Old Mill Creek is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 162.
History
In 1838 a man known by the name of Jacob Miller built a sawmill along a tributary of the Des Plaines River, of which he named Mill Creek. However, this year is debated and historians believe it could have been built between 1835 and 1840.
There were no public schools in the area until 1840. It is reported that there were nearly a dozen instructional buildings built between the mid-1800s and 1900. Although the exact date is unknown, it is believed that Browe School existed since 1859 and would remain open for 101 years until 1960. The land was then sold to a private resident.
thumb|Browe School, Old Mill Creek 1894
In 1850 land was purchased in order to construct a cemetery and it would stay in place until 1883 when the remains of nearly 80 individuals were moved to their current resting place. The oldest headstone dates to 1826.
In 1873 a train station was built along the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad in the neighboring village (once another unincorporated area) of Gurnee. This over time caused the settlement to grow.
Old Mill Creek was incorporated as a village in 1959.
The village has received fire support from Wadsworth, IL since the 1960s.
Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Old Mill Creek has a total area of , of which (or 98.39%) is land and (or 1.61%) is water.
Major streets
- 20px Tri-State Tollway
- 20px
- 20px Rosecrans Road
- Edwards Road
- Hunt Club Road
- Main Street
- Old Town Ct.
- Wadsworth Road
- Millburn Road
- Stearns School Road