About

The Society was organized in 1968 by a small group of residents who began collecting books, photographs, documents, furniture, and other materials relating to the history of Waukegan. They occupied a modest space in the Genesee Building, and later, three rooms at 428 Franklin Street.

In 1973, the Waukegan Park District agreed to lease the Haines house to the Society (in Bowen Park), and the building continues to be maintained by both organizations today. The building is now the Haines Museum and was restored to the late 1870s, when Mayor Haines took up permanent residence. Period furnishings, including many pieces from important Waukegan families, have transformed the house back to the high-Victorian opulence of the late 19th century. Additional rooms are used as exhibit spaces, showcasing items from the Society’s ever growing collection of Waukegan and Lake County memorabilia.

The Society’s research collections are housed in the John L. Raymond Research Library, named for the man who first appreciated the importance of collecting the photographic and archival history of Waukegan.