Planting a Legacy: Robert Douglas and the Trees that Shaped the Midwest

Earth Day Panel Presentation, featuring:

• Diana Dretske, Curator and Lake County historian for the Lake County Forest Preserves’ Bess Bower Dunn Museum
• Tim Girmscheid, Site Superintendent of Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park
• Ty Rohrer, Waukegan Park District Manager of Cultural Arts and Historian for Waukegan Historical Society

In the 19th century, Waukegan became home to one of America’s most influential nurserymen: Robert Douglas. This panel will explore Douglas’s role in advancing forestry, supplying millions of trees across the region, and his professional connections with renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Panelists will also discuss Douglas’s environmental legacy in the region, including connections to Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park, and the conservation work of his granddaughter, Georgia Clarke, who helped protect Illinois’ natural landscapes for future generations.

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Host or Publisher Waukegan Historical Society