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C−History
History · Bannockburn

Bannockburn dates to 1924, and 15% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 23% of U.S. towns. What drives it

Below: maps from 1900 on and the census since 1930.

1924founded
0on the National Register
15%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Bannockburn began

When was Bannockburn founded?

1924

Bannockburn dates its founding to 1924 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1930.

First census: 186 in 19302020 census: 1,013102 years

How historic is Bannockburn?

C−

More historic than 23% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Bannockburn’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Bannockburn is more historic than 23% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.

C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Bannockburn’s overall grade.
Founding era1924, from Wikidata: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 194015.3% of homes (±7.5) · typical IL town 10.6% · U.S. 8.4%BNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical IL town 0.5 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 23%
NewerOlder

Few Illinois towns list much on the Register (a typical Illinois town has 0.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Bannockburn’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.5 points). Two sources give 1924.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Bannockburn’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Bannockburn are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19008 editions of the USGS map, 1900 to 2000. Watch Bannockburn change.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,583 in 2010; 1,013 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Bannockburn’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bannockburn’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Bannockburn on the map, 1900 to 2000

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bannockburn. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Bannockburn on the 1900 USGS mapBannockburn on the 1928 USGS mapBannockburn on the 1951 USGS mapBannockburn on the 1963 USGS mapBannockburn on the 1972 USGS mapBannockburn on the 1980 USGS mapBannockburn on the 1993 USGS mapBannockburn on the 2000 USGS map1900Highwood sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bannockburn.

People over time

Bannockburn, census by census

02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,60019401960198020002020Peak: 1,583

Peaked at 1,583 in 2010; 1,013 people lived here in 2020.

10 censuses, 1930–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bannockburn’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Bannockburn came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Bannockburn.

Read it all →

Bannockburn was founded by Scottish real estate developer William Aitken, who planned a community of "country estates" on 110 acres (0.45 km2) in inland Lake County. Named for the Scottish village of Bannockburn, the village began construction in 1924 and was incorporated in 1929. Aitken designed his development for the affluent members of his bridge and country club. His plan for Bannockburn featured large lots to imitate country living, and this design has been preserved; in fact, the original 1-acre (4,000 m2) minimum on home lots has been increased to two.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Bannockburn, 1900 to 2010

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1900On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 1924
    FoundingBannockburn is established
  4. 21st century
  5. 2010CensusPopulation peaks at 1,583
By decade

Bannockburn, decade by decade

Today1 recent
ILMap-doton-Bannockburn2005ILMap-doton-Bannockburn
Famous people

Famous people close to Bannockburn

Nobody well known was born in Bannockburn itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Charlie KirkAmerican political activist · b. 1993
A
Aaron SwartzAmerican computer programmer and internet-polit… · b. 1986
Grace SlickAmerican musician, writer and painter · b. 1939
Alex BorsteinAmerican actress · b. 1971
Archibald MacLeishAmerican poet and Librarian of Congress · b. 1892
J
John Francis DaleyAmerican actor and director · b. 1985
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Deerfield1 historic placeCLake Forest20 historic placesA−RiverwoodsIts storyDHighland Park35 historic placesA−

Questions about Bannockburn’s history

What year was Bannockburn founded?

In 1924, according to Wikidata. the census of 1930 counted 186 people here.

How does Bannockburn rank for history?

Bannockburn is more historic than 23% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Bannockburn?

15% of Bannockburn’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.5 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1968.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.