Search results
March 31, 1849
- Proud of the growth of their community and no longer wanting to be characterized as "little", on March 31, 1849, the residents of Little Fort changed the name of their town to Waukegan, the Potawatomie word for "fort" or "trading post".
www.waukeganil.gov/181/History-of-Waukegan
People also ask
When did little fort become Waukegan?
When did Waukegan become a city?
When did little fort become a county seat?
What is Waukegan Illinois known for?
Why is it called Little Fort?
Why was Waukegan important in the 1920s?
The site of present-day Waukegan was recorded as Rivière du Vieux Fort ("Old Fort River") and Wakaygagh on a 1778 map by Thomas Hutchins. By the 1820s, the French name had become "Small Fort River" in English, and the settlement was known as "Little Fort".
Aug 21, 2018 · About the Little Fort Settlement; Today's Waukegan, Illinois. First visited by Father Jacques Marquette in 1673, Waukegan is one of the oldest communities in Illinois. The site was recorded as Rivière du Vieux Fort ("Old Fort River") and Wakaygagh on a 1778 map by Thomas Hutchins.
In March 1849 residents approved the name Waukegan, the Potawatomi equivalent to Little Fort. The phenomenal growth of Waukegan, located 36 miles north of Chicago and 60 miles south of Milwaukee, can be attributed to industry, Lake Michigan, and the railroads.
When that lake shore spot became a city in the early 1800s, it at first was called “Little Fort” too. In 1849, the name was changed to “Waukegan,” based on the Algonquin tribe’s word for “trading post.”
The state granted a charter for Little Fort to become a town in 1849. The charter included a provision that allowed a majority of voters to change the name to Waukegan, an option that they immediately exercised.
Growth continued during the 1840s and beyond with Little Fort becoming the commercial and governmental center of Lake County. This growth was facilitated by the arrival of the railroad in 1855, and no longer considering itself “little”, the community incorporated as the City of Waukegan in 1859.
