Lighthouse Park District
The Lighthouse Park District of Evanston has its history in the North East Park District that was established in Evanston in 1929 as a local unit of government within Illinois. Its formation was in response to residents who were concerned about the preservation or loss of park lands. In 1935, the District became responsible for administration of the Grosse Point Lighthouse site and later became the Lighthouse Park District to honor this historically significant maritime structure. District boundaries can be seen in this map.
Over the years residents of the District, through their taxes, have helped to preserve park property and the lighthouse. Due to District efforts, Grosse Point Lighthouse was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Government, the first such landmark designation of a lighthouse west of the Atlantic Ocean. A schedule of public meetings held by the District board can be found in Announcements.
Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Lighthouse Park District of Evanston to preserve, maintain, and provide safe parks and built facilities under District stewardship for area residents and the general public; to provide courteous public service; to demonstrate a professional commitment to preserve and provide safe, responsible public programming of Grosse Point Lighthouse consistent with its designation by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark; to engage other organizations in a spirit of cooperation to better serve the needs of resources under District management.