What happened to good old Waukegan?? (Gurnee, Marine: unemployment, dangerous, mall)

[Sub-Urban Princess]

Originally Posted by GoCUBS1

Sub-Urban Princess, I could not have said it better! I also grew up in Waukegan (but no longer live there). Of course Waukegan has many problems but I credit it for making me the strong person I am today and for giving me exposure to (and compassion for) so many different types of people (good and bad). I would not change a thing about my character-building experiences in Waukegan.

Awesome...you seem like a Grrreeeaaattt person too. Well rounded, patient, tolerance level for B.S. is fair. You can't cross "Waukeganites" though...they'll chop you down like fire wood. That's the liberal upbringing!!

[GoCUBS1]

Originally Posted by Sub-Urban Princess

Awesome...you seem like a Grrreeeaaattt person too. Well rounded, patient, tolerance level for B.S. is fair. You can't cross "Waukeganites" though...they'll chop you down like fire wood. That's the liberal upbringing!!

Hey thanks Sub-Urban Princess! You're such a nice Waukeganite! Amazing how your description of me is dead-on accurate. You know your Waukeganites!

It's funny how people rip on Waukegan so much yet when I attended my H.S. reunion there was a surprising number of high-achievers for such a poor town (I actually think it is a disproportionate amount though I have no figures on this). Kids that came from nothing (surrounded by poverty, teen pregnancy, gangs, drugs, crime) yet managed to become self-made business owners, lawyers, doctors, etc...

I guess what doesn't kill you does make you stronger. I think many Waukeganites are hard-working and tenacious with something to prove to the world (maybe because they are so close to the most affluent NS towns). I don't know what it is but you seem to understand it as well... I only hope I can raise my kids to have this type of fire inside...

[gussie]

That is wonderful at your class reunion everyone seemed to excel and become a professional.. I bet almost all those achieving folks don't live anywhere near Waukegan...I guess they don't miss it that much!!!

[menomee]

Originally Posted by gussie

It's sad that a house priced at 135,000 pays real estate taxes of 0ver 4,000.. You can live in a beautiful 150,000 home in Northeast Georgia a house that would price if it were in Waukegan in the high 200's and pay 1,600 a year real estate tax and have an acre of land!!!!.. It's due to the hispanic multiple families that are allowed to live in single family homes. When I lived in Waukegan the hispanic neighbors had 6 to 7 cars in their drive and parked in front of my house, and only "supposedly" had a single couple residing there!!!! And with the school taxes so high.. what can you expect when you have 5 families to a house with 12 kids going to public school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gussie, I disagree. You are generalizing an entire city based on one bad neighbor. Do you have published data to back this up? This was proven to be a racial stereotype which the city of Waukegan got in a lot of hot water and national attention when their city inspectors started to target homeowners with Latino names for inspections.
If the racial diversity, with Anglo-Saxon now being a minority was a concern... then yes, this is not a city for you.

Born, raised, and still frequent Waukegan. Agree the 90's got bit old western with gang violence, but it has cleaned up. City is doing a good job revitalizing downtown area. I can't speak to south side but north side of Waukegan (60087) is fair; you can get a nice size single family home at almost half the cost of what it would cost in most other cities in Lake County IL. Beach Park IL, Pleasant Prairie IL, these are also good areas. Like everything else, you get what you pay for, if you're more of an elitist, Grayslake, Libertyville, rated high school districts but the property taxes are outrageous.

[lakecountylifer]

Originally Posted by menomee

Gussie, I disagree. You are generalizing an entire city based on one bad neighbor. Do you have published data to back this up? This was proven to be a racial stereotype which the city of Waukegan got in a lot of hot water and national attention when their city inspectors started to target homeowners with Latino names for inspections.
If the racial diversity, with Anglo-Saxon now being a minority was a concern... then yes, this is not a city for you.

Born, raised, and still frequent Waukegan. Agree the 90's got bit old western with gang violence, but it has cleaned up. City is doing a good job revitalizing downtown area. I can't speak to south side but north side of Waukegan (60087) is fair; you can get a nice size single family home at almost half the cost of what it would cost in most other cities in Lake County IL. Beach Park IL, Pleasant Prairie IL, these are also good areas. Like everything else, you get what you pay for, if you're more of an elitist, Grayslake, Libertyville, rated high school districts but the property taxes are outrageous.

Sigh....you responded to a post from over a year ago. Look at the dates first before responding.

[Drover]

That's all right, it's not really a time-sensitive thread.

[Melzie5]

For future knowledge, just in case anyone was wondering, there are no longer two hospitals in Waukegan, they merged into an even worse hospital, and from the people I've talked to it's gone completely downhill ever since. But I guess that matches the rest of Waukegan since what like 1989? It's a shame because you can drive down Sheridan Rd. and see amazing homes, clearly not representative to what the city is like now. However, I do agree that the reputation is worse than the reality, however the school districts are a disgrace past kindergarten. But as far as the worst suburb, I think I'd set my eyes further south to say North Chicago...

[Aporetic180]

Can anyone recommend a good source for a detailed examination of Waukegan's modern history (1960's to present)? I'm writing a piece set in present day Waukegan and haven't found much. I went to college there from 1999-2003 and found it a fascinating community. Thanks!

[Leatherneck1775]

I graduated from North Chicago CHS as did one brother and another graduated from Waukegan East. We where a Navy Family and our Dad retired and worked on the base until we all started to spout our wings and leave the nest. We lived at Great Lakes, Zion and finally Waukegan just a block or two away from downtown. I joined the Marine Corps from the recruiting station in Waukegan. My youngest brother lives in Winthrop Harbor and works in the White Sox front office. I remember that back in the early 80's it was a very family oriented life and what not. My favorite place to eat: Jordy's Hot Dogs!!! Waukegan was part of growing up and having returned home for a year after school before joining the Corps, Waukegan was a jump off point for me to get on with my life as a young man. I'll never forget the many fall season's I enjoyed there. Have not been back since 1986.

[pvande55]

It used to be a heavy industry town, with US Steel, Johns Manville, OMC and ComEd. Combined with the high population it became an attractive place to build a new mall: Lakehurst. Unfortunately the industries declined and Gurnee mills was built nearby, dooming Lakehurst. Actually, Waukegan has done much better than a lot of industrial cities.