Each year the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation honors individuals and organizations who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in the preservation of Lake Forest's architectural heritage.

Any structure or landscape constructed over fifty years ago is eligible to be nominated. Nominations may be made by any interested person - the owner, a neighbor or friend, an admiring passerby. The Foundation will obtain the owner's approval if the property was nominated by someone other than the owner.

Handsome bronze plaques are presented to each year's award winners at the Preservation Foundation's Annual Meeting. After the meeting, members will be invited to a reception at a historic Lake Forest property that exemplifies efforts to preserve Lake Forest's historic visual character.

There are five categories of awards, the first four based on the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, with an additional category for new construction or infill. Judging is based on the ten standards from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.

• Preservation: Maintaining the historical integrity and character of a structure or landscape through conservation, maintenance and repair. 

• Rehabilitation: Continuing the use of a historic structure through repair, alterations and additions while protecting its historical, cultural and architectural character. Includes adaptive reuse.

• Restoration: Recovering, revealing or representing the state of a historic structure or landscape as it appeared at a particular time in history.

• Reconstruction: Recreating the form, features and details of a historic structure or landscape through new construction.

• New Construction or Infill: Building new construction that demonstrates exemplary contextual compatibility in an established neighborhood.

Nominations are accepted online or by requesting a form from the office at 847-234-1230.

See our past award winners

Nominate a property