Grove Cultural Campus (Lake Forest, Illinois)

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Current home of the Lake Forest Senior Center, Sterling Hall Arts and Activities Center, and Lake Forest Symphony.

From www.cityoflakeforest.com/cs/rec/cs_rec2d4.htm :

The history of Stirling Hall dates to 1927, when architect Edwin H. Clark was commissioned to design a permanent campus for the Ridge Farm Preventorium, a facility whose mission was to help stem the tide of the tuberculosis epidemic. Construction of Stirling Hall began in 1928 with its completion in 1929. As a member of the Ridge Farm Preventorium Board, Clark had a personal interest in the project, which from its inception was much larger than the scaled down version of the campus. Stirling Cottage as it was called then was the residential building of Ridge Farm and was named after William Robert and Alice Ives Stirling the parents of Mrs. Francis Dickinson the major contributor to the Preventorium. The metal windows and exterior pilasters are believed to be incorporated into the design as a tribute to William Robert Stirling who served as an officer of the Joliet Steel Company and the Illinois Steel Company. Other significant designs by Edwin Clark include Ferry Hall and the Lake Forest Library

The City of Lake Forest purchased the Grove School property in 1998 and in 1999 the Blue Ribbon Committee approved a special use permit to develop the property as a Cultural Arts Campus. In February 2000, Vacala Construction was authorized by the City Council to act as the construction manager for Dickinson Hall Senior Center renovation, site and demolition work. From early spring through this fall, staff have worked closely with Vacala Construction and the architectural firm of Grund & Rietserer.

In February of 2001, the Council approved to amend the original project concept from a single large - scale project and contract to a phased approach. The Council also agreed to loan the Recreation Department $300,000 towards the renovation project. This loan will be paid down within five years through a combination of grants, donations, and Recreation Department Impact Fees.

The Stirling Hall Advisory Committee and the Recreation Staff, have together developed a diverse arts program for the residents of Lake Forest. The new Stirling Hall Arts & Activities Center is fully equipped and staffed to provide the community of Lake Forest a facility that all its residents can discover the artist within.

With this web site, we hope to keep you up to date on all the activities, studio hours, kiln firing schedule and other information.