Barat land gifted to Woodland Academy

Two pieces of property in Lake Forest purchased by the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1901 will be reunited.

In a ceremony Dec. 12, Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart will formally accept the gift of 23 acres of the former Barat College. The 41 acres originally purchased by the Society was divided into two segments in 1961, with Woodlands elementary and high school on 18 acres.

Barat was sold to DePaul University in 2001 but the college closed in 2005. Plans for development fell through and the land is being donated. Woodlands has a master plan to guide development of the campus, including the existing 30,000-square-foot library.