Lake Forest is a quiet, wealthy residential area located 30 miles north of Chicago along Lake Michigan in the strip of communities known as the North Shore. With an area of approximately 17 square miles and a population of just over 20,000, the family-oriented Lake Forest is one of the most affluent communities in the United States. Lake Forest real estate reflects the wealth of its owners. With its grand estates laid out on gigantic, landscaped lots, Lake Forest real estate combines stately Georgian and vintage Victorian mansions with modern conveniences and amenities.

The City of Lake Forest was incorporated in 1861 and the Lake Forest City Hall was completed years later in 1898. Since then, many important people, companies, and teams have passed through the city limits. Ordinary People, winner of Best Picture at the Academy Awards, was filmed on site in Lake Forest. The Chicago Bears practice facility, Halas Hall, is located in Lake Forest and the Chicago Fire practice at nearby Lake Forest College. Lake Forest is also home to the headquarters of several notable companies, including Fortune 500 companies Tenneco, Brunswick, and Hospira. Distinguished people associated with the city include author F. Scott Fitzgerald and actors Robin Williams, Vince Vaughn, and Chris Farley.

Lake Forest School District 67, as well as area private schools, offer residents exceptional educational opportunities. The majority of residents attend District 67 up through their graduation from Lake Forest High School, which also serves Lake Bluff and Knollwood. The Montessori School of Lake Bluff, Forest Bluff School, and Lake Forest Academy (LFA) are three prestigious private schools. LFA is a boarding and day school and is considered one of the best college prep schools in the Midwest. There are also two small colleges located in Lake Forest: Lake Forest College and Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.

The Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Department ensures that residents will always have the opportunity to participate in community activities. With its own fitness center, golf course, wildlife discovery center, and teams course as well as a number of parks, residents have a number of options. The Department also offers formal leisure programs ranging from creative arts to ice skating to sailing. A beautiful wildlife preserve is also located in town. In addition, there are a number of country clubs in Lake Forest and its surrounding areas, including the Lake Forest Club, Exmoor Country Club, and Briarwood Country Club.

The Lake Forest Park and Recreation Departments support a full range of activities for residents of all ages. A dozen parks in the area totaling some 350 acres include first-rate boating, swimming, and sailing facilities at Beach Park. The Recreation Center facilities accommodate a wide variety of activities, from basketball, tennis and racquetball to sailing lessons. A beautiful wildlife preserve is also located in town. Many fine public and private facilities and country clubs are also close by.

Although Lake Forest is mostly residential, there are three small areas with commercial developments and activity. The most notable is the historic Market Square which has offered residents shopping and dining since 1916. Today, shops include J. Crew, The Toy Station, and Forest Bootery. For food, try Lake Forest Food and Wine, Einstein Bagels, or Gerhard’s Elegant Desserts. While there is this commercial development, the Lake Forest Open Lands Association was recently founded to purchase or set aside open land in order to preserve the area’s natural environment. Northbrook Court, Old Orchard, and Hawthorn Center are major regional malls located in nearby communities.

Lake Forest Hospital, a 267-bed facility, including an 88-bed facility at Westmoreland Nursing Home, employs over 350 medical professionals. The emergency room is a level II trauma center. Specialties include cancer care, the Center for Breast Health, Pain Treatment Center, Sleep Disorders Lab, a level II nursery, the Dearhaven Child Care and Learning Center, and a state-of-the-art health and fitness center. Condell Memorial Hospital and Highland Park Hospital are among the alternatives to area residents.

Fourteen major denominations are served in Lake Forest, represented through a number of congregations. Others are represented in nearby communities.

Lake Forest’s transportation provides residents with easy access to the city, nearby suburbs, and other states. The Tri-State Tollway (I-94) is an interstate highway that runs all the way from Michigan to Montana and the Skokie Highway connects drivers to Lake Shore Drive and downtown Chicago. There are two Metra Rail stations in Lake Forest, one in East Lake Forest and one in West Lake Forest. The Union Pacific/North Line takes riders from Kenosha, Wisconsin to downtown Chicago and the Milwaukee District/North Line runs from Fox Lake, Illinois to downtown Chicago.