thumb|upright|A portion of Wauconda's Main Street at night
Wauconda ( or ) is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States, a northwest suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 14,084. It is the site of the Wauconda Bog Nature Preserve, a National Natural Landmark. Wauconda Community Unit School District 118 serves students from Pre-K through 12th grade who live in Wauconda and surrounding communities (Island Lake, Lakemoor, Volo, and unincorporated sections of McHenry County). Fremont School District 79 also serves students from communities from northern part of Wauconda.
History
1800s
According to local legend, Wauconda was named after an indigenous chief whose name translated as 'spirit water'.
Many early settlers of Wauconda came from New England and New York by covered wagon or through the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes.
Elihu Hubbard built the first log cabin on the bank of Bangs Lake in 1836. Justus Bangs, the first settler in Wauconda, built a house next to the lake in 1848 and the lake was later named after him. In 1840, members of the Ho-Chunk tribe who did not leave the shores of the Fox River often went to the area to trade. In 1849, Wauconda was organized into a town by a vote of the people of Lake County to divide Lake County into towns. There were 1,695 votes cast and all except three were in favor of the division. The first town meeting was held on the 1st Tuesday in April 1850 where the first officers were elected and appointed. I.
The railroad closed in 1920 due to lack of business. Later in the decade, Phil's Beach was opened by Phil Froehlke and the right-of way was purchased for Route 176 (Liberty Street) through the center of town.
By the end of the 1930s, Wauconda's population exceeded 500 residents. At the end of the 1960s, Wauconda had three elementary schools, a junior high, and a high school. By the end of the 1970s there were about 5,600 residents living in Wauconda.
In the early 1950s, a bypass for US-12 was built to go around Wauconda.
Throughout the 1980s, most of the beaches on Bangs Lake gradually closed down. They were replaced by houses, townhomes, and other development. Development continued into the 1990s and 2000s as individuals from the outlying Chicago suburbs sought cheaper land. Large new subdivisions were developed north of the town center and small suburbs were established in the surrounding areas.
2000s
In 2000, Wauconda's population was 9,386. By 2020, it had grown to 14,084 residents.
The village completed a switch to Lake Michigan water in October 2019. This was the largest infrastructure project in village history, costing $48 million.
On April 4, 2023, a referendum was held in the village to determine home rule status. The result of the referendum was to reject home rule status.
Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Wauconda has a total area of , of which (or 87.99%) is land and (or 12.01%) is water.