The first written mention of Jilemnice is from 1350. Jilemnice was founded probably in the 1320s as an economic centre of an extensive Štěpanice estate owned by the
Waldstein family. The regular ground plan of the historic centre indicates that the town was probably founded on a green field. Because of its secluded location, the town developed in a slower pace than other towns in fertile inland. However, Jilemnice's isolation protected the town against serious war damage for years. The town development was even more restricted from 1492, when the Waldstein family divided the estate into two parts. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the main economic activities were ore mining and
linen production. During the
Thirty Years' War, Jilemnice was burned down by the
Swedish army and after the war, the town failed to follow up on the previous sources of livelihood. In 1701, both parts of the estate were acquired and merged by the
Harrach family. Since then, Jilemnice began to prosper again. Harrachs' progressive economic policy led to raising of local linen industry to the world level. During the first half of the 19th century, the linen industry gradually declined. In 1873, the Textile Industrial School was founded. Jilemnice continued to develop in the interwar period and became a tourist resort, but the war had a negative impact on the economy and tourism. After the war, the town's economy shifted to the engineering and food industries. ==Demographics==