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History of Libertyville
In the early 1830's, English settler George Vardin and his family arrived in what is now Libertyville. The small settlement which soon developed was known as "Vardin's Grove." In 1836, during the Independence Day celebration, area residents voted to call their town "Independence Grove." Mail service from Chicago to Milwaukee was established in 1836, prompting area residents to petition for a post office. The request was granted and the first post office was established in the former Vardin cabin on April 16, 1837. The Village was also registered under the name "Libertyville" on that day because an Independence Grove post office already existed in the state at that time. The name of the Village was changed again when, with the creation of Lake County in 1839, Libertyville was made the county seat. The new name, "Burlington," lasted until the county seat was moved to Little Fort (now Waukegan) in 1841. At that time, the Village reclaimed the name "Libertyville." In 1881, the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad (now the Metra Milwaukee District North commuter line) was extended to Libertyville. Rapid expansion of the Village resulted, with schools, churches, stores, mills, lumber yards and homes being built. The Village was incorporated in 1882, with John Locke as its first president.
The Village of Libertyville is located in south central Lake County, approximately 37 miles from Chicago and seven miles west of Lake Michigan. The Village is an established residential community and has traditionally served as a major market and service center for central Lake County. The population of the Village, approximately 20,000 in 1997, has more than doubled since 1960, as the Village has shared in the economic growth that has come from the expanding Chicago metropolitan area. An ongoing effort to restore and preserve historic Libertyville contributes to the traditional home town atmosphere in the Village.
The Ansel B. Cook House and David Adler Cultural Center are two important sites of history and culture located within the Village. The Cook house was deeded to the Village in 1920 for use as a library. Following the completion of the present Cook Memorial Library in 1968, the Cook home became the headquarters of the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society. The Cook home, maintained in a Victorian setting, is now a museum of local history open to the public at designated times throughout the year. The estate of distinguished Chicago architect David Adler was left to the Village following his death in 1949. The David Adler Cultural Center was founded in the Adler home in 1980, and because of its unique site and multi-disciplinary programming, has developed into an historical and cultural presence in Lake County and the surrounding region.
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