What's in a Name? Appellations for West Lake Forest

Dating back to the earliest settlers, the growing community in west Lake Forest collected several monikers – official and unofficial.Meehan's SettlementIrish immigrants Michael Meehan and his wife Bri...

West Lake Forest Train Station: The Milwaukee Road Comes to Town

In 1872, the construction of the Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad began through Lake County. The railroad's initial tracks had been built in Wisconsin between Milwaukee and Waukesha in 1851 and soon cont...

The "Millionaires' Special" Commute: Club Car 553 to Chicago

The first private coach on a suburban line was started in 1929 by a group of Lake Foresters. The club car, called “The Deerpath,” was attached to an existing Chicago and North Western train. It left L...

Elliott Donnelley: The Tracks to Town

As mayor of Lake Forest, Elliott Donnelley (1903-1975) expanded Lake Forest’s boundaries. As a local philanthropic leader, he also expanded the horizons of Lake Forest College students and children al...

East Lake Forest Train Station

Map: Lake Forest and environs, 1861

Map: Lake Forest, 1873

Map: Promoting Lake Forest, 1869

Lake Forest map, 1861