Lake Forest is a city located in
Lake County, Illinois,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. Per the
2020 census, the population was 19,367. The city is along the shore of
Lake Michigan, and is a part of the
Chicago metropolitan area
The Chicago metropolitan area, also colloquially referred to as Chicagoland, is a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States. Encompassing 10,286 sq mi (28,120 km2), the metropolitan area includes the city of Chicago, its suburbs and hin ...
and the
North Shore. Lake Forest was founded with
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College is a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Lind University by a group of Presbyterian ministers, the college has been coeducational since 1876 and an undergraduate-focused liberal arts in ...
and was laid out as a town in 1857, a stop for travelers making their way south to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
. The Lake Forest City Hall, designed by
Charles Sumner Frost, was completed in 1898. It originally housed the fire department, the Lake Forest Library, and city offices.
History
Early History
The
Potawatomi inhabited Lake County before the United States Federal Government forced them out in 1836 as part of
Indian Removal
Indian removal was the United States government policy of forced displacement of self-governing tribes of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi Riverspecifically, to a ...
of tribes to areas west of the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...
.
As Lake Forest was first developed in 1857, the planners laid roads that would provide limited access to the city in an effort to prevent outside traffic and isolate the tranquil settlement from neighboring areas. Though the town is 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. It is one of the most scenic, historical, and architecturally significant suburbs of Chicago. These neighborhoods include estates and homes designed by distinguished architects such as
Howard Van Doren Shaw,
David Adler,
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
, Arthur Heun, Jerome Cerny,
Henry Ives Cobb, and modernist
George Fred Keck, among others. Landscape architects
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822August 28, 1903) was an American landscape architect, journalist, social critic, and public administrator. He is considered to be the father of landscape architecture in the USA. Olmsted was famous for co- ...
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.
Lake Forest had an African-American community from very early on in its history, drawn to employment opportunities on the estates and educational institutions. Unlike other communities in the area, Lake Forest had many residents who were associated with the
Abolitionist movement
Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people.
The British ...
. Lake Forest's first mayor and a founder of Lake Forest College, Sylvester Lind, was a major figure on the
Underground Railroad, and was known to help escaped slaves settle in Lake Forest. Roxana Beecher, niece of abolitionist
Harriet Beecher Stowe, taught integrated school in Lake Forest. A prominent early Lake Forest businessman was Samuel Dent, an escaped slave and Union veteran who ran a livery stable. A local jazz band was named in Dent's memory.
Another black entrepreneur was Julian Matthews, who ran a bakery, restaurant, and ice cream parlor with his wife Octavia. The second police officer hired in 1900 in Lake Forest was a black man from Kentucky, Walker Sales, who was hired in 1900 and stayed on for nearly 20 years. Members of this African-American community established the African Methodist Episcopal Church as of 1866, and it stood at what is now the corner of Maplewood and Washington Road. By 1900, another black church, the First Baptist Church of Lake Forest, had opened and is still active. By the 1980s, increased housing prices had encouraged some older black residents to sell their properties lucratively, but others stayed in the community. Lake Forest also had a small community of Jews, typified by wealthy socialites such as
Albert Lasker and
David Adler .
The secluded style of Lake Forest was intended as a form of protection. According to the president of the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society, the captains of industry and upper-class elite who first settled in Lake Forest sought a refuge from late 19th and early 20th-century Chicago. In their view, the city was overrun with immigrants from southern and eastern Europe who had dangerous socialist ideas and indulged in excessive alcoholic consumption.
Country clubs became important centers of social activity in Lake Forest's early decades. The
Onwentsia Club
Onwentsia Club is an 18-hole golf course in the central United States, located in Lake Forest, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago.
Course history
In Lake County, the par-71 course is from the back tees; it has a course rating of 72.8 with a s ...
was, in the words of one writer, "the premiere social and sporting club in the Midwest".
Growth to present day
Beginning in the 1950s, Lake Forest's population increased dramatically due to an aggressive program of real estate development and annexation of surrounding areas. While city limits did not originally extend west of Green Bay Road, they gradually expanded. The neighborhood now known as "West Lake Forest" was started as an unincorporated community known as Everett, with many Irish farm workers, who were served by Saint Patrick's Catholic Church. This expansion was not without controversy, as many residents felt that the community was losing its character. Novelist
Arthur Meeker Jr., who grew up in West Lake Forest in the early 1900s, considered moving back to his childhood community, but upon visiting in the 1950s "to my dismay I found this region wasn’t really rural anymore. … The Lake Forest of my childhood had all but vanished". Everett was annexed by Lake Forest in 1926, but did not become heavily developed for several decades. In 1988, the community expanded further westward, annexing 682 acres of land surrounding
Lake Forest Academy and
Conway Farms Golf Club
The Conway Farms Golf Club is a private golf club in the central United States, located in west Lake Forest, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago. Designed by Tom Fazio, the course opened for play in 1991 and is notable for having hosted numerou ...
