Editing Wauconda, Illinois (section)

==History==

=== 1800s ===
According to local legend, Wauconda was named after an indigenous chief whose name translated as 'spirit water'.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Many early settlers of Wauconda came from [[New England]] and [[New York (state)|New York]] by [[covered wagon]] or through the [[Erie Canal]] and the [[Great Lakes]].<ref name="WaucondaIL">{{cite web |title=History of Wauconda {{!}} Wauconda, IL |url=https://wauconda-il.gov/217/History-of-Wauconda |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227174017/https://www.wauconda-il.gov/217/History-of-Wauconda |archive-date=February 27, 2018 |access-date=May 9, 2018 |website=wauconda-il.gov |language=en}}</ref>

Elihu Hubbard built the first log cabin on the bank of [[Bangs Lake]] in 1836. Justus Bangs, the first settler in Wauconda, built a house next to the lake in 1848 and the lake was later named after him. In 1840, members of the [[Ho-Chunk|Winnebago]] tribe who did not leave the shores of the [[Fox River (Illinois River tributary)|Fox River]] often went to the area to trade. In 1849, Wauconda was organized into a town by a vote of the people of Lake County to divide Lake County into towns. There were 1,695 votes cast and all except three were in favor of the division. The first town meeting was held on the 1st Tuesday in April 1850 where the first officers were elected and appointed. I.<ref name="WaucondaIL" />

Wauconda's first school was built in 1839 and the area's post office was moved to Wauconda on June 27, 1849, with Hazard Green becoming its first postmaster.<ref name="WaucondaIL" />

Elder Joel Wheeler of [[McHenry, Illinois|McHenry]] built the first [[Baptists|Baptist]] church in Wauconda in the autumn of 1838. A [[Methodism|Methodist]] church was organized on September 3, 1852, by Reverend C. French, and built in 1856 on the Commons. Both Methodists and Baptists attended prayer at the church until February 1870, when the Baptists reorganized and built a new church on October 30, 1870. A [[Roman Catholic church]] was built in 1877 and its first trustees were James S. Murray, Charles Davlin, Felix Givens, John Givens, Hugh Davlin, and Owen McMahon. Its first priest was Father O'Neil.<ref name="WaucondaIL" />

In 1850, Wauconda had a population of around 200 residents, and the town had three goods stores, two public houses and various mechanics.<ref name="WaucondaIL" />

The Village of Wauconda was incorporated on August 18, 1877.

=== 1900s ===
By the early 1900s, Wauconda was a popular resort village for Chicago residents and Bangs Lake was made suitable for beaches. The [[Palatine, Lake Zurich and Wauconda Railroad]] was completed and hauled agricultural products, delivered mail, transported local passengers, and brought vacationers and day-trippers out from Chicago. Although the railroad did not help develop Wauconda, which remained a small town, it flourished as a resort, and residents depended on it for supplies and for mail.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wauconda Government |date=April 25, 2023 |title=FY2023 Budget Book |url=https://files4.1.revize.com/wauconda/Document_Center/Finance/FY23%20Budget%20Book-Adopted%20(April%205,%202022).pdf |access-date=May 7, 2023}}</ref>

The railroad closed in 1920 due to lack of business. Later in the decade, Phil's Beach was opened by Phil Froehlke and the right-of way was purchased for [[Illinois Route 176|Route 176]] (Liberty Street) through the center of town.

By the end of the 1930s, Wauconda's population exceeded 500 residents. At the end of the 1960s, Wauconda had three elementary schools, a junior high, and a high school. By the end of the 1970s there were about 5,600 residents living in Wauconda.

In the early 1950s, a bypass for US-12 was built to go around Wauconda.

Throughout the 1980s, most of the beaches on Bangs Lake gradually closed down. They were replaced by houses, townhomes, and other development. Development continued into the 1990s and 2000s as individuals from the outlying Chicago suburbs sought cheaper land. Large new subdivisions were developed north of the town center and small suburbs were established in the surrounding areas.

=== 2000s ===
In 2000, Wauconda's population was 9,386. By 2020, it had grown to 14,084 residents.

The village completed a switch to [[Lake Michigan]] water in October 2019. This was the largest infrastructure project in village history, costing $48 million.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wauconda, IL |url=https://www.wauconda-il.gov/services/lake_michigan_water/index.php |access-date=May 7, 2023 |website=www.wauconda-il.gov |language=en}}</ref>

On April 4, 2023, a referendum was held in the village to determine [[Home rule in the United States|home rule]] status.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wauconda Home Rule Referendum |url=https://www.wauconda-il.gov/news_detail_T5_R95.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208023536/https://www.wauconda-il.gov/news_detail_T5_R95.php |archive-date=December 8, 2023 |access-date=May 7, 2023 |website=www.wauconda-il.gov |language=en}}</ref> The result of the referendum was to reject home rule status.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lake County, IL |date=April 20, 2023 |title=Election Night Reporting |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Lake/117565/web.307039/#/detail/0389 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230507083524/https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Lake/117565/web.307039/%23/detail/0389 |archive-date=May 7, 2023 |access-date=May 7, 2023 |website=Lake County Il Election Results}}</ref>