Gurnee (pronounced ghər-NEE) is a fun and lively village located in Lake County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, about 30,706 people call Gurnee home. It's part of the big Chicago metropolitan area and is close to the city of Waukegan. Gurnee is about 40 miles (64 km) north of Chicago and 50 miles (80 km) south of Milwaukee. The village was founded in 1928 and got its name from Walter S. Gurnee, who was once the mayor of Chicago.

Gurnee is a super popular place for visitors! It has exciting attractions like the Six Flags Great America amusement park and Hurricane Harbor Chicago water park. You can also find the huge Gurnee Mills shopping mall and the Great Wolf Lodge resort here. Because of all these cool places, Gurnee welcomes over 23 million visitors every year. It's easy to get to, thanks to Interstate 94 running right through the village.

The Story of Gurnee
Where is Gurnee?
Gurnee's People
Gurnee's Economy and Fun Places
- Fun for Everyone: Gurnee's Tourist Spots
- Who Works in Gurnee?
Learning in Gurnee
Getting Around Gurnee
Gurnee's Water Supply
How Gurnee is Run
Famous People from Gurnee
See also

The Story of Gurnee

How Gurnee Began

Long ago, in 1835, the first settlers arrived in the Gurnee area. They traveled by foot, horseback, or in wagons pulled by oxen. Many came from a town in New York called Warren. The area where Gurnee is today was first settled near the Aux Plaines River, which we now call the Des Plaines River.

In 1835–1836, a group from New York built a Community House. This house helped families who were looking for land to start their farms. Near this house, there was a special shallow spot in the river, called a ford, that the Potowatomi Native Americans used to cross. Later, people built bridges, first with logs, then with wood and iron.

A Crossroads for Travelers

With a strong bridge in place, roads were built, and this area became a busy center. A major road, now called Milwaukee Road, crossed the river here. This road eventually connected Chicago to Milwaukee. Another important road, now known as Grand Avenue, was a main path from McHenry County to the port of Waukegan. Even stagecoaches used this route until around 1870!

The small settlement was first named "Wentworth." This was in honor of Congressman "Long John" Wentworth. He was also a Republican Mayor of Chicago. Later, Walter S. Gurnee, who was also a Chicago mayor and a railroad director, helped build a train station here. It was named "Gurnee Station" after him. Over time, everyone just called the place "Gurnee," and it officially became a village with that name.

Historical Landmarks

Near the bridge, where Milwaukee Road and Grand Avenue meet, stood the Mutaw Tavern. It was also known as "Marm Rudd's Tavern" or the Mother Rudd House. This tavern was a popular stop for stagecoaches traveling between Chicago and Milwaukee. Farmers also stopped here on their way to Waukegan to trade their crops. This building was bought by the Village of Gurnee in 1984. It has been restored and now houses the Warren Township Historical Society, which shares local history.

A Big Flood

In May 2004, Gurnee experienced a very heavy rainfall. This caused the worst flooding in 100 years. Many schools had to close, and homes and businesses were damaged.

Where is Gurnee?

Gurnee is located at coordinates 42°22′N 87°56′W.

The village covers about 13.576 square miles (35.16 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The Des Plaines River flows through Gurnee. Interstate 94 also runs through the village, dividing it into an older east side and a newer west side.

Gurnee's People

Gurnee has grown a lot over the years! In 1930, there were just over 500 people living here. By 2020, the population had grown to 30,706. Gurnee is a diverse community, with people from many different backgrounds living and working together.

Gurnee's Economy and Fun Places

Fun for Everyone: Gurnee's Tourist Spots

The Gurnee Town Centre, a shopping area in West Gurnee

Gurnee is famous for its many fun places to visit! It has several amusement parks, shopping centers, and hotels. Each year, Gurnee attracts around 23 million visitors who come to enjoy all it has to offer.

The exciting Six Flags Great America amusement park and its water park, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago, are huge attractions. Six Flags Great America first opened in 1976. The water park, Hurricane Harbor Chicago, opened in 2005. In 2023, about 3 million people visited Great America! This makes it one of the most visited amusement parks in North America. These parks have helped Gurnee become a major tourist destination. They are also a big source of income for the village.

