Gurnee(/ɡərˈniː/ghər-NEE) is avillageand suburb inLake County, Illinois,United States. Its population was 30,706 as of the 2020census.[2]It borders the city ofWaukegan,and is a populartourist attractionwithin theChicago metropolitan area.
Village of Gurnee | |
|---|---|
      Clockwise from the top: Gurneetown sign,Gurnee Town Centre,Hurricane Harbor Chicago,Gurnee Mills,Great Wolf Lodge,Columbia CarouselatSix Flags Great America | |
| Motto: Community of Opportunity | |
 Location of Gurnee in Lake County, Illinois. | |
| Coordinates:42°22′N87°56′W/ 42.367°N 87.933°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Lake |
| Founded | 1928 |
| Named for | Walter S. Gurnee |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Thomas B. Hood |
| Area | |
• Total | 13.59 sq mi (35.18 km2) |
| • Land | 13.51 sq mi (34.99 km2) |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 30,706 |
| • Density | 2,273.00/sq mi (877.62/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6(CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5(CDT) |
| ZIP code | 60031 |
| Area codes | 224, 847 |
| FIPS code | 17-32018 |
| Website | www |
Best known for being the location ofSix Flags Great America,Six Flags Hurricane Harbor ChicagoandGurnee Mills,the village sees an average of over 23 million visitors annually.[3]
History
editEarly 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 ofWarren, New York,which was named in honor of Major GeneralJoseph Warren,killed at theBattle of Bunker Hill.Warren Township,formed in 1850, was also named after him.[4]The first settlement of Warren Township commenced in 1835 in the vicinity of the Aux Plaines River (now theDes 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 afordused by thePotowatomiIndians for crossing the river. A floating log bridge was built in 1842. Later, both a wood and iron bridge were built.
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 north to eventually connect Chicago toMilwaukee.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 fromMcHenry Countyto the port ofWaukegan.Stage coaches ran on this route as late as 1870.
The hamlet was originally called "Wentworth", after Congressman "Long John" Wentworth, who also served as the Republican Mayor of Chicago between 1857 and 1863.[5]Thereafter,Walter S. Gurnee,the 14thMayor of Chicagoand one of the directors of the railroad, agreed to develop a station in Wentworth, which was called "Gurnee Station" in his honor. Over time, Gurnee Station became known simply as "Gurnee" and was incorporated as such.
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 (now known asWaukegan) to barter their crops for supplies and to ship out from the ports. It also served as a stop during theUnderground 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 worstfloodingin 100 years. The flood forced several schools to close[6]and caused building damage to dozens of homes and businesses.
Geography
editGurnee is located at42°22′N87°56′W/ 42.367°N 87.933°W(42.3737, −87.9344).[7]
According to the 2010 census, Gurnee has a total area of 13.576 square miles (35.16 km2), of which 13.5 square miles (34.96 km2) (or 99.44%) is land and 0.076 square miles (0.20 km2) (or 0.56%) is water.[8]It is located on the banks of theDes Plaines Riverand is split by Interstate 94, which divides the village into east (old) and west (new) sides.
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 503 | — | |
| 1940 | 661 | 31.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,097 | 66.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,831 | 66.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,738 | 49.5% | |
| 1980 | 7,179 | 162.2% | |
| 1990 | 13,701 | 90.8% | |
| 2000 | 28,834 | 110.5% | |
| 2010 | 31,295 | 8.5% | |
| 2020 | 30,706 | −1.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 2010[10]2020[11] | |||
2020 census
edit| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2010[10] | Pop 2020[11] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitealone (NH) | 20,872 | 17,463 | 66.69% | 56.87% |
| Black or African Americanalone (NH) | 2,362 | 2,643 | 7.55% | 8.61% |
| Native AmericanorAlaska Nativealone (NH) | 57 | 40 | 0.18% | 0.13% |
| Asianalone (NH) | 3,601 | 3,743 | 11.51% | 12.19% |
| Pacific Islanderalone (NH) | 14 | 22 | 0.04% | 0.07% |
| Other racealone (NH) | 52 | 189 | 0.17% | 0.62% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial(NH) | 672 | 1,166 | 2.15% | 3.80% |
| Hispanic or Latino(any race) | 3,665 | 5,440 | 11.71% | 17.72% |
| Total | 31,295 | 30,706 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 Census
editAs of the 2010 census, the total village population was 31,295, an 8.5% increase from the 2000 census.[12]There were 12,031 housing units throughout the village, and thepopulation densitywas 2,318.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the village was 73.3%White,11.6%Asian,7.8%African American,0.03%Native American,and 3.5% fromother races,and 3.2% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race made up 11.7% of the population.
