Grayslake Gelatin Factory

Defunct gelatin factory listed on the National Register of Historic Places

The former Grayslake Gelatin Factory is an industrial complex listed on the National Register of Historic Places — an unusual distinction for a suburban manufacturing site. The factory operated from 1905 until its closure in the late 20th century, processing animal byproducts into gelatin and related products.

The brick buildings are visible from the road and give a sense of how industrial activity once shaped this otherwise residential community. The site is not open for tours, but it's worth a slow drive past for anyone interested in industrial archaeology or the history of Lake County's economy.

things to do sight
A story
The Grayslake Gelatin Company was founded in 1905 and for decades produced gelatin from animal bones collected from local stockyards. The factory was one of the few employers in a largely agricultural area, and its distinctive brick buildings became a landmark. After closure, the complex was preserved rather than demolished — an unusual fate for an industrial site in the Chicago suburbs.