, despite negative reactions from residents. The city government justified the expansion as necessary to prevent unwanted commercial development encroaching the edges of the community.
One of Lake Forest's most notable features is its virgin
prairies and other
nature preserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
s. In 1967, a group of 12 long-time residents of Lake Forest formed a
land conservation organization, Lake Forest Open Lands Association. Its express purpose was to purchase or otherwise set aside the rapidly disappearing
open spaces in the city, in the interests of preserving
animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage ...
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
, restoring
ecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syst ...
s, and providing
environmental education
Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating discip ...
for the city's children. In the next 38 years, the group managed to acquire more than within the city limits, which now form six nature preserves with of
walking trail
A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. ...
s open to the public.
Preserved in perpetuity are
wetland
A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (Anoxic waters, anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in t ...
s, original pre-1830 prairie,
woodland
A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...
, and
savanna
A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground ...
, all within the community. The restoration of these lands is celebrated by an annual "Bagpipes and Bonfire" event in September, which started as a community event in which controlled fires were burned to clear underbrush and preserve the savannah. From an early time, the playing of bagpipes has accompanied the community gathering, as the town had numerous Scots-Irish residents in its early years. This has also been an annual fundraising event for Lake Forest Open Lands Association.
It is home t
Gorton Centerwhich originally housed the town's first K-8 school. Gorton is a hub for arts & culture and a multi-faceted community venue. Gorton presents live music, storytelling, children's events, community events and more; has a robust and growing film program; produces and offers classes for youth and adults, including Gorton Drama Studio, theater and acting classes for all ages; houses a children's learning center; houses other nonprofits; provides places for others to rent for their special events and meetings. Designed, built and opened as the Central School in 1901, the original building was designed by James Gamble Rogers and remodeled in 1907 by Howard Van Doren Shaw.
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.
In 1992, Lake Forest gained national attention when it attempted to ban the sale of offensive music to anyone under the age of 18.
City council members used existing ordinances against obscenity—defined in the codes as "morbid interest in nudity, sex or excretion"—to buttress their campaign.
Mayor Charles Clarke stated, "If they sell an obscene tape to somebody underage, we will prosecute."
The person who came up most frequently in discussions of obscene content was
Ice-T, a rapper who has since also performed as an actor.
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. 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."
Geography
Lake Forest is located in the
North Shore area of
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
.
According to the 2010 census, Lake Forest has a total area of , of which (or 99.62%) is land and (or 0.38%) is water.
Economy
Commercial development in Lake Forest is focused in three areas, two of which have public railway stations. The central business district includes a
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs via the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and other railroads. The system operates 242 stations on 11 rail lines ...
commuter railroad station on the
Union Pacific/North Line. It 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
Einstein Bros. Bagels is an American chain that specializes in bagels and coffee. In 1996, Berkeley-based Noah's Bagels was bought out by Einstein Bros. Manhattan-based New World Coffee, which bought out Manhattan Bagel in 1998, bought out Einst ...
. The business district to the west includes a Metra commuter railroad station on the
Milwaukee District/North Line
The Milwaukee District North Line (MD-N) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its northern suburbs. Although Metra does not refer to any of its lines by color, the timetable accents for the Milwaukee District North line are pa ...
. It 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, has been developed along the city's northwestern border with the
Tri-State Tollway.
The headquarters of
Fortune 500 companies
Tenneco
Tenneco (formerly Tenneco Automotive and originally Tennessee Gas Transmission Company) is an American automotive components original equipment manufacturer and an aftermarket ride control and emissions products manufacturer. It is a Fortune 5 ...
,
Brunswick, and
Hospira are located in Lake Forest;
Akorn, Covered Logistics,
Horizon Therapeutics
Horizon Therapeutics Public Ltd Co is a biopharmaceutical company focused on researching, developing, and commercializing medicines that address critical needs for people impacted by rare and rheumatic diseases. Horizon primarily markets products ...
,
IDEX,
Packaging Corporation of America
Packaging Corporation of America is an American manufacturing company based in Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is a city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 19,367. The city is along t ...
