Life in the Early 1910s (Waukegan)
In the early 1910s, Waukegan was still growing as an industrial city. The population of the City was 16,069. At the time, there were about 3,000 dwellings for the residents. There were a total of 14 policemen, and only 74 teachers. There were four public schools in the City: Central, North, South, and West.
Waukegan had a total of 60 manufacturing plants. American Steel & Wire in Waukegan was the second largest wire making plant in the world, with 1,500 employees. The downtown area had numerous stores, restaurants, and entertainment areas including 10 theaters.