In 1967, a referendum passed establishing the CLC community college district and classes began in 1969.

In 1968, A. Harold Anderson and Paul W. Brandel donated 181 acres (73 ha) of land for the Grayslake campus.

The first classes were held on the Grayslake campus on September 25, 1969, with the initial enrollment then was 2,360 students who took 224 courses.

At first, classes were offered in a six-building pre-fabricated complex, constructed at a cost of approximately $1 million.

[1] In 1974, the A and B wings were completed on the Grayslake Campus and CLC received its first five-year accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

In August 2003, the Performing Arts Building was officially renamed to the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, recognizing founding trustee James Lumber, who served on the College of Lake County Board.

[4][5] A technology campus for high school students was opened in 2005 as well as a university center that same year.

It is a consortium of Illinois four-year colleges and universities offering opportunities for local residents to complete or add to their education begun at CLC or elsewhere.