Lake Forest, Illinois
| Lake Forest, Illinois | |
| City | |
 Lake Forest City Hall | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Illinois |
| County | Lake |
| Township | Moraine, Shields, Vernon, West Deerfield |
| Coordinates | 42°14′5″N 87°51′3″W / 42.23472°N 87.85083°W |
| Area | 17.24 sq mi (45 km2) |
| - land | 17.18 sq mi (44 km2) |
| - water | 0.07 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Population | 19,375 (2010) |
| Density | 19,375 / km2 (50,181 / sq mi) |
| Founded | 1861 |
| Mayor | Donald P. Schoenheider |
| Timezone | CST (UTC-6) |
| - summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Postal code | 60045 |
| Area code | 847, 224 |
   Location of Lake Forest within Illinois
| |
| Wikimedia Commons: Lake Forest, Illinois | |
| Website: www.cityoflakeforest.com | |
Lake Forest is a city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 19,375.[1] The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in 1857 as a stop for travelers making their way south to Chicago. The Lake Forest City Hall, designed by Charles Sumner Frost, was completed in 1898 and originally housed the fire department, the Lake Forest Library, and city offices.[2]
Geography and development
Lake Forest is located in the North Shore area, at 42°14′5″N 87°51′3″W / 42.23472°N 87.85083°W (42.234788, -87.851042).[3]
According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 17.24 square miles (44.7 km2), of which 17.18 square miles (44.5 km2) (or 99.65%) is land and 0.07 square miles (0.18 km2) (or 0.41%) is water.[4]
As Lake Forest was first developed in 1857, the planners laid roads that would provide very limited access to the city in an effort to prevent outside traffic and further isolate the tranquil settlement from neighboring areas. Though considerably more accessible today, due in part to the extensive new construction taking place further west, the much smaller neighborhood of eastern Lake Forest, near the coast of Lake Michigan, remains relatively secluded and is one of the most scenic, historical, and architecturally significant suburbs of Chicago. These neighborhoods include estates and homes designed by distinguished architects like Howard Van Doren Shaw, David Adler, Frank Lloyd Wright, Arthur Heun, Jerome Cerny, Henry Ives Cobb, and modernist George Fred Keck among others. Landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Jens Jensen also designed projects in Lake Forest. Market Square, designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw, was completed in 1916 as a commercial center for Lake Forest.
One of Lake Forest's most notable features is its virgin prairies and other nature preserves. In 1967, a group of 12 long-time residents of Lake Forest formed a land conservation organization, Lake Forest Open Lands Association.[5] Its express purpose was to purchase or otherwise set aside the rapidly disappearing open spaces in the city, in the interests of preserving animal habitat, restoring ecosystems, and providing environmental education for the city's children. In the next 38 years, the group managed to acquire over 700 acres (2.8 km2) within the city limits, which now form six nature preserves with 12 miles (19 km) of walking trails open to the public. Preserved in perpetuity are wetlands, original pre-1830 prairie, woodland, and savanna, all within the city.
The Ragdale Foundation, an artists' community and residence, is located in Lake Forest. Formerly Howard Van Doren Shaw's summer retreat and built in 1897, the estate has accommodated notable artist Sylvia Shaw Judson.
Lake Forest has been named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of its commitment to community forest. As of 2006, Lake Forest had received this national honor for 26 years.[citation needed] The actor Mr. T notably angered the town by cutting down more than 100 oak trees on his estate, in what is now referred to as the "Lake Forest Chain Saw Massacre."[6]
Commercial development
Commercial development in Lake Forest is focused in three areas, two of which have public railway stations. The central business district includes a Metra commuter railroad station on the Union Pacific/North Line and extends beyond Market Square, providing a mixture of retail, banking, and professional services, as well as restaurants. Market Square is composed of a wide variety of shops and restaurants, including Talbots, Williams-Sonoma, J.Crew, and Einstein Bros. Bagels. The business district to the west includes a Metra commuter railroad station on the Milwaukee District/North Line and extends beyond Settlers' Square to provide a mixture of retail, banking and professional services, as well as restaurants. A third area of business development, consisting mostly of corporate and office space, extends along the city's northwestern border with the Tri-State Tollway.
