1991 Spring Newsletter

Lake Forest Preservation Foundation NEWSLETTER Lake Forest, Illinois Spring 1991 MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR PRESERVATION WEEK EVENTS May 12-18, Lake Forest will join other historically and architecturally significant communities in celebration of National Historic Preservation Week, co-sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation, the week will focus on the theme “Celebrate Your Heritage,” as part of the celebration, the Preservation Foundation will sponsor a “Rare Glimpse Bus Tour” and a competition to recognize restoration and preservation of local buildings (for details, see related articles and forms inside), HELP RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING LOCAL RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION In celebration of National Historic Preservation Week (May 12-18), the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation will conduct a competition to recognize restoration and preservation of local buildings, The Lake Forest City Hall was a past recipient of a Preservation Award Photo by Paul Clay, What Is the Historic Preservation Award? The Award is presented by the Preservation Foundation to recognize owners of Lake Forest structures that have been maintained, restored, or enlarged while retaining or accurately recreating the historic architectural character of the building’s exterior, What Structures Are Eligible for Awards? Any building in Lake Forest built befor� 1941 may be eligible for consideration, awards will be offered for residences or buildings now in commercial, business, institutional, or professional use, a nominated structure need not be large or elegant, but its exterior should appear well maintained as seen from the street, Who Can Make Nominations, and When? Nominations may be made by any interested person, including the owner, a neighbor, a friend, or an admiring passerby, nominations will not be considered without the owner’s approval (which will be secured by the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation), a green nomination form is included with this Newsletter, additional forms are available by writing the Preservation Foundation, Box 813, Lake Forest, or by calling 295-3199, all nominations must be received by Saturday, April 20, 1991, Who Will Select the Winners, and When? A panel of seven judges from inside and outside of Lake Forest will consider all entries, judges will review the structures from public streets, How Will Entries Be Judged? What Kinds of Awards Will Be Given? Entries will be judged on the basis of preservation and restoration, “Preservation” means maintaining, altering, or enlarging a structure so that it has retained its original exterior historic character, examples: exterior walls and trim clean and paint in good condition; original decorative elements intact or replaced by duplicated; additions visible from the street compatible with the historic structure, “Restoration” means (Continued on page 2.), “A RARE GLIMPSE” BUS TOUR SCHEDULED FOR MAY 18 On Saturday, May 18, 1991, at 1 p.m., as a part of its celebration of Preservation Week, the Preservation Foundation will sponsor an exterior bus tour of ten historic Lake Forest homes which appear on the National Register of Historic Places, these homes are also among those featured in a guidebook being prepared by Foundation members, docents will provide a running commentary on each of the structures visited, buses will leave from the northeast parking lot of the North Western Railroad Station, and participants are requested to park in the northern most lot, reservations are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, seating is limited, for a reservation, please return the coupon on page 3 with your check to: Preservation Foundation, Box 813, Lake Forest, IL 60045, cost is $8 per person (Members of the Preservation Foundation) and $10 per person (Non-members), reservation deadline is May 4, 1991, PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The 1991 Preservation Week theme, “Celebrate Your Heritage,” causes me to pause and reflect on those individuals who have worked long and hard at protecting our country’s and community’s rich heritage, from the recently acquired Civil War battlefield of Manassas, to the protected vista of Thomas Jefferson\ “Monticello,” to our own City Hall and North Western Railroad Station, volunteers have given countless hours to insure the protection and preservation of our heritage, to them, we owe a debt of thanks, and we in turn must continue their job of preservation for future generations, we are fortunate to live in a community where city officials and citizens work together and take great pride in protecting not only historic structures, but also in preserving the environment, as demands for increased land use and the value of property continue to rise, this job will become much more difficult, in a recent Chicago Tribune article, it was stated that if Danie! Burnham were to Photo t>y Paul Whi1in15, “Ragdale,” the home of architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, is one of the properties featured in A Preservation Foundation Guide: National Register Properties, Lake forest, Illinois, present his plan for city park, green space, and lake front preservation today, it would most likely not have a chance of passing, instead, the courage and determination of past city planners, officials, and the general public gave us a gift that will be enjoyed for generations, I encourage you all to become active participants in preservation, join the Preservation Foundation and become involved in our Preservation Week activities, Linda Shields, Preservation Recognition (Continued) returning a structure to its historic appearance by removing historically incorrect additions or alterations, or reinstalling decorative elements to replicate the originals as nearly as possible, examples: an 1870’s Italianate b1Jilding stripped of its original decorative trim would be restored by replacing the trim and returnlng the house to its “1870’s appearance, only repainting a structure in historically more authentic colors would not be restoration, but could improve chances for a presentation av,,·ard, one residential and one commercial/institutionai award will be presented, What Will Winners Receive, and When? Winners will be invited to accept their awards at the Preservation Foundation’s Annual Meeting ·on Sunday_. May 19, 1991, concluding National Historic Preservation Week, the awards are handsome bronze-like plaques SL1itable for hanging outdoors, FOUNDATION TO PUBLISH GUIDE TO 80 LAKE FOREST PROPERTIES LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES In