Antioch, Illinois

Antioch is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,622. The village is nestled into the Chain O'Lakes waterway system and borders the state of Wisconsin. Part of the Chicago metropolitan area, Antioch is located approximately halfway between the major cities of Chicago (60 miles south) and Milwaukee (50 miles north).

Native American history
The Pottawatomi Tribe historically inhabited in the area of present-day Antioch prior to European settlement. The tribe was pushed to the west by European/American encroachment in the 1830s although remnants can still be found today.

European settlement
The first permanent European settlements in the region were along the creek, named as "Sequoit" which means "winding". Darius and Thomas Gage brothers built the first cabin. After building a sawmill by Hiram Buttrick on Sequoit Creek, a tributary of the Fox River, the region became a center of commerce. In 1843, new settlers gave a biblical name "Antioch" to the region and started a school. The town grew as new settlers, primarily of English and German descent, established farms and businesses. In 1976, a replica of Buttrick's mill was built a few hundred feet downstream from where it once stood. Today, many local businesses and organizations as well as Antioch Community High School use the name "Sequoit".

Partly due to being a regional center of the abolitionist movement, Antioch is noted as having sent a disproportionately high number of its young men to the Union Army. By the late 1800s, Antioch became a popular vacation spot for Chicagoans and tourism grew quickly once the rail line to Chicago was laid in 1886. Fire destroyed much of downtown in 1891, 1903, and 1904. During Prohibition, Al Capone owned a summer home on nearby Bluff Lake. Following World War II, Antioch continued to see a steady population and economic increase, and an industrial park was created in the 1970s.

Today, Antioch serves as a bedroom community within the Chicago metropolitan and Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Geography
Antioch is approximately halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee at 42.47917°N, -88.09083°W (42.479069, -88.090878).

According to the 2010 census, Antioch has an area of 8.595 sqmi, of which 8.21 sqmi (or 95.52%) is land and 0.385 sqmi (or 4.48%) water.

The village lies in a gently rolling moraine landscape, dominated by lakes of glacial origin. Among these are the Antioch Lake, south of the village center, Lake Marie, west of the village center and the Redwing Slough Lake, east of the village center. There are several smaller lakes and ponds, and a complement of wetlands.

Climate
Like Chicago, Antioch lies in a humid continental climate zone and experiences four distinct seasons. Antioch receives an average of 36.74 in of precipitation each year.

2010 Census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,430 people living in the village. The racial makeup of the village was 88.79% White, 3.08% Black or African American, 3.73% Asian, 0.17% Native American, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 2.04% of some other race and 2.09% of two or more races. 8.53% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,788 people, 3,235 households, and 2,351 families living in the village. The population density was 1,190.4 PD/sqmi. There were 3,346 housing units at an average density of 453.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 95.19% White, 1.07% African American, 0.35% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.08% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.42% of the population.

There were 3,235 households, out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $56,481, and the median income for a family was $66,589. Males had a median income of $51,503 versus $31,389 for females. The per capita income for the village was $25,711. About 2.3% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Since 1996, Metra's North Central Service has played an increasingly important role in Antioch's development. Weekday train service to and from Chicago has given rise to new commercial development near the train depot. The village continues to undergo commercial and residential growth, mostly along the Illinois Route 173 corridor.

Antioch is home to the Pickard China factory which makes fine china for Air Force One, Camp David, and others.

Downtown Antioch is home to locally owned clothing boutiques, eateries, bars, gift and décor shops, and specialty shops. It also hosts concerts in a bandshell, craft fairs, parades, festivals, art walks, and gardening tours.

Arts and culture
Antioch has been home to the Palette, Masque and Lyre, Inc. (PM&L) Performing Arts theatre since 1960. In addition, the Antioch Fine Arts Foundation (AFAF) has operated in the area since 2001.

Library
The Antioch Public Library contains 135,716 volumes and circulates 371,105 items per year.

The Antioch Public Library began as an Antioch Women's Club project in 1921. Initially the Women's Club raised funds for the establishment of a village library and the residents donated books for the library. This first village library was located at 934 Main Street and was open only two days a week. In 1922 the library was moved to the Antioch Village Hall at 875 Main Street. In 1930 the library was moved again to the corner of Main Street and Depot Street. In 1941, the Library was moved again to 883 Main Street. In 1950 William Schroeder family donated the property located at 757 Main Street to the Village of Antioch for use as a library. The new library building was officially opened in 1970. In August 2001 construction began of an 18,000-square-foot addition to the Antioch Public Library facility. The construction was completed in January 2003.

