River
The Des Plaines River is a river that flows southward for through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois in the U.S. Midwest, eventually meeting the Kankakee River west of Channahon to form the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River....
and is split by Interstate 94 which divides the village into East (old) and west (new) sides.
Major Streets
-
Tri-State TollwayTri-State TollwayThe Tri-State Tollway is a U.S. toll road maintained by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in northeastern Illinois which is considered one of the most heavily traveled highways in the country... -
Skokie HighwaySkokie HighwayThe Skokie Highway is a major arterial highway running north of Chicago through the far northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Illinois. It runs from the intersection of Illinois Route 50 in Skokie north to the Wisconsin state line at Interstate 94 near Wadsworth. All of the Skokie Highway is... -
-
Riverside DriveMilwaukee Avenue (Chicago)Milwaukee Avenue is a major diagonal street in the city of Chicago and the northern suburbs. True to its name, it once led to the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starting with a short section at N. Canal and W. Lake Streets, it begins in earnest at the corner of N Desplaines and W. Kinzie Streets... -
Belvidere Road -
Grand Avenue - Rollins Road
- Washington Street
- Hunt Club Road
- Stearns School Road
- Gages Lake Road
- Dilleys Road
- Milwaukee AvenueMilwaukee Avenue (Chicago)Milwaukee Avenue is a major diagonal street in the city of Chicago and the northern suburbs. True to its name, it once led to the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starting with a short section at N. Canal and W. Lake Streets, it begins in earnest at the corner of N Desplaines and W. Kinzie Streets...
- Kilbourn Road
- Oplaine Road
- Greenleaf Avenue
- Delany Road
- Sunset Avenue
- Almond Road
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 28,834 people, 10,629 households, and 7,716 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,151.6 people per square mile (830.8/km2). There were 10,929 housing units at an average density of 815.5 per square mile (314.9/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 82.12% White, 5.06% African American, 0.18% Native American, 8.20% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.15% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.03% of the population. 21.7% were of German, 10.0% Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
, 7.6% Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 7.3% Polish and 5.8% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 10,629 households out of which 42.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 37.2% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the village was $71,455, and the median income for a family was $81,200. Males had a median income of $56,274 versus $35,713 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $31,517. About 2.6% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Gurnee Mills
Gurnee Mills is an indoor mall, established in Gurnee, Illinois. It's located about halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a 40 minute drive either way, and near Six Flags Great America. It is a single-level Z-shaped mall. At of gross leasable area, it is the fourth largest mall in...
, the fourth largest shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
in Illinois, which includes McDonald's, Rink Side Family Entertainment Center and Ice Arena. Gurnee also includes Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
, a large amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, along with Key Lime Cove Water Resort.
Gurnee has a wide selection of restaurants and stores. Some stores include Sears Grand, Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, Old Navy, Walgreens, Borders, Home Depot, Jewel, PetSmart, Dominick's, and Menards. Some restaurants are Starbucks, Olive Garden, Oberweis, McDonald's, Wendy's, Applebee's, TGI Friday's, Lone Star, Tacos El Norte, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Panera, Steak 'n' Shake, Chipotle, Golden Corral, Einstein Bagels, Denny's, Potbelly, Noodles & Company, Salutos, Domino's, Baskin Robins, Dunkin' Doughnuts, Five Guys, and IHOP.
