Community Corner

Historical Photo Guessing Game: Lake Forest Plot Is Meadowland Farm

Weekly photo celebrates Lake Forest's 150th anniversary.

Thanks to Lake Forest resident Carol Wolfson for this great photo of Meadowood Farm believed to be taken in the early 1930s.

Many of you guessed that correctly, and Gail Hodges was nice enough to forward a little more history on the land from the National Registery.

"In the early 1920s, Mr. Leonard purchased several parcels of land, accumulating more than 150 acres west of the intersection of Deerpath and Waukegan Roads (now the corner of Deerpath and Waukegan Roads). He commissioned a noted architect, Ralph W. Varney and an equally well-known landscape architect, Jens Jensen, to design and build his dream farm and country place.

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While on a trip in the French countryside, Mr. Leonard had fallen in love with the farm buildings of Normandy. When Mr. Varney received his commission, he used this same form of architecture for the main house, dairy barn, carriage barn and pony shed, milk house with testing barn and offices, chicken house, and three cottages for the farm staff.

Mr. Jensen’s plans envisioned a truly magnificent gentleman’s farm. Found on his original hand-done color drawings are fields, a lake, a campfire site, bird feeding tables, bird bath, bird house, players hill, players ring, tennis court, lanes, water pool, flower gardens, roses, vegetable and small fruit garden, orchard and an allee of trees leading to the manor house.

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The stone gate at the Waukegan Road entrance is still standing. With the exception of the main house that was never built, the farm buildings were constructed from 1923-1926. In 1928-1930, Meadowood Farm supplied pure milk and fresh eggs to the community."

Thanks again for everyone's comments. Keep them coming.

If you have a historical photo that you would like to submit, e-mail the editor at james.powers@patch.com.


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