mid-May, during the celebration of National Historic Preservation Week, the Preservation Foundation will unveil its long-awaited guide to Lake Forest properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is hoped that the guide will be the first of a series of booklets covering the architecturally and historically significant properties of Lake Forest, members of the Foundation will be notified of how to receive personal copies of the Guide, and additional copies will be available for safe locally, the first Guide focuses on 80 properties that are either listed individually on the National Register or listed as making a particularly significant contribution to either the Lake Forest National Register District or the Vine-Oakwood-Green Bay Road National Register District, Induded for each property are a photograph and brief description, the National Register is the nation’s official schedule of cultural property worthy of preservation, the Lake Forest properties have been certified by the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council and the U.S. Department of the Interior as being worthy of receiving the highest national honor that can be accorded an historic plaque, in addition to the cultural prestige attached to the designation, listed properties may be afforded sorne protection from adverse affects of any federally-funded or licensed project, no restriction is placed upon property owners, and register properties may be eligible for tax benefits or grants-in-aid for restoration, many other Lake Forest properties would qualify for National Register designation, Foundation members working on the project include Margaret Brodeur, Paul Clay, Jean Greene, Pat Hamilton, May Hawfield, Gail Hodges, Jason Henske, Lynn Knutson, Linda Mills, Linda Shields, and Dan Sutherland, PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT AVAILABLE FOR REHABILITATION The state legislation PA-1023 provides an eight-year property tax freeze in valuation for single-family, owner-occupied, historic homes in Lake Forest that are substantially rehabilitated if they qualify under the terms and standards of the Act, forms for certification of a building as a·landmark as well as for certifying its rehabilitation as available from the Illinois Historic Preservation Office, Old State Capital, Springfield, IL 62701, (217} 785-4512, owners should check their plans with the state historic preservation office before beginning work, the cost of rehabilitation, including architect’s fees, must equal 25% of the fair market value of the house, as determined by the as�essor at the time rehabilitation begins, EASEMENTS OFFER TAX BREAK Preservation/conservation easements can benefit the individual property owner and help maintain the historic visual character of Lake Forest, the Preservation Foundation and The City of Lake Forest encourage such easements to help preserve the facades of historic buildings, the character of historic properties and the open space and landscaping that make Lake Forest distinctive, the Lake Forest Open Lands Association also encourages conservation easements, the income tax value of conservation easements, particularly, can be substantial and offer an attractive alternative to subdivision and sale, the income tax benefit afforded by a facade or conservation easement can free up resources for renovation of an historic home, for an article on this topic, write to: the Preservation Foundation, Box 813, Lake Forest, for further information, contact Charles E. Crook, The City of Lake Forest, 234-2600, or Stephen Christy, Lake Forest Open Lands Association, 234-3880, FOUNDATION FUNDS ADDITIONAL WORK AT RENOVATED NORTH WESTERN STATION As part of its on-going support of the renovated North Western Station, the Preservation Foundation has funded the painting of the gables on the east station building.’ a contribution of $1695 was made to the City of Lake Forest for the project, since the completion of the Station Renovation in 1986, the Foundation has voted each year to contribute funds for improvements at the site, these and other such contributions are funded from dues paid by members of the Preservation Foundation, also added to the Station site during the past year were two antique steamer trunks, donations from Lake Forest residents Mr. and Mrs. Ned Kimbrel and Mr. Richard Ford, the trunks have been added to the antique baggage cart on the west platform, Phc,to by Linda M,11,, painters at work restoring the gables on the east building at the North Western Railroad Station in Market Square, work was funded by a $1695 contribution mJde possible through the dues of Preservation foundation members, “A RARE GLIMPSE” BUS TOUR Enclosed is my check to the Preservation Foundation for for seais for the tour Saturday, May 18, 1991 ($8 each – members; $10 others), Name, Address, please mail reservation to: Lake Forest Preservation Box 813 Lake Forest, IL 60045, reservation deadline: May 4, 1991, Telephone _, LAKE FOREST FOUNDATION FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION Box 813, Lake Forest, lllinois’60045 I/We want to help preserve the historic character of Lake Forest, please enroll me/us in the selected membership category, (contributions are tax deductible, please make checks payable to the Preservation Foundation.) Mr. Mrs. Miss Telephone, Street, City _ State Zip _ , 0 I/We wnu!d like to actively work with the Foundation Please call me/u� to discuss areas of interest, 0 Member – Annual Dues $25.00, D Contributing Member – Annual Dues $50.00, 0 Sponsor·– Annual Due,, $100.00, 0 Sustaining Member – Annual Dues $250.00, f.J Patron – Annual Dues $500.00, D Life Member Contrihution to the Revolving Fund in the amount of $1,000.00 or more, no annual dues required, The Preservation founclation /✓Pw,/errer i, p\iblishecJ by rhe L;,ke Foresr Fo,rndation for Historic Preservation and distributed without charge to the re’,-idPnl’i and lrn,inp,,;e, nf L,1kc• f”orPst, The Preservation founclation /✓Pw,/errer i, p\iblishecJ by rhe L;,ke Foresr Fo,rndation for Historic Preservation and distributed without charge to the re’,-idPnl’i and lrn,inp,,;e, nf L,1kc• f”orPst, St009 ‘111 ‘lS3!10� 3)1\fl t8l ‘ON llW!l3d OIVd 3)1\flSOd ·s·n -�!10 WO!ld-NON, St009 ‘111 ‘lS3!10� 3)1\fl t8l ‘ON llW!l3d OIVd 3)1\flSOd ·s·n -�!10 WO!ld-NONSt,009 S!oum1 ‘JsaJo:1 a>1e1 ‘(l8 xou UO!Jepuno::1 UO!Je,uasaJd a1.11, CELEBRATE LAKE FOREST’S HERITAGE Help recognize outstanding restoration, join us for “Rare Glimpse” tour, look for new Lake Forest guide, support the value of preservation, CELEBRATE LAKE FOREST’S HERITAGE Help recognize outstanding restoration, join us for “Rare Glimpse” tour, look for new Lake Forest guide, support the value of preservation.