How Will You Center Yourself?
Whether you’re looking for shopping and dining, athletic activities, community festivities or just a walk with the dog, the Grayslake Village Center has it all. In addition to its historic downtown, which boasts local shops and eateries and hosts countless events, the Village Center is home to parks, trails and other outdoor recreational spaces; civic institutions such as the Grayslake Library and the Heritage Museum; and lots of friendly faces.
History
Pre-Settlement Era
Native peoples have called this region home for thousands of years. During the Ice Age, Paleo-Indians used spears to hunt large mammals like mastodons. Later, the Potawatomi lived in this area. They call themselves “Neshnabek” which means “people.” Their territory stretched from present-day Green Bay, around Lake Michigan, and to Detroit until they were removed following the Blackhawk War. Today, Native groups still exist as sovereign nations, celebrating their rich culture in public and at home.
As the site of much of Grayslake’s most historic development, the Village Center has a rich past that speaks to a bright future. The below timeline showcases major events in Grayslake and the Village Center’s history.
Early Settlement
By the mid-1800s, early families like the Grays, Forvors, Hendees, and Riches came here to farm. Voters gathered at the Thomson Brothers hardware store on May 7, 1895 and formally approved the creation of the Village of Grayslake. Though William M. Gray left the area by 1860, our Village bears his name to this day.
Steaming Into the 20th Century
The first railroad to Grayslake had a depot in the Grayslake Village Center near present-day Grayslake Feed Sales. The train spurred growth in the early 20th century. Many of the Village Center's most Iconic buildings, as well as its original utilities, are from this era. The Grayslake Gelatin Company opened in 1922 and soon became Grayslake’s largest and longest-running factory.
Post-War and Beyond
Populations swelled in Grayslake around World War I and World War II then held steady. In 1946, Grayslake got its first high school after delays due to World War II. A library and park district were established. In 1970, Grayslake held a huge celebration for its Diamond Jubilee. There was even an office on Center Street for Jubilee Headquarters (now Fred’s Diner today).
Forward-Thinking Growth In the ‘90s
The 1990s brought another bout of population growth, with the population swelling from under 7,800 to almost 19,000 during the decade. Many subdivisions were built during this time, and the Village took an active planning role to ensure these developments provided connection to the Village Center for bicycles and pedestrians.
A New Life for Grayslake Gelatin
In the 2010s the Village of Grayslake acquired the site of what had been the Grayslake Gelatin factory. Spending $1 million and doing environmental remediation, the Village transformed the site Into Gelatin Park, a 9.2-acre space for recreation and greenery. The smokestack remains, a symbol connecting Grayslake’s past to Grayslake’s present.