No Man's Land, The Final Frontier

The unfinished Vista Del Lago Hotel

Plans For Vista Del Lago

Vista Del Lago Tribune Photo 1962

Hubbards Woods

"We shall build here the envy of Lido and the despair of Southern California and Florida."

This was once the triumph of the glamorous Vista Del Lago. To conclude our four part series on the history of Sheridan Road we end up in "No Man's Land" which by a 1926 Chicago Tribune source is described as a stretch of land between Kenilworth and Wilmette overlooking the lake. In the 1830s a pioneer named John Gage aka "The Honest Miller" opened up the first steam flour mill in Chicago and bought up a chunk of land on the North Shore. Eventually, he died and the property inheritance was divided amongst his four children and Wilmette was incorporated in 1886. None of the sons wanted No Man's Land and neither Wilmette nor Kenilworth were willing to incorporate it. World War One came and went and slowly the east and west sides were being commercially developed. In 1926, on the west side of Sheridan J. Stuart Blackton founder of Vitograph Pictures devised a plan to build a $1.5 million Club and Hotel located at 1630 Sheridan Road called Vista Del Lago modeled after beach clubs seen in California and Florida. The club portion was built and it included various activities as well as a ballroom. However, the east side was supposed to contain a luxurious hotel as seen in the first photo. Instead, the Depression hit America hard and construction was never completed. In fact the east side became known as the seedy side of No Man's Land as described in the article, "But the Depression didn't stop the mushroom growth east of Sheridan Road, of filling stations, hot dog stands and amusement park concessions offering pony rides and miniature train excursions. Safe from taxes and basking in unincorporated freedom. No Man's Land developed into a honky-tonk heaven--and a real eyesore."

The Club itself was no stranger to danger. In the late thirties, a big keno gambling ring was busted and many rumors circulated about the place being controlled by forces not friendly to the law. In 1939 state representative Charles H. Weber proposed a bill to annex the land because "No Man's Land was a slot machine and keno sin center where college students were being debauched with beer, hard liquor and firecrackers." No Man's Land was incorporated into Wilmette in 1942 after a sudden change of heart (ahem, more like dollars) forced a tug of war between the suburb and Kenilworth. After the incorporation, the club itself fell on hard times including a fire that destroyed it. Now the land is home to a shopping center called Plaza Del Lago and some 1960s era high rises.

Moving past No Man's Land you enter a winding road area in Winnetka known fondly as the Ravine or Hubbards Woods. The Ravine with its dangerous ladylike curves was once known by such unladylike names as Hubbard Hill, Corkscrew Hill or the Hole. Past this you move into Lake Forest, Waukegan and eventually Kenosha, Wisconsin where you can continue discovering the wonderful sights of the big cheese state.