Congratulations to each of this year’s nine Preservation Award winners, which were officially announced at the October 5th City Council meeting.

Like many organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to re-examine how we conduct business and hold our meetings, how we engage with our members, and how we plan for programs and events during the year ahead.

A new decade is upon us, wherein demographic evolution, technology, innovation, and cultural norms are changing the way people live, work, and play.

From several vantage points in downtown Lake Forest it’s easy to spot the white tarp-draped dome of Lake Forest Library.

It’s humbling to think of the long line of those who have held this office in the past, including our most recent president, Jim Opsitnik, whose leadership guided the successful rehabilitation of the downtown train station.

Howard Van Doren Shaw, an architect of major significance to Lake Forest, was born on May 7, 1869, 150 years ago.

September’s House and Garden Walk, commemorating Stanley Anderson’s contribution to Lake Forest’s architectural and visual beauty, was a major success. Nearly 200 people attended the event, culminating at an outdoor reception at Stanley’s former home.

Good News! The light at the end of the tunnel is not an on-coming Metra train, but the completion of the final phase of the train station – the interior waiting room.

Now is the perfect time of year to view Lake Forest’s historic gates. With leaves down and daylight increasing, these historic treasures by the road or hidden away stand out on a drive or walk through our historic districts. Following are just a few of our favorites.

At a recent committee meeting, a Preservation Board Member made the comment “Preservation is an investment in the future.” That caused a brief discussion, but also started me thinking about not only the economic benefits of preservation but of the cultural benefits as well.

In 1987, Nancy and Adrian Smith were living in Wilmette and began looking for land in Lake Forest on which to build a new house.

It can be difficult to describe just exactly what makes Lake Forest’s unique visual and architectural integrity—and steps taken to preserve and protect it for future
generations—so important and distinctive.