Be An Ethel Day of Action Honors Founder of Forest Preserves
August 22, 2025 12:37 PM
The woman who sparked a movement to protect open space in Lake County would have turned 100 on September 6.
Join a community celebration to honor Ethel Untermyer, founder of the Lake County Forest Preserves, and learn how to Be an Ethel from 1-3 pm on Saturday, September 6 at the Ryerson Education Center in Riverwoods. Admission is free for the drop-in event and open to all ages.
Visitors can enjoy hands-on nature activities, tour the net-zero energy education center and learn how Untermyer’s vision forever shaped Lake County. The Ryerson Education Center, home to countless school and group programs, serves as a fitting place to celebrate her legacy.
“Ethel Untermyer’s vision still shapes our lives today,” said Forest Preserves President Jessica Vealitzek. “Her passion for community and conservation gave us places to play, learn and connect with nature, while ensuring healthy landscapes remain part of Lake County’s future.”
In 1957, Untermyer’s 3-year-old son Frank wanted to go exploring in the woods. New to Lake County, as Ethel and her young family had just moved from Chicago, she was unfamiliar with the area.
When Untermyer asked a friend where the nearest forest preserve was, she was stunned to hear that Lake County had none. She began organizing a countywide referendum to create the Lake County Forest Preserve District by gathering a group of concerned citizens eager to protect Lake County’s natural lands. Thanks to their efforts, in 1958, the referendum passed, ensuring all of us have a place to play in the woods.
Now with more than 31,400 acres of forest preserves to explore and enjoy, residents today benefit from the vision, passion and determination of Untermyer, her neighbors and friends. Be An Ethel Day encourages the public to take action in Ethel's honor:
For more information, visit LCFPD.org/BeAnEthel.
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