Round Lake Heights is the little village that could. The village tried several times to annex the area’s first subdivision, Indian Hill, finally succeeding and incorporating in 1960.

Round Lake Heights then went to work, starting a police department with volunteer officers, adding streetlights and other services as they raised funds.

The historic Shag Bark Park was annexed by the village in 1977, one of 13 trails in Illinois listed on the National Recreation Trail. In 1981, the village annexed 100 acres and a marsh now known as the Fairfield Marsh.

Round Lake Heights continues to add subdivisions, effectively doubling the community’s population, enabling construction of a new town hall, and increasing the number of parks from one to seven.

Round Lake Heights was the first village in Lake County to join the Dollars for Scholars program, raising more than $115,000 since 2000 and giving away 182 scholarships to area students.