This is a story many longtime Lake Foresters probably know, but if you’ve never heard it, or maybe just forgot, you are in the right place for a North Shore classic. 

You’ve likely heard the name Mr. T. From the mohawk to the enormous muscles to the gold chains… he’s a pop culture icon who played the role of B.A. Baracus in a popular 80’s action drama series called “The A-Team.” Students, ask your parents about him. They remember. 

 Mr. T, real name Laurence Tureaud,  also played the role of Clubber Lang in Rocky lll and was a part of many other action movies. He also made appearances in the wrestling scene. He and Hulk Hogan were tag team partners in WrestleMania l, which they won. Off screen, Mr. T was famous for his “tough guy” persona and notable catchphrase: “I pity the fool!”

The legendary muscle man also has a connection to decorous Lake Forest. 

Here’s what happened… 

In 1987, Mr. T, who moved to town a year earlier, hired a crew  to chop down more than 100 oak and maple trees on his 7.5-acre, $1.3 grandeur estate at 395 N Green Bay Rd. The incident brought national attention to town. The media dubbed it the  “Lake Forest Chainsaw Massacre.” 

Why would someone do such a thing, you might ask? The gold-chained celebrity’s brother claimed to one reporter that Mr. T had “allergies.”

This was not the first time that Mr. T had been issued a stern warning by the Lake Forest City Council. Shortly before the tree incident, the pop culture symbol installed a stockade fence and had it painted white. It was ordered to be sandblasted in order to restore its traditional appearance. 

He complied and took care of it the following day. After this visit, Mr. T was well aware of the local ordinances and that they would be sternly enforced.  However, that did not stop him from poking the bear. 

On the morning of the “massacre,” after a night of chainsaw rumble, neighbors discovered the property, which looked like it had been clear cut by commercial loggers. 

Throughout the morning, Mr. T chatted with neighborhood children, flaunting his handy work. He had cut down an estimated 100 trees. Many of them were full grown oaks and maples. 

He allegedly said that he had plans to install a large, iron “T” on the front gate to his mansion property. That’s how he rolled. 

Chicago native Mike Saunders, who is the grandfather of LFHS students Cate and Emmet Lee, says he remembers the incident well. 

“To me the ‘tree massacre’ that occurred in 1987 was in many ways the beginning of a trend that we see happening repeatedly today. It is where some feel they are plainly above the law and can do what they want without regard to the long term ramifications to their friends, neighbors, society and the environment. It’s as if rules are for others,” Saunders said.

It is safe to say Mr. Saunders’ thoughts were in alignment with much of the town. Trees are beloved in our community. Afterall, we are Lake Forest. 

“To me a stand of mature and stately trees is a testament to time and natural beauty. It’s a natural event that cannot be replicated easily or quickly. It can represent nature at its best,” Saunders said. “It is a classic example of enlightened self interest. You have an individual, because of his fame and notoriety, who felt he was above the rules that the rest of us are supposed to follow. An individual who because of his stature could do what he wanted.” 

Mr. T gave the property to his girlfriend in 1993. She sold it for $2.4 million, which is equivalent to $4.5 million today. The owners from 2009 to 2021 planted 150 trees in an effort to restore the damage of the arboreal mass destruction of 1987. 

There is a bright side, however, in 1988 the village enacted a tree preservation ordinance to prevent developers and homeowners from chopping down trees.