Best Landmark: The Lakefill
February 23, 2023
Imagine this: On a warm day in May, you’re lying in a hammock on the Lakefill. The sun shines down on your face — a springtime reward for the brutal Evanston winter. You have a final coming up, but that doesn’t cross your mind. On the Lakefill, time seems to stop, and students become engrossed in a sense of peace.
As its name suggests, the Lakefill is on top of a lake. After World War II, Northwestern sought to expand its campus, but there was a big problem: There was no land to expand toward. So, the University pulled a quite literally walk-on-water move. In 1962, NU began a construction project to build new land off Lake Michigan’s coastline, which we now know as the Lakefill.
The Lakefill was voted as this year’s best landmark and for good reason. From Dillo Day to beach walks with your bae, the Lakefill is the cornerstone of many NU experiences. It’s the perfect location for sunrise-watching, or even creepier — people-watching.
It may be a warm spring day or a freezing day in December, but all year round, our love for the Lakefill runs deeper than Lake Michigan.
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Twitter: @JessicaMa2025