Oak Park, located near Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, is a village with a population of 54,583 according to the 2020 U.S. Census estimate, making it the 26th most populated municipality in Illinois. Originally settled in 1835, Oak Park became an incorporated village in 1902 after separating from Cicero.
Oak Park previously had a ban on alcohol sales. The village originally did not permit the sale of alcohol within its boundaries when it was first established. This restriction was eased in 1973 to allow restaurants and hotels to serve alcohol alongside meals. In 2002, the regulations were further relaxed to allow specific grocery stores to sell packaged liquor with government authorization. Presently, various types of alcohol, including beer and wine, are readily available in the village through numerous bars and cocktail lounges.
Oak Park is situated just west of Chicago, with Austin Boulevard serving as the eastern boundary and North Avenue/Illinois Route 64 defining the northern limit. The village shares its southern border with Cicero, while Roosevelt Road/Illinois Route 38 and Berwyn form its western border. Specifically, Harlem Avenue/Illinois Route 43 serves as the western boundary between Roosevelt and South Boulevard, and Forest Park lies to the west between North Boulevard and North Avenue. River Forest is situated to the west of Oak Park along North Avenue.
Oak Park can be reached from Chicago via the Green Line with stops at five CTA stations within Oak Park. Additionally, Oak Park is served by a station on Metra’s Union Pacific West Line. CTA and Pace offer bus transportation within Oak Park as well as to neighboring suburbs.
The Eisenhower Expressway serves as the main route connecting Chicago and Oak Park, offering direct access to O’Hare International Airport. Key streets running east to west in Oak Park extend into Chicago as well.
Oak Park is known for being a great place for cyclists, with its tree-filled streets and easy access to trails in neighboring areas. Cyclists are drawn to Oak Park, which can be conveniently reached via the Green Line, Blue Line, or Metra. While there are designated bike lanes on numerous streets in Oak Park, there are currently no completely separate bike paths.
Oak Park has been operating under the council-manager form of government since 1951.
The leaders of Oak Park, including the village board, village president, and other elected officials, are chosen through a two-step voting process. First, a primary election is held to select the candidates for each political party. Then, a general election is held to elect the officials who will serve in government.
The following schools fall under the jurisdiction of Oak Park Elementary School District 97, which covers the entire city: Lincoln, Mann, Longfellow, Beye, Irving, Holmes, Whittier, and Hatch public primary schools, as well as Percy Julian Middle School (previously Nathaniel Hawthorne) and Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School (previously Ralph Waldo Emerson).
The Park District of Oak Park includes thirteen parks located across the village, totaling 80 acres (320,000 m2) of park space. Additionally, there is a historic house that can be rented for events with a fee, the Oak Park Conservatory, and two outdoor swimming pools available.
Established in 1903 as a public library, the Oak Park Public Library has a storied history that spans more than a century. With a main location situated overlooking Scoville Park at the intersection of Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street, as well as two satellite branches, the Dole Branch Library and the Maze Branch Library, the library has grown to become an integral part of the community. As a member of the SWAN library consortium, the Oak Park Public Library provides its patrons with access to a vast collection of nearly 8 million items.
The Oak Park Fire Department is responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of the community by providing essential fire protection and emergency medical services. To achieve this, the department operates from three strategically located fire stations, namely Fire Station #1 (serving as the headquarters), Fire Station #2 (positioned in the north), and Fire Station #3 (situated in the south). Each shift is led by a battalion chief, who oversees the operations and ensures that the department is always ready to respond to emergencies.
The safety of the village is ensured by the Oak Park Police Department, which boasts a robust force of 23 sworn officers for every 10,000 residents.
Oak Park’s violent crime rate per 100,000 residents in 2019 was 298, which was 28% less than the rate for the entire state of Illinois.
Oak Park benefits from its proximity to Chicago and its rich influential figures in the arts like Hemingway, Wright, White, and Karpowicz. This has cultivated a thriving arts community in the village, with many professionals in theater, music, dance, and fine arts calling Oak Park home. The arts district on Harrison, between Austin Avenue and Ridgeland Avenue, showcases a variety of boutique galleries, shops, and eateries.
Ernest Hemingway lived at 339 N. Oak Park Ave for the first six years of his life. Following a restoration in 1992, the house was restored to its original 1890s Victorian style and is now available for public tours through The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park.
Notable attractions in the area include the location where Ernest Hemingway was born, the residence and workspace of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Unity Temple designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the historic district showcasing Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie School of Architecture, the Ridgeland-Oak Park Historic District, homes once owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and the Oak Park Conservatory.