Recreation
The Chain O'Lakes found along the Fox River, serves as an aquatic mecca for boating and summer leisure while skiing and snowmobiling abound during the winter months. Along with neighboring Fox Lake, Antioch has become host to numerous pro and amateur national fishing tournaments.

Kite flying is also a popular sporting event on Loon Lake during Labor Day Weekend. As of 2017, the Swiss Kiting Federation holds the record for the longest kite flight of 1 hour and 24 minutes. The village is bordered by four holdings of the Lake County Forest Preserve District.

Elected officials
The village of Antioch is a non-home rule municipality which functions under the council-manager form of government with a village President and a six-member Board of Trustees, all of whom are elected to four-year terms. The Village President and three of the Trustees are elected every four years. The other group of three Trustees are also elected for four-year terms, but this election is staggered and takes place two years after the first group.

Schools
Elementary Schools
 * Public schools
 * Note: this list comprises schools located in Antioch. Not all Antioch school students will attend the following schools.
 * W.C. Petty Elementary School (K-5)
 * Hillcrest Elementary School (PK-5)
 * Antioch Elementary School (K-5)
 * Emmons Grade School (K-8)
 * Grass Lake Elementary School (PK-8)

Middle Schools
 * Antioch Upper Grade School (6-8)

High School (9-12)
 * Antioch Community High School

Private schools
Private middle schools:
 * Faith Evangelical Lutheran School (Grades PK-8) CLOSED
 * St. Peter Catholic School (Grades PK-8) CLOSED

Transportation
Metra service is provided from Antioch to Chicago Union Station via the North Central Service. Bus service within Antioch and throughout Lake County is provided by Pace.

Western Kenosha County Transit Route 2 serves parts of Antioch Monday-Saturday, connecting riders to several towns, villages and unincorporated municipalities throughout Kenosha County. Riders can also transfer to Route 1 and Route 3 to travel to Kenosha and Lake Geneva, respectively.

Antioch is located approximately 43 miles north of Chicago O'Hare International Airport and 40 miles south of General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee.

Major streets
Several major highways and state routes cross over and travel around Antioch.

Public safety
The Antioch Police Department (APD) is responsible for law enforcement in Antioch.

The Antioch Fire Department provides fire and emergency medical services with contract service, part time and paid on call firefighters and Paramedics. The fire department currently uses 3 fire stations to house its different equipment, and all 3 are staffed with personnel. Antioch Fire Department has an array of equipment to use including several engines, 2 water tenders, 2 boats including an air boat, and a six-wheeled vehicle to access hard to reach areas. Antioch Fire Dept. also owns several pieces of special equipment including new state of the art extrication equipment used to extricate injured people from wrecked cars. The Antioch First Fire Protection District was the first organized fire protection district in the state. The Fire Department also has an Explorer post for youths ages 15 to 20 interested in making the fire service a career.

Until 2014, EMS was provided by the volunteer Antioch Rescue Squad. The Antioch Rescue Squad was the first licensed paramedic unit in the State of Illinois.

The police department and the fire department are housed in separate buildings next to each other. The Antioch Village Board elected to close the communication center in 2012, electing to outsource all of its 911 emergency dispatch service (Police, Fire, and Rescue) to another center located in Round Lake Beach. In March 1993, the Antioch Police Department became a part of the Lake County Enhanced 911 system.

Notable people

 * Dale Barnstable (1925-2019), two time NCAA Basketball champion at University of Kentucky, drafted by the Boston Celtics, but never played professionally due to a point shaving scandal
 * Tiffany Brooks (born 1979) winner of 2013 HGTV Design Star
 * Paul DeJong (born 1993), Major League Baseball infielder for the Chicago White Sox.
 * Joe Gliniewicz (1963-2015), Fox Lake, Illinois police officer who staged his own suicide is buried in Antioch
 * Fred Hawkins (1923-2014), PGA Tour golfer
 * Jim McMillen (1902-1984), guard for Chicago Bears for seven seasons; also former mayor of Antioch
 * Kyle Rittenhouse (born 2003), Antioch native and political figure who was controversially involved in the 2020 Kenosha unrest
 * John Thain (born 1955), Chairman and former CEO of CIT Group, former CEO of Merrill Lynch, former CEO of the New York Stock Exchange
 * Tom Wittum (1950-2010), football player for San Francisco 49ers