LAKE COUNTY, situated at the northeast corner of Illinois, on Lake Michigan. Area, 425 square miles. Seat of justice, Waukegan. Pop. in 1840, 2,634; in 1850, 14,226. (Fanning's, 1853)
LAKE COUNTY Is situated in the north-east part of the state, bordering on Wisconsin, and has an area of 390 square miles. Lake Michigan forms its entire boundary on the east. The Des Plaines and Fox rivers flow through the county. It contains about 50 small lakes, the average extent of which is about one square mile. Some of them are, however, very deep. They are supplied with springs of clear water, and stocked with a variety of fish. The surface is generally level, and is diversified by prairies and groves of timber land. The soil is very deep and rich, with sub-strata of gravel and clay, and is remarkable for fertility and durability. Wheat, corn, oats, hay and butter, are the staples. It contains several very fine churches, two newspaper offices, and has about 3,000 pupils, attending public schools, and about 250 attending other schools.
The eastern border of the county is intersected by the Chicago and Milwaukee railroad. The Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac road crosses the south-western corner. Organized in 1839. Capital, Waukegan. Population, about 20,000. County Judge, John L. Turner. Sheriff, P. Munson. (Hawes' Illinois State Gazetteer...,1859)