Located in the northern suburbs of Chicago, Glenview Naval Air Station (Naval Air Station Glenview, NAS Glenview) was once a major flight training base for the U.S. Navy, and has now transformed into a unique place where historical traces coexist with modern urban spaces.

This site has become a space where one can feel the history of U.S. Navy aviation and the changes in the community. NAS Glenview first opened as a civilian airfield in the late 1920s, but began to develop into a full military base when the Navy started using it in 1937. During World War II, it served as a key training hub for Navy pilots, training thousands of pilots and aircrew.

It is particularly famous for the carrier landing training based on Lake Michigan, where actual aircraft carriers 'USS Wolverine' and 'USS Sable' were used for training on the lake. Because of this, Glenview was sometimes referred to as the 'inland aircraft carrier training site.' Even during the Cold War, NAS Glenview was actively operated as a joint base used by the Navy Reserve, Marine Corps aviation units, and the Coast Guard, playing an important role in the defense of the Chicago area.

However, in the 1990s, the closure was decided under the U.S. military's base realignment policy (BRAC), and it officially closed in 1995.

Subsequently, the site, which spans about 1,100 acres, was returned to the public, and urban redevelopment began.

Now, this area has transformed into a new residential and commercial complex called 'The Glen.'

The former runways and hangars have now become spacious parks, shopping malls, residential complexes, and community centers. A notable landmark is 'The Glen Town Center,' which features various restaurants, shops, cafes, and a movie theater, bustling with family visitors on weekends.

To remember the traces of the former military facility, the 'Naval Air Station Glenview Museum' (now called 'Glenview Hangar One Museum') exhibits the history of the base, aircraft models, and restored equipment. Visitors can vividly feel the atmosphere of the time through actual Navy pilot uniforms, photographs, and aircraft parts from the war.

Additionally, the nearby 'Gallery Park' is a large park utilizing the former runway site, well-maintained with walking paths, bike trails, ponds, and sculptures.

In the center of the park, a lake and a large lawn provide a beloved resting space for local residents. Even after the closure of NAS Glenview, the area has not forgotten its connection to the Navy. Annual commemorative events like the 'Glenview Naval Air Reunion' are held every summer, where former service members and their families gather to share memories.

Overall, there remains an atmosphere of respect for military heritage in the city, with street names reflecting aviation-related terms. Today, Glenview is regarded as one of the most developed cities in the Chicago suburbs. Thanks to the sophisticated commercial areas of The Glen, safe and clean residential areas, and urban design that harmonizes history and modernity, it attracts many family residents.

The transformation of a former military base into a central commercial area is considered a representative example of successful urban regeneration in the United States.

NAS Glenview, which embraces traces of history within a modern city, can be seen as a special space in the Chicago suburbs where the past and present naturally connect.