1. Austin Gardens
Forest Avenue at Ontario Street.
Named after the Austin family, founders of First Chicago Bank of Oak Park, formerly Oak Park Trust and Savings
Bank.
2. Barrie Park
Lombard Avenue and Garfield Street.
3. Euclid Square
Euclid Avenue at Fillmore Street.
4. Fox Park
Jackson Boulevard at Oak Park Avenue.
Named after Park District Commissioner William Fox.
The land for Fox Park was purchased by the Park
District in 1922 for $36,250. The park covers 2.1 acres.
5. Lindberg Park
Marion Street at LeMoyne Parkway.
Named after Gustav Lindberg, the first Superintendent of
Parks, who began work for the Park District in 1913, the
year after the Park District was formed. The 15.9 acres which comprise Lindberg Park were purchased in 1925 at a cost of $51,405. The area had been used for many
years as a refuse dump.
Check out the Lindberg Park web site!
6. Longfellow Park
Jackson Boulevard at Ridgeland Avenue.
Named after Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
History: The 4.1 acres of land in Longfellow Park was puchased in
1920 for $41,500.
7. Maple Park
Maple Avenue at Lexington Street.
Known today for the street which it borders, Maple Park was originally known as Perennial Gardens. This long, narrow 7.8 acres park is situated on land
originally owned by the railroads. It was purchased by the
Park District in 1921 for $34,800. Later, however, the Park
District sold off the lot at the corner of Roosevelt and
Harlem for $15,000. The park received its original name,
Perennial Gardens, from the almost 400 varieties of
perennials which were planted there.
8. Mills Park
Home Avenue at Pleasant Street.
Named after the Mills family, which owned the land and
the national historic Pleasant Home which still sits on the site.
9. Rehm Park
East Avenue at Garfield Street.
Named after Arthur D. Rehm, one of the original Park
District commissioners and the second president of the
Park District. Known for many years as South Park, Rehm was
one of the three original parks purchased in 1912, the year
the Park District was organized. The purchase price for
South Park (or South Common, as it was also known) was
$27,940.
Check out the Rehm Park web site!
10. Ridgeland Common
Ridgeland Avenue at Lake Street.
Named after Ridgeland Avenue, this was another of the original three village parks. The land
for Ridgeland Common was purchased in 1913 from the Scoville family. At that time, Ridgeland Common was known as the "Old Cricket Grounds." Within a few years,
the Park District paid an additional $21,000 to buy the block of land immediately to the west of the Old Cricket Grounds. Ridgeland Common now includes 9.1 acres.
11. Scoville Park
Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue.
Named after James Scoville of the Scoville family. Originally the Scoville family estate, the 4.6-acre
site was one of the village's three original parks. Purchased in 1912, the first year the Park District was organized, the old Scoville family home was demolished by June 1, 1913.
The park was designed by Jens Jensen, an internationally known landscape artist. In 1925 the granite and bronze War Memorial that is the centerpiece of the park was dedicated.
General C.G. Dawes, at that time the vice president of the United States, attended the dedication on November 11, 1925-Veterans Day. Scoville Park was also the site of the
first home of Joseph Kettlestrings, Oak Park's first white settler. The Park District paid the Scoville family $135,637 for the property, which now comprises Ridgeland Common and Scoville Park.
Check out the Scoville Park web site!
12. Taylor Park
Ridgeland Avenue at Division Street.
Named after Henry A. Taylor, first president of the Oak
Park Park District. Originally known as North Park. The 12.7 acres of land for Taylor Park was purchased in 1914. Today, the park is a favorite spot for sledding down the traces of the kettle morain that runs along the "Oak Park Spit", a long arm of beach gravel and sand that formed between the ancient "Lake Chicago" and the Desplaines Bay.
Check out the Taylor Park web site!