North Mayfair in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

LaBagh Woods

circa 2026

1. LaBagh Woods Marker

Inscription. Honoring
Ella Labagh
as a pioneer
in establishing
forest preserves

Erected 1940 by Cook County Forest Preserves District. (Marker Number 1.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas • Women. A significant historical date for this entry is November 7, 1940.

Location. 41° 58.722′ N, 87° 44.74′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in North Mayfair. It is on Paved Trail, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chicago IL 60630, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Trinity Slovak Lutheran Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Hazelton-Mikota House

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(approx. half a mile away); Old Treaty Elm (approx. half a mile away); Henry V. Peters House (approx. 0.8 miles away); Sauganash Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); Jefferson Park War Memorial (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Henry Esdohr House (approx. 1.1 miles away); Old Edgebrook (approx. 1½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.

Also see . . .
1. Ella LaBagh: Advocating for Natural Areas and Public Spaces. Learn about Ella LaBagh and the movement she contributed to.

Improving Public Space

In the late 19th and early 20th century, women’s clubs played an active and influential role in many Chicago communities. As chair of the Irving Park Woman’s Club’s Public Improvement Committee, Ella LaBagh’s focus was on improving and maintaining public space. This included, but was not limited to, advocating for parks and natural spaces.

(Submitted on April 27, 2026, by M.Bloom of Leyden, Illinois.)

2. LaBagh Woods/North Branch Restoration Project. Habitat restoration takes time and it is often many years before desired impacts are readily apparent. After almost a decade of diligent

LaBagh Woods Marker at road curve. image. Click for full size.

circa 2026

2. LaBagh Woods Marker at road curve.

restoration work, the Migratory Bird Feature Usage At LaBagh Woods pilot report was published.

The LaBagh Woods project aims to build up the understory to provide shelter and a quality stopover habitat for migrating birds.

(Submitted on April 27, 2026, by M.Bloom of Leyden, Illinois.)

3. Ella LaBagh Woods Dedication (Facebook). Dedication photo of Labagh Woods marker, renaming of the Forest Preserve at Foster and Cicero Avenues (Chicago, IL), in Ella’s honor, November 7th, 1940. (Submitted on April 29, 2026, by M.Bloom of Leyden, Illinois.)

Additional commentary.
1. Who was Ella LaBagh?
Environmentalist / Nature Lover

Ella LaBagh (1856-1945) was a member of the Irving Park Woman’s Club (Chicago, IL) and an advocate for the preservation of natural space and creation of parks on the Northwest side of Chicago in the early 20th century. LaBagh Woods was named for her and is one of just a few Cook County Forest Preserves locations within Chicago’s city limits.

— Submitted April 27, 2026, by M.Bloom of Leyden, Illinois.

Additional keywords. Activism; advocacy

Credits. This page was last revised on April 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 27, 2026, by M.Bloom of Leyden, Illinois. This page has been viewed 31 times since then. Last updated on April 29, 2026, by M.Bloom of Leyden, Illinois. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 27, 2026, by M.Bloom of Leyden, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.