Top employers
According to Gurnee's 2010/2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the village were:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gurnee Mills Gurnee Mills Gurnee Mills is an indoor mall, established in Gurnee, Illinois. It's located about halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a 40 minute drive either way, and near Six Flags Great America. It is a single-level Z-shaped mall. At of gross leasable area, it is the fourth largest mall in... |
5,000 |
| 2 | Six Flags Great America Six Flags Great America Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain... |
3,000 |
| 3 | Nosco Printing Group | 400 |
| 4 | Gurnee School District No. 56 | 300 |
| 5 | Kenall Mfg. Co. | 250 |
| 6 | Domino Amjet, Inc. | 200 |
| 7 | Nypro Chicago, Inc. | 200 |
| 8 | Lambent Technologies | 180 |
| 9 | Danaher Controls | 160 |
| 10 | Henderson & Son, Inc. | 130 |
Schools
The majority of the eastern half of the village is served by Gurnee School District #56. Four schools make up District #56. They are:- Gurnee Grade School (grades K-8)
- O'Plaine School (grades 3-5)
- Spaulding School (grades PK-2)
- Viking Middle School (grades 6-8)
The western section of Gurnee, along with portions of the village's eastside is served by Woodland Grade School District #50. Woodland comprises:
- Woodland Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Woodland Intermediate School (grades 4-5)
- Woodland Elementary School (grades 1-3)
- Woodland Primary School (K)
The village is served by Warren Township High School
Warren Township High School
Warren Township High School, or Warren, is a public four-year high school located in Gurnee, Illinois, a northern suburb of Chicago, in the United States. Due to the size of the student body, the school is split across two campuses: the O'Plaine Road Campus for freshmen and sophomores, and the...
which is made up of the O'Plaine Road Campus (freshmen and sophomores) and the Almond Road Campus (juniors and seniors).
According to the 2007 state report card, Gurnee School District #56 has full recognition. Woodland District #50 also has full recognition. Warren High School District #121 is in the third year of Academic Watch Status. Warren has this status because the district failed to meet the minimum standards of No Child Left Behind for six years in a row.
Following the PSAE test in April, 2009, Warren was the subject of an investigation by the Illinois State Board of Education. In July, 2009, the ISBE found that the school district had violated state and federal law when they prevented over 150 juniors from taking the state assessment. Because of the illegal action, the high school will fail its 2009 Report Card no matter how well the students do on the test. Superintendent Sobocinski believed that other schools in the state did the same thing. He stated publicly, "If they get a pass, we want a pass."
Library
The Gurnee Public Library is located at 224 N. O'Plaine Road. The Warren-Newport Public LibraryWarren-Newport Public Library District
The Warren-Newport Public Library is located at 224 N. O'Plaine Road, Gurnee, Illinois, 60031. The library serves a population of 60,000 within a area that covers all or most of Warren Township, Lake County, Illinois and Newport Township, Lake County, Illinois...
offers a collection of over 270,000 books, hundreds of magazines, and over 37,000 CDs and DVDs, as well as programming for all ages designed to provide personal enrichment, education and entertainment. The library serves a population of 60,000 residents.
The Warren-Newport Public Library District began in 1971 when the Gurnee Women's Club began to look for a meaningful service which their club could offer the area. Opening day for the library came on January 10, 1973. The library opened its doors for 45 hours per week with 3,000 volumes. The library moved into its current location in 1978. In 1997 the library opened a $5.6 million, 31000 square feet (2,880 m²) addition. In fall of 2010 a $8.5 million construction project began to add 4,500 square feet and renovate 28,000 square feet of the oldest parts of the building.
Overview
Lake County, IllinoisLake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
communities that fall completely within the boundaries of the district are Gurnee, Illinois
Gurnee, Illinois
Gurnee is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 28,834 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 30,772 in 2005. The village borders the city of Waukegan and is considered a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Gurnee is perhaps best known for being the location of...
; Grandwood Park, Illinois
Grandwood Park, Illinois
Grandwood Park is a census-designated place in the Warren Township of Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,202 at the 2010 census.-Demographics:...
; Park City, Illinois
Park City, Illinois
Park City is a small community located in the Warren and Waukegan townships of Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,637 at the 2000 census, broken up into three wards....
; and Wildwood, Illinois
Wildwood, Illinois
Wildwood, Illinois is an unincorporated community along Belvidere Road just east of U.S. Route 45 in Lake County, Illinois. Wildwood is bordered by Gages Lake to the north, Gurnee to the northeast, Heather Ridge and Waukegan to the east, Libertyville to the south, and Grayslake to the...
