Editing Grandwood Park, Illinois (section)

==History==
Before the [[Industrial Revolution]] had made its way to the western [[Great Lakes]], the land remained in the hands of the [[Potawatomi]] until the [[1833 Treaty of Chicago]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grover |first1=Frank E. |title=Indian Treaties Affecting Lands in the Present State of Illinois |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/40193804 |website=JSTOR |publisher=Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society (1908-1984) |access-date=April 17, 2024}}</ref> Small farm families dotted the land for several decades until 1873, of which a train station was built along the [[Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad]] in the neighboring village (once an [[unincorporated area]]) of [[Gurnee]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Gurnee History: 1873: Gurnee Stop |url=https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5JVHE |website=Geocaching |access-date=April 9, 2024}}</ref> This over time caused an increase in the local population.

One of the earliest accounts of an individual living in the immediate community was a farmer in 1941.<ref name="Chicago Tribune">{{cite web |last1=Newton |first1=Jim |title=Grandwood Park finally has its new dam in Lake Park to combat 'one flooding event after another' |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2019/09/23/grandwood-park-finally-has-its-new-dam-in-lake-park-to-combat-one-flooding-event-after-another/ |website=Lake County News-Sun |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Adam |first1=Michael |title=2000 SUMMARY REPORT of GRANDWOOD PARK LAKE |url=https://www.lakecountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10613/2000-Grandwood-Park-Lake-Report-PDF |publisher=LAKE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES LAKES MANAGEMENT UNIT |access-date=April 4, 2024}}</ref> This farmer is credited for constructing a [[dam]] that barred [[Mill Creek (Des Plaines River tributary)|Mill Creek]] and consequently formed [[Grandwood Lake]] that same year.

Development of the area began in the early 1960s and it started to receive fire and police support from Gurnee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Overview - Gurnee Fire Department |url=https://www.gurnee.il.us/government/departments/fire-department |website=Gurnee Community of Opportunity |publisher=Village of Gurnee |access-date=April 23, 2024}}</ref> The Grandwood Park Civic Association was established in 1962.

The Grandwood Park Park District was established in 1965.<ref>{{cite web |title=About |url=https://www.grandwoodpark.net/about/#:~:text=The%20Grandwood%20Park%20Park%20District%2C%20established%20in%201965%2C%20is%20a,in%20northern%20Lake%20County%2C%20Illinois. |website=Grandwood Park Park District |access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref> It acts as a municipal governing agency providing parks, recreation facilities, and events/programs for residents.

===Des Plaines River Flood of 2017===
After heavy rains in Grandwood Park and surrounding areas of [[Warren Township, Lake County, Illinois|Warren Township]], in July, 2017, the dam barring Mill Creek to Grandwood Lake partially failed.<ref name="Chicago Tribune"/> [[Flooding]] averaging a foot in depth consumed adjoining Lake Park and nearby residences. For two weeks following the incident a variety of fish were found swimming on the park grounds and in yards, notably [[grass carp]]. Road closures were lifted on the 25th of July.<ref>{{cite web |title=Flood of July 2017 |url=https://www.gurnee.il.us/residents/extreme-weather-events/flooding-in-gurnee/flood-of-july-2017 |website=Gurnee |publisher=Village of Gurnee |access-date=April 26, 2024}}</ref>

It was decided that same season that a new dam would ultimately be necessary. It would have to wait until 2019 when the lake was drained and a new concrete and steel dam was built. Original estimates for the project were between $900,000 and $1.7 million.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Abderholden |first1=Frank |title=Grandwood Park lake recovers after repairs completed on balky dam |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2017/04/25/grandwood-park-lake-recovers-after-repairs-completed-on-balky-dam/ |website=Lake County News-Sun |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref> The official number was never released. During a Board of Commissioners session on February 8, 2023, it was proposed that an electric light should be added to Lake Park in order to illuminate the dam. The estimated cost is $2,150.<ref>{{cite web |title=Board of Commissioners / General Session Minutes |url=https://www.grandwoodpark.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/signed-minutes-February-8-2023.pdf |publisher=Grandwood Park Park District |access-date=April 5, 2024}}</ref>

===Post - 2020===

In 2020 the original bridge built across Mill Creek along North Hutchins Road in 1969, along with the [[culvert]], were dismantled and rebuilt. Traffic was rerouted for nearly four months until the bridge was comepleted on June 18.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hutchins Road Bridge is Now Open |url=https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ILLAKE/bulletins/2914f07 |website=Lake County Transportation Updates |publisher=Lake County, IL |access-date=April 23, 2024}}</ref> The estimate price of the project was $1.46 million.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moran |first1=Dan |title=Moran: Hutchins Road culvert replacement a Band-Aid on nationwide plague of 'poor' bridges |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2020/02/18/moran-hutchins-road-culvert-replacement-a-band-aid-on-nationwide-plague-of-poor-bridges/ |website=Lake County News-Sun |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=April 23, 2024}}</ref>