The name "Knollwood" first became associated with the area in the early 20th century. The Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukeerailway stop, located at the intersection of Rockland Road and Telegraph Road, was named "Creamer Corners". To the southwest of the station was a property, consisting of two farms, owned by Mrs. Granger Farwell and Mr. A.C. Accord. This property was known as "Knollwood Farm". In 1923, Knollwood Farm was purchased by a group of wealthy Chicago businessmen, who wished to turn the land into a country club. The following year, the Knollwood Country Club was founded, and the purchase was finalized in 1925. The community that sprang up around the club came to be known as Knollwood. Knollwood's volunteer fire department was founded as the Rockland Fire Department and recognized by the state government in January 1947. Two years later, the department purchased their first fire engine, and a fire department building was constructed in 1951. In 1952, the Rockland Fire Department joined the Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts and changed its name to the Knollwood Fire Department. The original firehouse was replaced with a modern facility in the same location in 2002, with the new building opening the following year. Under state statute, Trustees of the Fire Protection District Board were appointed by the Lake County Board. The trustees included Robert Grum, Dan Rogers and Carl Snoblin. Mr. Grum, a former full-time member of the Lake Forest Fire Department who retired as Deputy Chief, and Dan Rogers led the efforts to dissolve the district. Despite a referendum that required trustees to be elected, rather than appointed, and a majority of residents opposing his re-appointment, Rogers was re-appointed to his position, and along with Trustee Grum cast the voted needed to approve an Inter-Governmental Agreement that ended Knollwood FD operations on August 31, 2018. Several unsuccessful referendums for annexation into the neighboring village of Lake Bluff were held in 1978, 1982, and 1996.
Geography
Knollwood is located in eastern Lake County at. Knollwood is bordered by the village of Lake Bluff to the north, east, and southeast, by the city of Lake Forest to the south, and by the village of Green Oaks to the west. Downtown Chicago is to the south. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Knollwood CDP has an area of, all of it land.
Demographics
As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Knollwood was 1,747 people, occupying 668 households. The racial makeup was 85.52% White, 4.81% Asian, 4.24% African American, 3.84% identifying as another race, and 1.60% identifying as two races or more. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 6.35% of the population. Persons aged 0 to 4 years made up 3.49% of the population, while people aged 5 to 17 years made up 16.89%, 18–64 years at 62.51%, and people aged 65 and up at 17.12%. Men made up 47.45% of the population, while women made up 52.55%.
Transportation
Road
passes through the eastern part of Knollwood, though several sections fall within the boundaries of Lake Bluff. It leads north to Gurnee and south to Highland Park. Portions of Illinois Route 43 and Illinois Route 176 are also located within Knollwood, although the actual intersection of the two roads lies along the Lake Bluff/Knollwood boundary. Route 43 leads north to Gurnee and south to Deerfield, while Route 176 leads east to Lake Bluff and west the same distance to Interstate 94 at Exit 16.
Rail
Knollwood was served by the Mundelein Branch of the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee interurban railroad until its abandonment on January 21, 1963. Since then, Knollwood has not been served by passenger rail, though the Lake Bluff Metra Station is located nearby. The Leithton Subdivision of the Canadian National Railway runs through Knollwood, crossing Route 43 at grade. This line was built in the late 1880s as part of the short-lived Waukegan and Southwestern Railway, before it was acquired by the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern in 1891.
