In a message dated 3/31/02 1:03:10 AM, [email protected] writes: << I am wondering what library those in the know would recommend as having the best genealogical and historical material on Lake County. I am researching families who lived in Avon Township and Waukegan and would be interested in histories, biographical sketches, plat maps, cemetery transcripts, etc. >> First, join the Lake County Genealogical Society and order publications so you can narrow your search and know ahead of time which records you want to find. If you have access to a big-city library now, you may find Lake County resources there in the genealogical section. I found plat books, Portrait and Biographical albums, etc. in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio libraries... Everyone will surely recommend the Fremont Library, home of the Lake Co. Genealogical Society collection - nice new facility. The obituary card file is extensive - includes cards made up from the cemetery indexes as well as some from newspapers. Also census indexes, family histories etc. Check to see that a Society volunteer will be on duty when you plan to go over - and check their web site for address, phone, and hours. The Waukegan Library has the newspaper on microfilm, if you're looking for obits and know the date of death. I too had only one day of research in Lake and McHenry Counties last fall and made 14 stops in one day - at 7 am I was at the first cemetery looking for great-grandparents. Also in Waukegan go to the Vital Records office at the County offices next to the Library - they also have the Society marriage indexes, copies are reasonably priced and the folks there very helpful. Also the Deed Records office in the same building has the land index books which are pretty easy to use - then you can make a copy of the deeds etc from microfilm. The go downstairs to the recorders office for will and probate records. Got some good info at one of the funeral homes in Waukegan also, mainly the name of the informant on an ancestor's death - who was an unknown relative. Do your homework, write out a plan for the day, get a good road map of Lake County (AAA office in Lake Forest has North Lake Co. and South Lake Co. maps) and plan your route so you don't have to backtrack, and you can get a lot done in one day. Bob Denton County, Texas