The traveler who needs to reach the Village of Libertyville can fly into either of two area airports. Libertyville sits at an equal distance from both the Chicago O'Hare Airport and Milwaukee's Mitchel Field. A drive from either airport to Libertyville will place the Libertyville visitor at a point seven miles west of Lake Michigan.

In the early 1830s, George Vardin became the first white man to establish a residence in the area where the buildings of Libertyville now stand. As other settlers moved in and built residences the community that they created took the name Vardin's Groove. Then in 1836, the residents voted

to change the name to Independence Grove. The following year, on April 16, 1837, the U.S. government established a Post Office for the residents of Independence Grove. However, because another Independence Grove Post Office already existed, the residents decided to take the name

Libertyville.

Libertyville became incorporated in 1882, a year after the Milwaukee and St. Paul Rail Road had built a track into the Village of Libertyville. John Locke was the first to become president of the Village's Board of Trustees. In addition to the Board and President, Libertyville also has a

Mayor. The Mayor appoints the Village Administrator. Once the Mayor's choice receives the approval of the Board of Trustees, then the Administrator becomes the CAO of Libertyville.

The CAO directs and supervises the day-to-day business of the Village government. He provides guidance to the Libertyville staff as they prepare the materials that need to be presented to the Mayor and the Board of Trustees. The Mayor and the Board make all of the major policy decisions.

At the present time, the Mayor and the Board of Trustees of Libertyville base many of their decisions regarding possible projects on the cost of the proposed project. In 2005 the Mayor and the Board managed to keep their expenditures to just $29 million. They are expected to adhere to

the budget that is set by the CAO, following a round of public hearings and small workshops.

One large project that is currently in progress involves the construction of a new rail line. This rail line is expected to carry a train from the industrial section of Libertyville to the downtown of Chicago and to O'Hare Airport. Completion of this new rail line should provide the

20,000 residents of Libertyville with a fast and efficient way to get either to the hub of Chicago or to the Airport facilities.

Once this new rail line has been constructed, the residents of Libertyville will welcome to their village more travelers from the Chicago area. At the same time, the residents of Libertyville

will enjoy an improved access to locations where they can seek employment. In addition, the Village of Libertyville will continue to welcome the train riders coming into the Village from Milwaukee and St. Paul. All of this incoming traffic should help to spur the growth of the

economy of the Village of Libertyville.