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History

Oak Forest’s location places it on the Tinley Moraine, a prominent ridge originally formed thousands of years ago when the Wisconsin Glacier shifted towards this particular region. As the glacier continued to transform, it ultimately formed the Tinley Moraine. The Wisconsin Glacier has been credited for forming the gently rolling landscape that Oak Forest is recognized for.

Current-day Oak Forest encompasses a history that stretches back to the early 1800s. Initially, the community was known as Cooper’s Grove after a Mr. Cooper chose to settle here in the 1830s, and who is believed to have been Bremen Township’s first president. The town began to attract more settlers in the mid- to late-1840s, with many of the area’s early settlers traveling from Germany to take advantage of the region’s high quality land—as many of these settlers were farmers.

With the advent of the railroad, the area began to experience tremendous growth. The railroad passed through modern-day Oak Forest by 1852, making its way from Chicago to Joliet and back again.

As more and more people began relocating here, the area became quite group-oriented, with a number of houses of worship formed and three schools constructed. After several life-altering events such as the Civil War and the Chicago Fire, the community continued to live a peaceful lifestyle.

The earliest record of the town of “Oak Forest” was discovered in an 1893 Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway timetable. The community’s moniker was most likely given due to the nearby forest preserves and the large concentration of mature oak trees in and around the area.

During the 1900s, more houses were being built in the area, and community involvement was on the rise with the establishment of more clubs, scouting and baseball teams. The Great Depression certainly affected the area, as it had the rest of the country; but the residents of Oak Forest worked together to maintain a high quality of life, and soon, in 1947, Oak Forest was incorporated as a village.

Between 1950 and 1960, Oak Forest’s population doubled, greatly increasing from 1,856 to 3,723. More subdivisions, a new Village Hall, a new post office, the Oak Forest Hospital, a new high school district and a new grade school were all significant products of the 1950s.

The village experienced continued growth in the 1960s, a decade which produced a Catholic church and school, a public library, a recreation district and shopping centers. Additionally, road improvement projects were set in place throughout the area, Interstate 80 opened, Central Avenue was widened and a new brick train depot was dedicated in 1969. In 1971, the village of Oak Forest was officially incorporated as a city, eventually adopting itself as a Home Rule Community the following decade.

As 2000 approached, the mass exodus into many southern suburbs gradually decreased; but not here. Oak Forest continues to grow and develop, as many young families are establishing households here. The city attracts new residents and businesses for the same reasons that it had originally been sought out—the area’s natural beauty, its ideal location, the availability of affordable real estate and, most importantly, its valued residents.