,
Pactiv, Prestone, and
Trustmark also have their headquarters in Lake Forest, while
W. W. Grainger and
BFG Technologies
BFG Technologies was a privately held U.S.-based supplier of power supplies and video cards based on Nvidia graphics technology and a manufacturer of high-end gaming/home theater computer systems. BFG Technologies branded products were available ...
are located in
unincorporated Lake County, near Lake Forest. The
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine ...
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.
Lake Forest is the base for Linking Efforts Against Drugs (LEAD), a national organization aimed at discouraging youth from getting involved in drugs. It empowers parents and community members to encourage the drug-free choice.
Top employers
According to Lake Forest's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Demographics
2020 census
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''
2010 Census
As of the
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...
, there were 19,375 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 92.11%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 4.67%
Asian, 2.80%
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino (of any race), 1.30% of two or more races, 1.10%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.14%
Native American, 0.01%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, and 0.68% of some other race.
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 20,059 people, 6,687 households, and 5,329 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 7,001 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.80%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 1.35%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.06%
Native American, 2.45%
Asian, 0.13%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.44% from
other races, and 0.77% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
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. Of all households 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, 27.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.6% were from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% 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
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $77,092. About 0.15% of families and 0.2% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
.
Transportation
Lake Forest has
Interstate Highway
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
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
The Milwaukee District North Line (MD-N) is a Metra commuter rail line in Chicago, Illinois, and its northern suburbs. Although Metra does not refer to any of its lines by color, the timetable accents for the Milwaukee District North line are pa ...
has a station in
West Lake Forest.
Education
Most Lake Forest residents attend
Lake Forest School District 67
Lake Forest School District 67 is an Illinois school district serving the Lake County city of Lake Forest. District 67 is composed of three elementary schools (Cherokee Elementary School, Everett Elementary School and Sheridan Elementary School ...
and
Lake Forest High School. Lake Forest High School serves Lake Forest as well as parts of neighboring
Lake Bluff.
Lake Forest also has another school district,
Rondout School District 72
Rondout School District 72 is a K-8 one school district located in Rondout, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Libertyville Township, Lake County, Illinois. The district serves students from the surrounding communities of Green Oaks, Lake ...
, which serves far-eastern parts of Libertyville, and all parts of Lake Forest and Lake Bluff that lie within
Libertyville Township. It has one school, Rondout Elementary School, which serves grades K-8. Students attend
Libertyville High School after graduating.
Elementary schools and middle schools
*Rondout Elementary School-public
*Deer Path Middle School—public
*Cherokee Elementary School—public
*Everett Elementary School—public
*Sheridan Elementary School—public
*
Lake Forest Country Day School
Lake Forest Country Day School (LFCDS), founded in 1888, is a coeducational, independent preK-8 school located on a 29-acre campus in Lake Forest, Illinois, USA, a suburb approximately 30 miles north of Chicago. The School serves families from ...
—private
*School of St. Mary—private
*East Lake Academy—private
*Montessori School of Lake Forest—private;
Montessori
The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...
*Forest Bluff School—private;
Montessori
The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...
; in neighboring
Lake Bluff; majority of students live in Lake Forest
High schools
*
Lake Forest High School—public
*
Lake Forest Academy—private
*
Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart—private
Colleges
*
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College is a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Lind University by a group of Presbyterian ministers, the college has been coeducational since 1876 and an undergraduate-focused liberal arts in ...
*
Lake Forest Graduate School of Management
Culture
Lake Forest is home to the Gorton Center, which houses the John & Nancy Hughes Theater and offers a multitude of programming; the Citadel Theatre Company;
and the Music Institute of Chicago Lake Forest Campus. Lake Forest is known for its country clubs, including the
Onwentsia Club
Onwentsia Club is an 18-hole golf course in the central United States, located in Lake Forest, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago.
Course history
In Lake County, the par-71 course is from the back tees; it has a course rating of 72.8 with a s ...
, Knollwood Club,
Conway Farms Golf Club
The Conway Farms Golf Club is a private golf club in the central United States, located in west Lake Forest, Illinois, a suburb north of Chicago. Designed by Tom Fazio, the course opened for play in 1991 and is notable for having hosted numerou ...
, the Lake Forest Winter Club, and the Lake Forest Club.
Polo
Lake Forest is noted in the
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
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" (who would today be considered
Midwesterners
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
), 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, including 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." In the early 21st century, Lake Forest continues the tradition, and polo is played yearly throughout August.
Notable people
In popular culture
Literature
* ''
The Group'' has a character named Lakey from Lake Forest.