42.3% of the households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% weremarried couplesliving together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.4% were non-families. Of all households, 22.7% 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.
The median household income was estimated to be $85,421, while theper capita incomefor the village was $35,564.[12]According to a 2007 estimate, males had a median income of $56,274 versus $35,713 for females. In 2010, 5.1% of the population was reported to be under thepoverty line.
Economy
edit
Tourism
editGurnee is home to multiple amusement parks, shopping centers and hotels. In total, the town brings around 23 million visitors annually.[3]Six Flags Great Americaand its sister parkSix Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicagoare both major theme parks in Gurnee, and as of 2021[update],Great America brought in a total of 2,675,000 guests, marking it as the 20th most visited amusement park in North America.[13]Six Flags Great America has operated since 1976, originally as Marriott's Great America, and during earlier years was expected to draw in 6 million to 7 million people within theChicago,RockfordandMilwaukeeareas.[14]Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago opened in 2005 and drew 1.3 million guests in its opening year.[15]Gurnee Millshas attracted between 15 million to 20 million visitors per year since its opening in 1991.[16][17]The mall was advertised as the "world's largest outlet mall" upon its opening,[18]and is the fourth largest mall in Illinois.[19]The 30-acre (12 ha) resortGreat Wolf Lodge,formerly Key Lime Cove opened in 2007 and has an indoor waterpark;[20]it was sold toGreat Wolf Resortsin 2017 due to its underperformance.[21]
Top employers
editAccording to Gurnee's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[22]the top employers in the village were:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Six Flags Great America/Hurricane Harbor Chicago | 3,315 |
| 2 | Woodland School District 50 | 832 |
| 3 | District 121 (Warren Township HS) | 484 |
| 4 | Nosco Inc. | 400 |
| 5 | Gurnee School District No. 56 | 390 |
| 6 | Great Wolf Lodge(formerly Key Lime Cove) | 356 |
| 7 | Bass Pro Shops | 350 |
| 8 | Gurnee Park District | 330 |
| 9 | Village of Gurnee (Full-time Equivalent) | 233 |
Schools
editThe majority of the eastern half of the village is served by Gurnee School District #56. Four schools make up District #56. They are:
- River Trail School (grades K-8)
- Prairie Trail 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)
- Prairie Crossing Charter School (Grades K-8)
- (Public School that serves within School Dist. 50 and Dist. 79 Not a Woodland District 50 school.)[23]
The village is served byWarren 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, both Woodland District #50 and Gurnee School District #56 has full recognition.[24]
Library
editThe Gurnee Public Library is located at 224 N. O'Plaine Road.The Warren-Newport Public Libraryoffers 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 (~$9.87 million in 2023), 31,000-square-foot (2,900 m2) addition.[25]In the fall of 2010, an $8.5 million (~$11.6 million in 2023) construction project began, adding 4,500 square feet and renovating 28,000 square feet of the oldest parts of the building.
Lake County, Illinoiscommunities that fall completely within the boundaries of the district are Gurnee, Illinois;Grandwood Park, Illinois;Park City, Illinois;andWildwood, Illinois.Partially included in the district are the communities ofBeach Park, Illinois;Grayslake, Illinois;Lake Villa, Illinois;Old Mill Creek, Illinois;Third Lake, Illinois;Wadsworth, Illinois;Waukegan, Illinois;andMillburn, Illinois.[26]
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."
Transportation
editInterstate 94(TheTri-State Tollway) is the main expressway servicing Gurnee, allowing easy access toMilwaukeeand Chicago.
Gurnee is notable as being one of the only major Chicago suburbs that is not serviced byMetra,although there are nearby stations inWaukegan,Grayslake,andLibertyville.
Paceprovides bus service on multiple routes connecting Gurnee to downtown Waukegan, Grayslake and other destinations.[27]
Drinking water supply
editThe 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.
