Oak Park Illinois Homes

Homes may be more treasured in Oak Park, Illinois than they are anywhere else in the country. Oak Park is rich in history and has made it a point to preserve the character of the village as much as possible through changing times. Though there are certainly many newer homes and condos available, the signature style of Oak Park is an eclectic mix of Tudor, Victorian, Queen Anne and Prairie style homes--the latter a legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Ernest Hemingway was born here, and his birthplace and the surrounding neighborhood exemplify the characteristics of the village. His childhood home, built around 1890 by his maternal grandfather, stands at 339 North Oak Park Avenue. Designed by Wesley Arnold in the Queen Anne style, it is three stories of turrets, furbelows and bay windows.

The Hemingway home looms above the low, horizontally designed Prairie style houses that surround it. Frank Lloyd Wright and his followers believed in organic design and built houses that were intended to be in harmony with their surroundings. All extraneous detail is swept away, and the clean lines of the exteriors are reflected in the interior open floor plans, where space is organized by its function rather than being cut up into separate rooms.

Whichever style best pleases your taste, you can find magnificent old homes in Oak Park. Though the village has changed greatly since the mid-20th century, it retains the graciousness of an earlier era. Careful community preservation assures that property values remain high and elegance is treated with due respect.