The East Lagoon and Island

Originally known as Dee's Pond for the Ice Cutter who ran his business on it, the East Lagoon was part of the original 63 acres deeded to the state by Joseph F. Glidden in 1895. In the 1930s the CWA and the WPA decided to completely relandscape the lagoon area. They widened and deepened the north end, packed the banks with clay to provide water- tightness, connected the lagoon to the Kishwaukee River, and built a new road from Lincoln Highway to Altgeld Hall. Northern first held commencement ceremonies on the island in 1942 and for many years thereafter until class size and weather unpredictability made such functions prohibitive. Weddings and other formal gatherings have often used the island since then. In the mid-1960s, concrete replaced the wooden "I Love You" Bridge that spanned the lagoon on both sides of the island. In 1993 lamposts were installed all around the lagoon and on the island itself to provide safe access at night.