Lake Forest is known for its strong stance against commercial development. High property taxes have driven out many businesses, especially car dealerships, to neighboring Lake Bluff. Most notably, Lake Forest Sportscars, one of the only Ferrari dealerships in Illinois, moved from downtown to its current location on Waukegan Road in Lake Bluff, just across the street from Lake Forest.[citation needed] The McDonald's, located near the Metra station in West Lake Forest, was approved only after significant appearance changes, giving it a "barn-like" appearance. There were plans for a Costco to be built on Illinois Route 60, near the Tri-State Tollway in 2005. However, these plans were canceled due to opposition from the city government, local citizens, and the Chicago Bears.[citation needed]
The headquarters of Fortune 500 companies Tenneco, Brunswick, and Hospira are located in Lake Forest; Covered Logistics also has its headquarters in Lake Forest, while W. W. Grainger and BFG Technologies are located in unincorporated Lake County, near Lake Forest. The Chicago Bears training facility and headquarters, Halas Hall, opened in 1997 in west Lake Forest, and the Chicago Fire now train at the Bears' previous facility located on the campus of Lake Forest.
Top employers
According to Lake Forest's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[7] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital | 1,760 |
| 2 | Hospira | 1,400 |
| 3 | TAP Pharmaceutical Products | 804 |
| 4 | Trustmark Companies | 721 |
| 5 | Lake Forest College | 514 |
| 6 | Pactiv | 464 |
| 7 | Lake Forest School District 67 | 357 |
| 8 | Lake Forest Community High School District 115 | 354 |
| 9 | Brunswick | 308 |
| 10 | City of Lake Forest | 249 |
Demographics
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 20,059 people, 6,687 households, and 5,329 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,189.4 people per square mile (459.1/km²). There were 7,001 housing units at an average density of 415.1 per square mile (160.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.80% White, 1.35% African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.45% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.
There were 6,687 households out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.6% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $150,670, and the median income for a family was more than $200,000. Males had a median income of $100,000+ versus $44,083 for females. The per capita income for the city was $77,092. About 0.15% of families and 0.2% of the population were below the poverty line.
Transportation
Lake Forest has Interstate Highway access through the Tri-State Tollway (I-94). In addition, the Skokie Highway (U.S. Highway 41) runs through Lake Forest, roughly bisecting the city. Lake Forest is connected with suburbs west of it through Illinois Route 60. Additionally, Lake Forest has two Metra commuter railroad stations, both of which share the same name. The Union Pacific/North Line has a station in East Lake Forest, while the Milwaukee District/North Line has a station in West Lake Forest.
Education
Most Lake Forest residents attend Lake Forest School District 67 and Lake Forest High School. Lake Forest High School serves Lake Forest as well as neighboring Lake Bluff and Knollwood.
The Montessori School of Lake Forest and Forest Bluff School (in Lake Bluff) both serve ages two through 14, and are both accredited by Association Montessori Internationale; the latter is nationally known from the writings of founder and former head Paula Polk Lillard, and is often cited as one of the leading Montessori schools in America.[citation needed]
Lake Forest Academy, a boarding and day school on the west side of Lake Forest, is considered to be one of the best college preparatory and boarding schools in the Midwest, and attracts students from across the country and around the world.[citation needed] There are two private Catholic schools located in Lake Forest. One is the School of St. Mary has campuses serving preschool through 3rd grade (the Primary Grade Center) and 4th through 8th grade (the Upper Grade Center).
