Explore Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, with this interactive street and satellite map.
This page also offers TOPO MAPS — the official USGS topographic sheets — plus USGS aerial imagery, a labelled USNG grid overlay, a distance and bearing tool, and a GPS grid-reference readout. See How to Use This Map below.
This interactive map shows the street layout and satellite imagery for Winthrop Harbor, Illinois. Use the Map and Satellite buttons above to switch between street map and aerial imagery views. Use the + and − buttons to zoom in or out, or scroll your mouse wheel while holding the Control key to zoom. On a touchscreen, use a two-finger pinch gesture. Drag the map to pan to any area of Illinois or beyond.
Click ⛶ Fullscreen to expand the map to fill your screen. To return to the normal page view, press the Escape key, click the ✕ Exit Fullscreen button that appears above the map, or on a mobile device tap the back button (Android) or the close icon (iOS).
TOPO MAPS — NEW. Click the green 🔍 Search Maps button below the map to open a second map with a Base map row offering three choices. OSM is the standard OpenStreetMap street map. Topo shows the official USGS topographic maps from The National Map — contours, hydrography, land cover and shaded relief, the same mapping used for hiking, hunting and back-country navigation in the Adirondacks, the Catskills and the Finger Lakes. Imagery shows USGS aerial photography, mostly 1-metre NAIP. The search box finds any US town, county or landmark by name, so you are not limited to Winthrop Harbor.
Reading the map like a paper quad. Click Grid to overlay the U.S. National Grid (USNG), labelled along the edges exactly as a printed topographic sheet is — at normal zoom the squares are one kilometre across, so you can read a six-figure grid reference by eye and judge distance directly off the map. Click Measure, then tap two points, to get the distance between them together with the grid bearing in degrees and mils, the true bearing, and the magnetic bearing to set on a compass.
Click 📍 My position to take a single GPS reading from your device. It marks where you are and reports your position as a USNG grid reference as well as plain latitude and longitude — USNG being the format FEMA and US search and rescue teams work from — with a Copy position button so you can paste it straight into a text message. It takes one reading and stops, rather than tracking continuously, to conserve your battery. Note that map tiles need cell coverage, but a GPS reading does not — your coordinates stay correct even where the map itself cannot load.
| City | Winthrop Harbor |
| State | Illinois (IL) |
| County | Lake County |
| Country | United States of America |
| Timezone | Central Time (America/Chicago) |
| Latitude | 42.47891 |
| Longitude | -87.823684 |
| Population | 6,705 |
| Density | 558.3 /km² |
| Incorporated | Yes |
| ZIP Code | 60096 |
| Area Code | 312, 773 |
| County Seat | Waukegan |
| School District | Zion-Benton Township High School District 126 |
Winthrop Harbor commands a singular presence where the flat, expansive reach of the Midwestern prairie meets the vast, shifting temperament of Lake Michigan. It lies 2.3 miles north-northeast of Zion, IL (from Zion, IL: bearing 12°T), and is situated 7.3 miles south of Kenosha. Beyond the immediate shoreline, the terrain holds the quiet memory of glacial recession, characterized by the deep, shadowed descent of Kellogg Ravine and the persistent, life-giving flow of Kellogg Creek. A traveler might notice how the light at dusk catches the gray, metallic surface of the water, casting long shadows over the landscape as the wind moves through the reeds. Though the horizon remains largely level, the distant rise of Leahy Hill offers a subtle variation to the otherwise level topography. The influence of the nearby Van Patten Woods Forest Preserve brings a dense, verdant counterpoint to the open sky, anchoring the local environment in a deep, rooted stillness.
Winthrop Harbor maintains a distinct identity born from its long-standing connection to the industrial rhythms of the Great Lakes region. The local economy has shifted over the decades, moving from its early settlement roots toward a modern landscape where service and small-scale enterprise define the daily grind. Proximity to Waukegan Harbor has historically served as a vital artery, linking the movement of goods and people across the water to the bustling, brick-and-limestone corridors of the surrounding region. Residents often find themselves navigating a balance between the quiet, residential character of the streets and the industrious legacy of the nearby shipping lanes. The Winthrop Harbor Municipal Building stands as a central point of civic organization, serving as the steady administrative heart where the practical business of governance is conducted. This steady, grounded industry continues to shape how Winthrop Harbor persists, ensuring that the legacy of the working waterfront remains a tangible part of the local experience.
Cultural life in Winthrop Harbor reflects the honest, unpretentious spirit of a populace that finds beauty in the changing seasons and the proximity of the water. Community gatherings frequently center around the Winthrop Harbor Municipal Building, where local events foster a sense of shared purpose among neighbors who value the quietude of their surroundings. While the pace of life remains measured, the influence of the nearby Chicago grid often pulls the collective attention toward the larger, kinetic energy of the regional metropolis. The town does not claim the fame of global icons, preferring instead the genuine, modest character of those who live their lives along the banks of Kellogg Creek. During the long winter months, the air grows sharp and clear, providing a stark, honest backdrop for a place that values its own internal rhythm above all else. In the quiet moments between the seasonal shifts, the true identity of the place reveals itself in the simple, enduring connection between the people and the land they occupy.
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This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois. Coordinates: 42.47891, -87.823684. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service. Real-time local and world news feeds keep the page current.
Detailed location data for Winthrop Harbor includes the ZIP code (60096), telephone area code (312, 773), county seat of Lake County (Waukegan), and school district assignment (Zion-Benton Township High School District 126).
Search Maps opens a second, independent map. It searches OpenStreetMap for any US town, county or landmark by name; offers USGS topographic maps and USGS aerial imagery as base layers; overlays a labelled U.S. National Grid (USNG) so the map can be read like a printed topographic quad; measures distance and grid, true and magnetic bearings between any two points; and takes a single GPS fix reporting your position as a USNG grid reference and as latitude and longitude. Map tiles require cell coverage, but a GPS position does not, so the coordinates remain correct even where the map cannot load.
Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.
| Page generated | September 2026 |
| Location data | SimpleMaps US Cities Database; coordinates matched to USGS GNIS definitive data |
| Map layers | Google Maps; © OpenStreetMap contributors; USGS The National Map topographic and aerial imagery (public domain); magnetic declination from NOAA NCEI (World Magnetic Model) |
| Wikipedia validation | Article content matched to USGS GNIS coordinates via Wikipedia geosearch API. |