Hometown Square

Hometown Sqaure is a themed area within Great America and is one of the original themed areas that debuted with both Great America parks. Hometown Sqaure is themed after a midwestern town in the 1920s. It is located to the north of Carousel Plaza.

History
Hometown Sqaure debuted with both Great America parks when they first opened. Hometown Sqaure appeared in very early construction plans for the project dating back to 1972 but did feature some slight changes versus what was actually built.

In the 1972 construction plans, Hometown Square is referred to as "Home Town U.S.A." A key change done after the plans were made was the inclusion of a trolley barn building (which also housed Park Operations offices on the second floor and an arcade next to it). Initially, the plans called for a small square to the left of the Firehouse in the land where the trolley barn eventually would stand. Without a trolley barn, trolleys which needed to go backstage would enter the backstage area in plain sight. It is unknown when the idea of a trolley barn was added. In this rendering, the Grand Music Hall is simply referred to as an 'opera house'.

After Marriott sold the parks, Hometown Square saw little change apart from rides such as Whizzer and Triple Play being removed. In 2003, the Santa Clara park removed the Railroad and Hometown Square was annexed into Celebration Plaza (the former Carousel Plaza). It was de-annexed in 2021 and renamed back to Hometown Square.

In 2013, the gazebo and various landscaping around the train station in Gurnee were removed for the igNIGHT parade. They were restored after the event finished the following season.