Elementary schools
- Deer Path Middle School — public
- Cherokee Elementary School — public
- Everett Elementary School — public
- Sheridan Elementary School — public
- Lake Forest Country Day School — private
- School of St. Mary — private
- Montessori School of Lake Forest — private; Montessori[9]
- Forest Bluff School — private; Montessori; in neighboring Lake Bluff; majority of students live in Lake Forest[10]
High schools
- Lake Forest High School — public
- Lake Forest Academy — private
- Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart — private
Colleges
- Barat College — closed on 30 June 2005 after 100 years in Lake Forest
- Lake Forest College
- Lake Forest Graduate School of Management
Notable people
Polo
Lake Forest is noted in the Chicago area for its history of polo, once being the westernmost establishment of the sport in the United States. It was home to the "East-West clash of 1933" in which a team of "Westerners", today Midwesterners, challenged the best of the Eastern US polo teams, winning two of three matches. Box seats sold for $5.50, and the general public was admitted for $1.10. The Chicago press covered the match extensively, right down to the arrival of every horse and player, the color of the horseflesh and the color of the goalposts. The match was described as a "gleaming moment in American polo, if not the very zenith of the game in this country." Today, Lake Forest continues the tradition, and polo is played yearly throughout August. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan's polo ponies are said to have been bred in Lake Forest. Furthermore, the character of Daisy Buchanan was based on Fitzgerald's ex-girlfriend Lake Forest resident Ginevra King, whose family brought polo ponies to Lake Forest.[citation needed]
In popular culture
- Literature
- It, novel by Stephen King; Lake Forest is mentioned early in the book[11]
- The Lay of the Land, novel by Richard Ford; Frank Bascombe's in-laws are from Lake Forest[12]
- The Group has a character named Lakey from Lake Forest.
- Tender Is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald; the character of Nicole Warren and her family have an estate in Lake Forest
- Film
- Ordinary People, the story of a Lake Forest family, directed by Robert Redford was filmed on location in Lake Forest in 1980, and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
- Cheaper by the Dozen 2; Lake Forest is where Jimmy Murtaugh's children go to a private school
- Ferris Bueller's Day Off; parts of the film were filmed in uptown Lake Forest
- Girls Just Want to Have Fun; Sarah Jessica Parker's snobby rival Natalie is from Lake Forest
- Public Enemies; parts of the 2009 film were shot at Barat College
- The Vow; Rachel McAdams' character and her family is from Lake Forest
- My Reputation; Barbara Stanwyck plays a Lake Forest widow in this wartime love story from 1946
- Ocean's Twelve; during the opening sequence of the film, a jewelry store in downtown Lake Forest is featured
References
- Notes
- ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Lake Forest city, Illinois". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
- ↑ A Preservation Foundation Guide to National Register Properties, Lake Forest, Illinois. Second ed. Lake Forest, IL: The Lake Forest Foundation for Historic Preservation, 1994, p. 31.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ "2010 Census U.S. Gazetteer Files for Places – Illinois". United States Census. Retrieved 2012-10-13.
- ↑ Lake Forest Open Lands Association ::: Community Website
- ↑ Johnson, Dirk (30 May 1987). "Genteel Chicago Suburb Rages Over Mr. T's Tree Massacre". New York Times. Retrieved May 2011.
- ↑ City of Lake Forest CAFR
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ http://www.mslf.org
- ↑ http://forest-bluff-school.org
- ↑ pp. 76. Hodder & Stoughton, Unknown Year.
- ↑ pp. 224-26. Knopf, 2006.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lake Forest, Illinois. |
 |
Wikisource has the text of the 1920 Encyclopedia Americana article Lake Forest. |
- City of Lake Forest official website
- Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society
- Lake Forest Library
- African-American History in Lake Forest
- School District 67
- Lake Forest Community Portal
 |
Libertyville / Green Oaks | Lake Bluff | Lake Bluff | |
| Mettawa / Vernon Hills / Libertyville |  |
Lake Michigan | ||
| ||||
 | ||||
| Bannockburn / Lincolnshire | Highland Park / Bannockburn | Highland Park |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
