06/17/2026
(Image from exhibit: the now, decommissioned water plant built in 1928)
Visit the new exhibit “Deep Dive: A History of Kenilworth’s Water Infrastructure and Lakefront”
Museum Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9am-5pm
As part of Chicago’s North Shore, Kenilworth has always been shaped by water.
Nearly 12,000 years ago, as glaciers retreated, meltwater filled a deepened basin to form Lake Michigan. Shifting lake levels left behind ancient shorelines and beach ridges that still mark earlier stages of the lake’s history, while wetlands and forests gradually developed across the newly exposed landscape. This marshy environment influenced later human settlement and land use.
This exhibit traces how water has influenced the village’s development, from the Kenilworth Company’s careful planning to continued efforts to manage stormwater and preserve the shoreline.
