The Northwestern University Lakefill (formally known as the James Roscoe Miller Campus) is a large area of Northwestern University land that was reclaimed from Lake Michigan in 1962–1964 by creating a seawall of limestone blocks quarried in Illinois and Indiana and using landfill materials from the construction of the Port of Indiana. The lakefill resulted from the university's need to expand the campus's physical footprint; Northwestern President J. Roscoe Miller received permission from the town of Evanston and the Illinois legislature (as well as many other groups) to reclaim 74 acres (30 hectares) of underwater land. This almost doubled the size of the previously 85 acres (34 hectares) campus. In 1968, the lakefill was expanded by an additional 10 acres (4.0 hectares) on the southern end of the campus.[1][2][3]
As solid ground was established, Northwestern began the construction of the Northwestern University Library, the Norris University Center and the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, all built from 1970–1975.
- ^ "Building View, Northwestern Architecture, Northwestern University Library". digital.library.northwestern.edu. Archived from the original on 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2016-10-21.
- ^ "Northwestern Architecture: The Lakefill". Northwestern University Archives. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- ^ Pridmore, Jay (2000). Northwestern University: Celebrating 150 Years. Northwestern University Press. p. 200. ISBN 9780810118294.