Home | Fort Sheridan Historical Society

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 - we celebrate FSHS 139th Birthday. You are invited to gather at the Parade Ground flag pole for Reveille and a brief presentation at at 9:30 AM. See you there!

To honor the Fort's birthday, we annually ask residents to turn on their porch lights that evening, and display a flag if they have one. The gallery below includes pictures of about 46 buildings which turned their porch lights on in recent years. Is your house or building pictured? Click through them to find out!

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Other Upcoming Events

Thursday, April 2, 2026 - At 1 PM, FSHS members and guests will tour the Lake Forest History Museum in Lake Forest. We will meet at the museum at 509 E Deerpath, Lake Forest.

June 7, 2026 (times to be determined) - FSHS will host walking tours of the Fort Sheridan National Cemetery. Check back here for more information soon.

Midwest Veterans Closet

Your Fort Sheridan Historical Society exists because of what veterans built and accomplished here over the many years. Midwest Veterans Closet, based in North Chicago and a 501(c)3 not for profit, serves veterans and military members in need.

Please consider helping Midwest Veterans Closet if you can. More information about Midwest Veterans Closet is here. Donations to Midwest Veterans Closet can be made from their website.

Inside the Water Tower

Did you ever wonder what is inside the historic water tower at Fort Sheridan? Well, now you can get a peak.

We've added a gallery of pictures showing the spacious lower and upper floors, the spiral stairs, and the empty water storage tank, as well as views out several of the windows. The gallery can be found under the History tab above, or simply click here (Scroll down to the 3rd picture gallery on that page).

The tower is managed by the Master Homeowners Association. And, sorry, the tower is not ever open to the public.

How Old Are These Postcard Photos??

We're always adding new things. This month, help us put a date on this packet of postcard photos, which appear to be from about the 1920s. What do you think and what clues made you think that? See them here.

For history buffs, we've also added a listing of all the Post Commanders from the beginning of the fort (1887) through about 1970. Were any of them relatives of yours?? Look here.

The Society

The Fort Sheridan Historical Society honors, supports, educates about, and promotes the Fort and its history.

Our goal is to provide useful information about the Fort and its history to former and current residents and those interested in the history of the Fort and the North Shore. Click here for more information about the Society.

Please explore this site to find much more information about the Fort, its history, and how to best plan and enjoy a visit to the Fort. To encourage further research and sharing of Fort information, please support the Society by Joining.

Your Society Board members currently are Louisa Mahoney (President), Laura Brandt (1st Vice President), Julie Jaras (Secretary), Karen Kohn (Treasurer), Tim Buckley, Joel MInster, Brandon Bodor, Douglas Holms, Jamie Wolf, and Hope Weiskgopf . All of us are current or recent Fort residents. Donna Fitzgerald currently serves the Board as Executive Director.

Want to know more about the Fort?...

We routinely send out emails and newsletters with interesting information and updates on events. No need to be a member to get these (although there are Member Only events you may miss out on). Just contact us and we'll add you to our list!

Events

Join or Renew

Tuesday, March 3, we will celebrate the Fort's 139th birthday (turn your porch lights on).
Thursday, April 2, we will tour the Lake Forest History Museum.
Sunday, June 7, we will provide guided tours of the Fort's National Cemetery.

Fort Sheridan: Then and Now

A new book by Laura Tucker. Laura is a former resident of the Fort, an avid photographer and Fort Sheridan enthusiast, and has researched and compiled a collection of photographs and facts that highlight the ever-changing uses of the structures and the chameleon-like personality of the Fort. Buy it here on Amazon. (Separately, Laura has donated many of her research materials for the book to the Society's archives.)