The county, which was primarily unsettled prairie and
was still home to its native
Potawatomie Indians, was created by the
Illinois State Legislature in 1839. At that time, Libertyville, then known
as Independence Grove, was the first county seat. In 1841, however, the
county's residents voted to move the county government to Little Fort, now
known as Waukegan, where the commissioners had purchased a section of land
from the state. Lake County's first courthouse was built on part of that
land in 1844 and the remainder was sold to pay for the $4,000 construction
cost.
The county's first courthouse was used solely for court sessions and
the jail, but in 1853, commissioners constructed a building to accommodate
county administration offices and house records. When fire decimated the
courthouse on October 19, 1875, the county records were saved because they
were in the adjacent building.
After the fire, proposals were made to move the county seat to Highland
Park, Libertyville or another site in central Lake County. The county
commissioners, however, decided to rebuild in Waukegan. The east half of
the building was reconstructed at a cost of $45,000. In 1895, the first
jail building was added to the government complex and a west addition was
added to the courthouse in 1922. By 1938, county commissioners saw a need
for additional space and approved the addition of a 5th Floor. This
courthouse, however, was demolished in 1967 to make room for a new
high-rise administration building, which was completed with the addition
of the jail in 1969 and courts in 1970.
Shortly thereafter, the Lake County Board commissioned the construction
of a multi-faceted justice facility and ground was broken in 1986 for the
Robert H. Babcox Justice Center, named in memory of Sheriff Babcox, who
served as Lake County Sheriff from 1982-1988. The justice center, which
houses the county jail, work release program, sheriff's administration
offices and three courtrooms, was finished in 1989 at a cost of $29.6
million.
Additional county government facilities have been built or expanded
throughout Lake County, including the Coroner's Office, Health
Department/Community Health Center facilities, Division of Transportation,
Public Works and Winchester House. Lake County government services extend
throughout the county's 470 square miles.
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