Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

From History of First Presbyterian Church Lake Forest, Illinois, 1859-1984 In 1856 a group from the Second Presbyterian Church in Chicago came to what is now Lake Forest looking for a place to found a community centered on educational mission. Lake Forest provided an alternative to Chicago which was already becoming a rough environment in which to raise a family. In the late 1850’s the community had its beginning around the Old Hotel in Triangle Park. As a matter of course these earnest and committed Presbyterians founded a church for themselves on July 24, 1859: the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest.

The first church building was erected in 1862. The building has undergone growth and change as the needs and size of the congregation has changed. The church has reflected the goals of its founders to live together as a community dedicated to a Christian life and to betterment on earth through education and benvolences.