Bring Home the Bell

We the undersigned, respectfully request the Board of Lake County, Illinois move to restore the Bell from the Lake County Courthouse (1878-1968) to its original home in Waukegan. The Bell should be permanently gifted to the Waukegan Historical Society to join the Courthouse Clock Face and Cornerstone already in the Society's collection.

The second Lake County Courthouse opened November 1878 in downtown Waukegan, Illinois. At the time of completion it was the tallest building in Waukegan. The main feature of the courthouse was the bell and clock tower. A fire broke out in the bell and clock tower on June 28, 1955. By the late 1960s, it was apparent that a larger courthouse was needed. The current Lake County Courthouse was built around the existing structure. After 90 years of serving Lake County, the second Lake County Courthouse was razed to make way for the current building.

The bell from the second Lake County Courthouse was moved to Libertyville after the 1955 fire, and recent discussions have occurred regarding a new home for the bell. The Waukegan Historical Society is the proud repository of the history of Waukegan, and the second Lake County Courthouse is a revered building from the city's past. The Waukegan Historical Society is eager to add the bell to the other second Lake County Courthouse artifacts that are already in the collections. The Society has the cornerstone of the courthouse as well as one of the clock faces that was recovered after the bell and clock tower fire. The Society prominently exhibits both the cornerstone and clock face at the Waukegan History Museum.

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