West Lake Forest has had a shifting boundary since the 1850s. By 1926, Lake Forest had grown to encompass the farm community of Everett, five miles southwest of the lakeside commuter suburb. Since then, Lake Forest has annexed most of the former farm and estate land west to the Tri-State Tollway (I-94). Now, West Lake Forest denotes an expansive, low-density suburban area of mostly newer housing and businesses. Its eastern limit is cited variously as the Skokie River, Route 41, and Waukegan Road. Within this area of pioneer farms, fox-hunt territory, estate district, and series of suburban neighborhoods are stories of new arrivals living the "American Dream." This book attempts to share the stories of these pioneering men and women.
Authors Susan L. Kelsey, Arthur H. Miller, and Shirley M. Paddock celebrate the history of early Everett pioneers, schools, St. Patrick's Church, dairy farms, and magnificent country estates in Images of America: West Lake Forest. The authors enjoyed researching the book and are thankful for images from several private collections and special collections from the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society, the Lake Forest College Archives and Special Collections, Lake Forest Academy, and the Lake County Discovery Museum and History Archives.