Lake Forest-Lake Bluff History Museum

Chicago Tribune, September 28, 1928.

On September 28, 1928, traffic snarled to a halt in front of Market Square, putting a kink into Lake Foresters’ morning commute. The cause? A lone billy goat chewing on a battered tomato can. After several fruitless attempts, Lake Forest police managed to lure the goat out of the street and over to the police station.

A few hours after locking the goat inside the station garage, Sergeant Paul Jensen noticed the light bulbs had been switched on and went to investigate. The goat had disappeared. What remained was a mangled light switch and a half-eaten door knob. Billy had munched his way to freedom – but not for long. The Tribune reported that “the sergeant trailed him to the fire department house, where he found Billy gulping a quilt off the sleeping form of Fireman George Larsen.” After that, the goat was confined to an iron cell until his owner came to claim him.

Goat Snarls Lake Forest Traffic