Homes For Sale In Oak Park Illinois

Oak Park, Illinois is a community justly proud of its heritage. It's the oldest suburb of Chicago and was connected to downtown by public transportation by the turn of the 20th century. It's the birthplace of Ernest Hemingway as well as Bob Newhart, Betty White and many other notables. Of all the famous people who have called Oak Park home, such as the founder of McDonald's, the creator of Tarzan and the voice of Homer Simpson, the architect Frank Lloyd Wright has had the most lasting influence.

Wright's Prairie homes were said to be influenced by the landscape around Chicago. The long, low lines, shallow roofs, clean geometry and often daring overhangs and cantilevers allowed the houses to reflect and complement their natural surroundings. Many of his visionary designs are still private residences in Oak Park.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Oak Park entered a new era. The eastern area, bordering the Chicago neighborhood of Austin, was nearly 50 percent apartment buildings. As African Americans moved into Austin, desegregation quickly led to white flight, violence and resegregation. In order to prevent that from happening in Oak Park's lower-income areas, the community leaders took action to ensure a peaceful and non-discriminatory transition into today's culturally diverse population.

Today, it remains a village that takes care of its homes and its inhabitants. With its eclectic mix of older styles such as Victorian, Queen Anne and Tudor styles, the Prairie houses of Wright and his followers, and new construction in contemporary styles, there is a home for everyone in Oak Park.