Pioneer Local

Lake Forest’s West Park a national historic site

 

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS December 11, 2012 10:20AM

LAKE FOREST — The West Park neighborhood, developed in the early 1900s, has been named to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency announced the designation Monday for the West Park Neighborhood Historic District in Lake Forest.

The neighborhood was developed in 1907 by Howard Van Doren Shaw, the architect credited with designing the nation’s first outdoor shopping center.

West Park was built for middle-class families who supported nearby wealthy communities. It included green space as well as affordable housing.

The area includes more than 130 homes.

Every Illinois county has at least one site on the national register. Among them are high-style mansions, burial mounds and historic downtowns.




© 2011 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be copied or distributed without permission. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit www.suntimesreprints.com. To order a reprint of this article, click here.
Special Home Delivery Offer