Real Estate In Oak Park Illinois

Oak Park, Illinois occupies an enviable position on the western border of Chicago, easily accessible to the Loop on the El. In fact, public transportation to the urban center was in place by the turn of the 20th century. Oak Park is the oldest of Chicago's suburbs, and because it was the home of Ernest Hemingway and Frank Lloyd Wright, probably the best known.

This is a village that has changed with the times while never losing its own particular character and identity. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Oak Park was flooded by new residents who had lost their homes. In the early 1900s, it was dominated by Victorian, Tudor and Queen Anne style homes. The arrival of Frank Lloyd Wright, with his concept of open interiors and exteriors that harmonized with their surroundings, provided a new vision for the village. There are still many homes designed by Wright and his followers that are carefully preserved in Oak Park.

In the 1960s and early '70s, when nearby communities were overwhelmed with violence in the wake of attempts at desegregation, the governing officials of Oak Park designed a proactive program to welcome newcomers without white flight, blockbusting tactics, violence or ghettoization. This intelligent approach allowed the community to make a peaceful transition to the cosmopolitan, multicultural population that resides there today.

Real estate in Oak Park remains an excellent investment. Careful stewardship of the community assures that property values remain high. Oak Park is an excellent place to combine suburban comfort with easy access to city excitement.