Era of Growth (1870-1892) - A Brief History of Oak Park


	ERA OF GROWTH
	Historical Overview: Beginnings \| Excellence \| Challenges

THE CHICAGO FIRE of 1871 created a boom development as Chicago residents left the city to build in the suburbs. The population was about 500 the year of the fire and was listed at 4,589 in 1890.
Religious organizations built so many churches during the 1870's that Oak Park became known as "Saints' Rest." (Click on the map at right and count the number of steeples!)

Oak Park circa 1873

Original House of Henry Austin, Sr. In 1872 Henry Austin Sr., as an Illinois legislator, helped create and pass the Illinois Temperance Act to ban the sale of alcohol in Oak Park. Oak Park remained "dry" for 100 years. The Austin family's prominence continued in the area in banking and community leadership; the family's home stood for 100 years on the site of the Austin Gardens Park.

Citizens during this time could join a variety of clubs. Many of these groups met in the Scoville Institute, now the site of the present Oak Park Library at Lake Street and Grove Avenue. The Institute was a gift of James W. Scoville, a real estate developer, whose home stood on the site of the present Scoville Park, and served as a cultural and civic center as as well as a library.
Original Scoville Institute

A regular school district was organized in 1857 with one teacher and a class of 29 students. In 1859 a new school, Central School, later Lowell School, was built at Lake and Forest. In 1879 the Ridgeland School, later William Beye School, was built to serve what is now east Oak Park. Additional schools were constructed as the population rapidly increased. Until 1873 public education was only offered to eighth grade.

The first high school graduating class in 1877 had only three members. The first high school building was erected in 1891 on the southwest corner of Lake and East. The first building on the current site opened in 1907 as Oak Park and River Forest High School. Parochial schools Ascension, St. Catherine/St. Lucy, St. Edmunds, St. Giles and Fenwick High School were established over the years.

Schneider's Grocery