* ''
The Great Gatsby'', by
F. Scott Fitzgerald; the character of Tom Buchanan imports his "string of polo ponies" from a Lake Forest farm to
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
, New York.
* ''
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
''A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius'' is a memoir by Dave Eggers released in 2000. It chronicles his stewardship of his younger brother Christopher "Toph" Eggers following the cancer-related deaths of his parents.
The book was a commerci ...
'' by
Dave Eggers
Dave Eggers (born March 12, 1970) is an American writer, editor, and publisher. He wrote the 2000 best-selling memoir ''A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius''. Eggers is also the founder of ''Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern'', a lite ...
; Dave (the main character) and his family are from Lake Forest, and the story begins there.
*
''It'', novel by
Stephen King; Lake Forest is mentioned early in the book.
* ''
The Lay of the Land
''The Lay of the Land'' is a 2006 novel by American author Richard Ford. The novel is the third in what is now a four-part series, preceded by the novels '' The Sportswriter'' (1986) and ''Independence Day'' (1995); and followed by ''Let Me Be Fr ...
'', novel by
Richard Ford; Frank Bascombe's in-laws are from Lake Forest.
[Knopf 2006, pp. 224–226.]
*
''Ordinary People'' by
Judith Guest
Judith Guest (born March 29, 1936) is an American novelist and screenwriter. She was born in Detroit, Michigan and is the great-niece of Poet Laureate Edgar Guest (1881–1959). ; the central characters live in the city, where much of the story takes place.
* ''
Tender Is the Night'', by
F. Scott Fitzgerald; the character of Nicole Warren and her family have an estate in Lake Forest.
Film
* ''
Cheaper by the Dozen 2''; Lake Forest is where Jimmy Murtaugh's children go to a private school.
*
''Girls Just Want to Have Fun'';
Sarah Jessica Parker's snobby rival Natalie is from Lake Forest.
* ''
Ferris Bueller's Day Off''; parts of the film were filmed in uptown Lake Forest.
* ''
My Reputation'';
Barbara Stanwyck plays a Lake Forest widow in this wartime love story from 1946.
* ''
Ocean's Twelve
''Ocean's Twelve'' is a 2004 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by George Nolfi. The second installment in the ''Ocean's'' film trilogy franchise and the sequel to ''Ocean's Eleven'' (2001), the film features a ...
''; during the opening sequence of the film, a jewelry store in downtown Lake Forest is featured.
* ''
Ordinary People
''Ordinary People'' is a 1980 American drama film directed by Robert Redford in his directorial debut. The screenplay by Alvin Sargent is based on the 1976 novel of the same name by Judith Guest. The film follows the disintegration of an uppe ...
'', the story of a Lake Forest family, directed by
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award from four nominations, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, the Cec ...
, was filmed on location in Lake Forest in 1980, and won the
Academy Award for Best Picture
The Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) since the awards debuted in 1929. This award goes to the producers of the film and is the only categ ...
.
* ''
Public Enemies''; parts of the 2009 film were shot at
Barat College
Barat College of the Sacred Heart was a small Catholic college located in Lake Forest, Illinois, north of Chicago. The college was named after Madeleine Sophie Barat, founder of the Society of the Sacred Heart.
Barat College was purchased by D ...
.
* ''
The Razor's Edge
''The Razor's Edge'' is a 1944 novel by W. Somerset Maugham. It tells the story of Larry Darrell, an American pilot traumatized by his experiences in World War I, who sets off in search of some transcendent meaning in his life. The story b ...
'';
Bill Murray's character and his friends are from Lake Forest.
* ''
The Vow'';
Rachel McAdams's character and her family are from Lake Forest.
* ''
Henry Gamble's Birthday Party
''Henry Gamble's Birthday Party'' is a 2015 drama film written and directed by Stephen Cone.
Plot
Henry Gamble is a closeted teenager and active member of a church youth group. He and his friend Gabe masturbate together while discussing a girl wh ...
'' was filmed entirely in an upscale Lake Forest neighborhood.
* ''
Chicago PD
The Chicago Police Department (CPD) is the municipal law enforcement agency of the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, under the jurisdiction of the City Council. It is the second-largest municipal police department in the United States, behind t ...
'' Hailey Upton
Tracy Spiridakos' character is from Lake Forest
References
External links
*
{{authority control
1857 establishments in Illinois
Chicago metropolitan area
Cities in Illinois
Cities in Lake County, Illinois
Illinois populated places on Lake Michigan
National Register of Historic Places in Lake County, Illinois
Populated places established in 1857