The thrilling Raging Bull roller coaster at Six Flags Great America

Gurnee Mills is a giant shopping mall that opened in 1991. It has welcomed between 15 million and 20 million visitors every year since it opened. When it first opened, it was called the "world's largest outlet mall." Today, it is the fourth largest mall in Illinois. The Great Wolf Lodge is another popular spot. It's a big hotel resort with an indoor waterpark. It first opened in 2007 as Key Lime Cove and became Great Wolf Lodge in 2017.

Who Works in Gurnee?

Many people work in Gurnee! Here are some of the largest employers in the village, as reported in 2021:

#	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	356
7	Bass Pro Shops	350
8	Gurnee Park District	330
9	Village of Gurnee (Full-time Equivalent)	233

Learning in Gurnee

Gurnee has excellent schools for its young residents!

Elementary and Middle Schools

Most of the eastern part of Gurnee is served by Gurnee School District #56. This district has four schools:

River Trail School (for grades K-8)
Prairie Trail School (for grades 3–5)
Spaulding School (for grades PK-2)
Viking Middle School (for grades 6–8)

The western part of Gurnee, and some areas on the east side, are served by Woodland Grade School District #50. Woodland District includes:

Woodland Middle School (for grades 6–8)
Woodland Intermediate School (for grades 4–5)
Woodland Elementary School (for grades 1–3)
Woodland Primary School (for Kindergarten)
Prairie Crossing Charter School (for Grades K-8) - This is a public school that serves within School Districts 50 and 79.

High School

Students in Gurnee attend Warren Township High School. This high school has two campuses:

The O'Plaine Road Campus is for freshmen and sophomores.
The Almond Road Campus is for juniors and seniors.

Both Woodland District #50 and Gurnee School District #56 received full recognition in the 2007 state report card, showing their commitment to quality education.

The Warren-Newport Public Library

The Gurnee Public Library is a wonderful place for reading and learning. It is part of the Warren-Newport Public Library District. The library has over 270,000 books, hundreds of magazines, and more than 37,000 CDs and DVDs. It also offers many programs for all ages, designed to help people learn and have fun. The library serves about 60,000 residents.

The library district started in 1971. The Gurnee Women's Club wanted to offer a valuable service to the community. The library first opened on January 10, 1973, with 3,000 books. It moved to its current location in 1978. Over the years, the library has grown with big additions and renovations to better serve everyone.

Getting Around Gurnee

Getting around Gurnee and to nearby cities is easy! Interstate 94, also known as the Tri-State Tollway, is the main highway that goes through Gurnee. This highway makes it simple to travel to Milwaukee and Chicago. Pace also offers bus services in Gurnee. These buses connect Gurnee to downtown Waukegan, Grayslake, and other places.

Gurnee's Water Supply

The drinking water for the Village of Gurnee comes from the Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency (CLCJAWA). This agency is located in Lake Bluff, Illinois. CLCJAWA cleans and purifies water from Lake Michigan for Gurnee residents.

How Gurnee is Run

Gurnee is a home rule municipality. This means it has the power to manage its own local affairs. The village uses a council-manager system of government. It has a Village President (like a mayor) and a six-member Board of Trustees. All these officials are elected by the people for four-year terms. The Village President and three Trustees are elected together. The other three Trustees are elected two years later, making sure there are always experienced leaders.

As of 2021, the village office holders were:

Mayor: Thomas B. Hood (his term ended on April 30, 2025)
Clerk: Andy Harris (his term ended on April 30, 2025)
Trustee: Jeanne E. Balmes (her term ended on April 30, 2025)
Trustee: Kevin Woodside (his term ended on April 30, 2025)
Trustee: Karen Thorstenson (her term ended on April 30, 2025)
Trustee: Quin O'Brien (his term ended on April 30, 2023)
Trustee: Greg Garner (his term ended on April 30, 2023)
Trustee: Cheryl Ross (her term ended on April 30, 2023)

Famous People from Gurnee

Many interesting people have come from Gurnee, including:

Kevin Anderson, an actor
Larry Farmer, a basketball coach
Max Floriani, a soccer player
Robbie Gould, a football player
Tommie Harris, a football player
Tank Johnson, a football player
Allen James Lynch, a soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his bravery
Muhsin Muhammad, a football player
Brandon Paul, a basketball player
Greg Rallo, a hockey player
Mitchell Trubisky, a football player
Tim Weigel, a Chicago television broadcaster

Gurnee, Illinois facts for kids

Contents