Government
editElected officials
editThe village of Gurnee is ahome rulemunicipalitywhich functions under thecouncil-managerform ofgovernmentwith a Village President and a six-memberBoard 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 2021,[28]the village office holders are:
- Mayor: Thomas B. Hood (term ends April 30, 2025)
- Clerk: Andy Harris (term ends April 30, 2025)
- Trustee: Jeanne E. Balmes (term ends April 30, 2025)
- Trustee: Kevin Woodside (term ends April 30, 2025)
- Trustee: Karen Thorstenson (term ends April 30, 2025)
- Trustee: Quin O'Brien (term ends April 30, 2023)
- Trustee: Greg Garner (term ends April 30, 2023)
- Trustee: Cheryl Ross (term ends April 30, 2023)
Mayors (past and present)
edit- 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 2005–2021
- Thomas B. Hood 2021-present
Notable people
edit- Kevin Anderson,actor
- Larry Farmer,basketball coach
- Robbie Gould,football player
- Tommie Harris,football player
- Tank Johnson,football player
- Allen James Lynch(born 1945), soldier in theUnited States Armyand recipient of theMedal of Honorfor heroic actions during theVietnam War[29]
- Muhsin Muhammad,football player
- Brandon Paul,basketball player
- Greg Rallo,hockey player
- Mitchell Trubisky,football player
- Tim Weigel,Chicago television broadcaster
- Mike Caplan, Meteorologist[30]
References
edit- ^"2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedMarch 15,2022.
- ^"Gurnee village, Illinois".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedFebruary 23,2021.
- ^ab"Visitors".gurnee.il.us.RetrievedAugust 25,2022.
- ^"Gurnee History - Warren Township".The Village of Gurnee, IL. Archived fromthe originalon August 5, 2007.RetrievedAugust 2,2007.
- ^"Bio - John Wentworth".
- ^"Violent Spring".CBS News.
- ^"US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990".United States Census Bureau.February 12, 2011.RetrievedApril 23,2011.
- ^"G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1".United States Census Bureau.Archived fromthe originalon February 13, 2020.RetrievedAugust 3,2015.
- ^"Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades".US Census Bureau.
- ^ab"P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Gurnee village, Illinois".United States Census Bureau.
- ^ab"P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Gurnee village, Illinois".United States Census Bureau.
- ^ab"US Census Bureau".Quickfacts.census.gov. Archived fromthe originalon January 20, 2013.RetrievedOctober 9,2013.
- ^"TEA/AECOM 2021 Global Attractions Attendance Report"(PDF).Themed Entertainment Association.2022.RetrievedOctober 17,2022.
- ^Frank, Mark D. (July 5, 1980)."No rough ride at theme parks during the rescession".Chicago Tribune.p. 24.
- ^Filas, Lee (January 15, 2006)."Tornado to swirl into Gurnee".Daily Herald.RetrievedDecember 12,2022– via Gale OneFile.
- ^"Gurnee Mills in Cook County, Illinois | Waldron Construction LLC".waldronconstructionllc.April 11, 2022.RetrievedDecember 23,2022.
- ^Gregory, Ted."Mall mania in Lake County",Daily Herald Suburban Chicago, August 9, 1991.
- ^Schmeltzer, John."Growing Pains For Gurnee Mills",Chicago Tribune,May 24, 1992.
- ^"Gurnee Mills".Malls.Com.September 23, 2014.RetrievedDecember 23,2022.
- ^"Dave Anderson of Famous Dave's Barbecue Restaurant Chain Building a 611-room Resort with 80,000 sq ft Water Park North of Chicago in Gurnee; The KeyLime Cove Resort Expected to Cost $125 million / May 2006".hotel-online.RetrievedDecember 23,2022.
- ^"Great Wolf Lodge to take over, redevelop Key Lime Cove in Gurnee".Chicago Tribune.February 8, 2017.RetrievedDecember 23,2022.
- ^"Village of Gurnee 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report"(PDF).gurnee.il.us.RetrievedFebruary 26,2019.
- ^"FAQ - Prairie Crossing Charter School".prairiecrossingcharterschool.org.October 9, 2014.RetrievedJune 19,2024.
- ^"ISBE eReport Card Public Site".Archived fromthe originalon November 27, 2007.RetrievedDecember 3,2007.
- ^"Gurnee History - Warren Newport Public Library".The Village of Gurnee. May 4, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon July 26, 2013.RetrievedOctober 9,2013.
- ^"Library Profile".Warren-Newport Public Library. Archived fromthe originalon October 5, 2013.RetrievedOctober 9,2013.
- ^"RTA System Map"(PDF).RetrievedJanuary 30,2024.
- ^"Members & Terms of the Village Board".gurnee.il.us.RetrievedApril 7,2021.
- ^Jones, Emil; Philip, Pate (May 7, 1995)."Senate Resolution 116, 91st General Assembly".Illinois General Assembly.RetrievedNovember 29,2020.
- ^"Mike Caplan".FOX 32 Chicago.August 12, 2019.RetrievedJune 19,2024.
External links
edit