Glorious Gillson Park: The History of Wilmette's Premier Lakefront Park and Harbor

For this year’s annual meeting and lecture, the Wilmette Historical Society will welcome Julia Bachrach to enlighten us about the history of Wilmette’s beloved Gillson Park.

Comprised of gently curving drives, irregular groupings of trees and shrubs, a picturesque harbor, and lovely views of Lake Michigan, Gillson Park possesses exquisite natural beauty. Many Wilmette residents may be surprised to learn, however, that the park did not always look this way. Inspired by the City Beautiful Movement of the late 19th century, the park and harbor were created as a byproduct of the North Shore Channel – a major engineering project undertaken to improve the water quality of the North Branch of the Chicago River. With plans and improvements conducted in two major phases, Gillson Park was transformed from piles of hard clay into a glorious lakefront landscape.

Julia Bachrach, landscape historian and author of The City in a Garden: A History of Chicago’s Parks, successfully nominated Gillson Park and Wilmette Harbor to the National Register of Historic Places. A consulting architectural and landscape historian, she works on preservation projects throughout the Midwest is also a part-time instructor at the University of Chicago.

The lecture will be preceded by a brief meeting of the Wilmette Historical Society. This event is free and open to all.