. Partially included in the district are the communities of Beach Park, Illinois
Beach Park, Illinois
Beach Park is a village in the Benton and Waukegan Townships of Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,072 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Beach Park is located at ....
; Grayslake, Illinois
Grayslake, Illinois
Grayslake is a village in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area, about north of Chicago’s downtown, west of Lake Michigan, and south of the Wisconsin border....
; Lake Villa, Illinois
Lake Villa, Illinois
Lake Villa is a village in Lake County, Illinois United States. The population was 5,864 at the 2000 census. Lake Villa lies within Lake Villa Township...
; Old Mill Creek, Illinois
Old Mill Creek, Illinois
Old Mill Creek is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 251 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Old Mill Creek is located at ....
; Third Lake, Illinois
Third Lake, Illinois
Third Lake is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,355 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Third Lake is located at ....
; Wadsworth, Illinois
Wadsworth, Illinois
Wadsworth is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,083 at the 2000 census. It is named after , who was on the board of directors for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St...
; Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...
; and Milburn, Illinois. http://www.wnpl.info/index.php/library-profile/.
The Warren-Newport Public Library District began in 1971 when the Gurnee Women's Club began to look for a meaningful service which their club could offer the area. Opening day for the library came on January 10, 1973. The library opened its doors for 45 hours per week with 3,000 volumes. The library moved into its current location in 1978, and in 1997 opened a $5.6 million, 31000 square feet (2,880 m²) addition.http://www.gurnee.il.us/history/history_library.html
In 2004, the library was one of the early adopters of passive RFID (radio frequency identification
Radio Frequency Identification
Radio-frequency identification is a technology that uses radio waves to transfer data from an electronic tag, called RFID tag or label, attached to an object, through a reader for the purpose of identifying and tracking the object. Some RFID tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the...
) technology for the automation of item check-in (News Sun, September 28, 2004).
According to statistics gathered by the Library Research Center at the University of Illinois, the Warren-Newport Public Library is the second busiest library in Lake County, after the Cook Memorial Library in Libertyville. (News Sun, October 3, 2006).
According to its mission statement, the Warren Newport Public Library "provides the community with access to information, kindles the imagination of children and adults, and supports lifelong learning."
Stephen Bero is the library's current director.
Transportation
Interstate 94Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
(The Tri-State Tollway
Tri-State Tollway
The Tri-State Tollway is a U.S. toll road maintained by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in northeastern Illinois which is considered one of the most heavily traveled highways in the country...
) is the main expressway servicing Gurnee, allowing easy access to Milwaukee and Chicago.
Gurnee is notable as being one of the only major Chicago suburbs that is not serviced by Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
, although there are nearby stations in Waukegan, Grayslake, and Libertyville.
Drinking water supply
The Village of Gurnee water supply comes from the Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency (CLCJAWA) located in Lake Bluff, IL. CLCJAWA purifies water from Lake Michigan.Elected officials
The village of Gurnee is a non-home ruleHome rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
which functions under the council-manager form of government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
with a village President and a six-member Board of Trustees, all of whom are elected to four-year terms. The Village President and three of the Trustees are elected every four years. The other group of three Trustees are also elected for four-year terms, but this election is staggered and takes place two years after the first group.
As of 2011, the village office holders are:
- Mayor: Kristina Kovarik (term ends 2013)
- Clerk: Andy Harris (2013)
- Trustee: Jeanne Balmes (2013)
- Trustee: Kirk Morris (2013)
- Trustee: Hank Schwarz (2013)
- Trustee: Greg Garner (2011)
- Trustee: Michael Jacobs (2011)
- Trustee: Cheryl Ross (2011)
Mayors (Past and Present)
- Leo Felton 1928-1941
- Dr. W.W. Smith 1941-1942 (Resigned to enter Armed Services)
- Wm. Barnstable 1942-1949
- Gordon D. Gillings 1949-1973
- Richard Welton 1973-2001
- Don Rudny 2001-2005
- Kristina Kovarik 2005–Present
Notable residents
- Kevin Anderson, actor
- Devin HesterDevin HesterDevin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
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