The Glenview Park District is extremely fortunate to have a devoted group of individuals working tirelessly to further The Grove ’ s vision and goals . From humble beginnings , this group rose to the great challenge of preserving The Grove ’ s natural and historical significance and saving an important part of our heritage . We are very grateful to GHA for their continued support and commitment and we can ’ t wait to see the amazing accomplishments the next fifty years will bring ! ▪
The Grove Heritage Association Celebrates 50 YEARS
would ultimately rise to National Historic Landmark and Illinois Nature Preserve status .
GHA President Gloria Buzard speaking at the dedication ceremony on July 3 , 1976 , establishing The Grove as a National Historic Landmark .
On September 10 , we celebrated the accomplishments of the Grove Heritage Association for its 50 years of advocacy , support and community enrichment . This dedicated group of volunteers has generated millions of dollars to benefit The Grove through land acquisition , facility construction , community events , and special projects .
GHA was first formed in 1973 when ten local women recognized something special in a small tract of land in Glenview . Tucked away in an urbanized area sat a pristine oak hickory savanna and wetland ecosystem long known as “ The Grove .” Upon further exploration , the remarkable history of the land and the pioneer family that settled on it began to emerge . So significant were the contributions of the Kennicott family to local and national history , and so exceptional were the plants and wildlife that the site
That group of women began the “ Save the Grove ” campaign to preserve and protect the land from impending development . The committee soon became affectionately known as the “ Frog and Fern Ladies ,” a term that originated as a derogatory comment but became a badge of honor for the group . As a result of their determination , The Grove was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in August 1973 . The Glenview Park District became involved in the efforts and , in October 1974 , Glenview voters went to the polls and approved a referendum to save the area known as The Grove .
After successfully protecting the land from development , the Save the Grove committee was restructured to form the GHA in November 1975 . The purpose of this new group was to develop the ecological , historic and educational resources of The Grove by working with the Glenview Park District and other organizations .
The Glenview Park District is extremely fortunate to have a devoted group of individuals working tirelessly to further The Grove ’ s vision and goals . From humble beginnings , this group rose to the great challenge of preserving The Grove ’ s natural and historical significance and saving an important part of our heritage . We are very grateful to GHA for their continued support and commitment and we can ’ t wait to see the amazing accomplishments the next fifty years will bring ! ▪