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Origin and Early Development
The Village of Oak Park evolved from the purchase of
land of early settler Joseph Kettlestrings. In 1837, Kettlestrings, a
native of England, paid $215.98 for 172.78 acres of land in the area now
bordered by Chicago Avenue and Lake Street, and Oak Park and Harlem Avenues.
Kettlestrings' residence became a haven for worn and weary travelers,
going to and from the Chicago market. In the 1850s, Kettlestrings began
to subdivide his land of "Oak Ridge," as it had become known,
selling it to "good people who were against saloons and for good
schools and churches."
By 1871, the population had grown to 500 and the settlement
continued to boom as a result of the Great Chicago Fire. At this time,
Oak Ridge was renamed Oak Park to match the name of the Post Office serving
the area. The name was reinforced further in 1872 when the railroad station
serving the area was named Oak Park.
In July of 1901, petitions from citizens were submitted
to Judge Orrin N. Carter, sole presiding judge of the County Court of
Cook County, in the effort to organize the " Village of Oak Park."
In September of that same year, Judge Carter decreed that, in light of
the petitions submitted, a special election was to be held on November
5, 1901, regarding the organization of the Village. Based on a majority
of affirmative votes in the election, Judge Carter declared the Village
of Oak Park as established. In December of 1901 another election was held
to elect Village officers. On January 2, 1902, the first meeting of Village
officials occurred and on January 25, 1902, Judge Carter ordered, declared
and decreed the "Village of Oak Park" duly organized as a village.
Oak Park's population was 9889 at the time of incorporation. At the time,
Oak Park was approximately half developed, predominantly by single-family
residences mixed with large areas of apartment houses and fringed with
commercial development.
Key Oak Park Dates
- 1673: The explorers Marquette and Joliet traversed
the Des Plaines River area inhabited by Pottawatomie, Sac, and Fox native
American tribes
- 1818: State of Illinois joined the union; Oak Park
area made part of Crawford County
- 1831: Boundaries of Illinois counties changed; Oak
Park area made part of Cook County
- 1833: Kettlestrings claimed the 125 acres which
became Oak Park
- 1835: Kettlestrings built house in what is now Downtown
Oak Park
- 1843: Kettlestrings family moved to Chicago and
rented out farm
- 1855: Kettlestrings family built a home at Grove
and Lake and began to sell land
- 1857: The first school was formed. Cook County gives
governance of area to Cicero Township.
- 1871 - 2: Post Office named Oak Par k- Chicago fire
caused boom in Oak Park real estate; train station named Oak Park; Oak
Park becomes official name of area
- 1888: Library built
- 1889: Frank Lloyd Wright built his home in Oak Park
- 1895: Oak Park attempt to separate from Cicero Township
defeated
- 1902: Village of Oak Park established as a self-governing
municipality, with the first elected President, Clerk, and Board of
Trustees. A High school district was created.
- 1904: A new municipal building created (now location
of Prairie Court apartments)
- 1907: Oak Park Hospital created
- 1914: West Suburban Hospital created
- 1920: Oak Park population tops 40,000
- 1929: Village Board approves overnight on-street
parking ban
- 1940: Oak Park Population -- 66,014
- 1952: Village Manager form of municipal government
approved by voters by a 3-1 ratio in a special referendum
- 1963: A Citizens Committee for Human Rights and
the Community Relations Commission is established
- 1968: Village Board approves one of the nation's
first local Fair Housing Ordinances, outlawing discrimination
- 1970: Oak Park population -- 65,521
- 1973: Village Board first approves the Oak Park
Diversity statement
- 1976: Village of Oak Park designated All-America
City for the downtown mall, Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio and the
Housing Center
- 1977: Elementary School District 97 reorganized
to enhance social diversity
- 1980: Oak Park population -- 54,887
- 1984: Village Board approves ban on possession of
handguns
- 1985: Special referendum to repeal handgun ordinance
defeated 8031 to 6358
- 1990: Oak Park population -- 53,648
- 2000: Oak Park population - 52,524
For more information about the history of Oak Park,
contact:
The
Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest
Box 771
Oak Park, Illinois 60303-0771
708.848.6755
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Oak Park Village
Hall
Oak
Park Township
Oak Park Public
Library
Oak
Park Park District
Oak
Park Area Arts Council
OP District
97 Elementary
OPRF High School District 200
OPRF
Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Oak Park
Oak
Park Housing Center
Oak
Park Residence Corp.
OPRF
Historical Society
Visitors Center
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