Oak Forest, Illinois
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Oak Forest is a city in
Cook County, Illinois Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 20 ...
,
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. The city is out south-southwest of downtown
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
in Bremen Township. Per the 2020 census, the population was 27,478.


History

Human habitation in Oak Forest began during the early
Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...
. This is made evident by the remains of hunting camps on what would become the grounds of the city's hospital. Several millennia later, the final known indigenous settlement in Oak Forest, a Potawatomi
longhouse A longhouse or long house is a type of long, proportionately narrow, single-room building for communal dwelling. It has been built in various parts of the world including Asia, Europe, and North America. Many were built from timber and often rep ...
village, was established nearby. However, it was abandoned by the 1620s. The origins of present-day Oak Forest begins with a railroad whistle stop on the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock. At the end ...
1 block south of the intersection of 167th street and Central Avenue which primarily served area dairy farmers. This stop was located in a largely forested area of what was previously known as the Cooper's Grove Stand of Timber. By the 1880s this particular area of timber was being referred to as the "Oak Forest" due to its abundance of oak trees. A section of the former "Cooper's Grove Road" paralleling the railroad track from 66th Court to 167th Street in Tinley Park became known as "Oak Forest Avenue," because it was the road from the Village of Bremen/New Bremen (now Tinley Park) that lead to this "Oak Forest." In 1907, Cook County approved construction of a second county
poor farm A poorhouse or workhouse is a government-run (usually by a county or municipality) facility to support and provide housing for the dependent or needy. Workhouses In England, Wales and Ireland (but not in Scotland), ‘workhouse’ has been th ...
and infirmary on a site generally at the southeast corner of 159th Street and Cicero Avenue to address overcrowding conditions at the County Poor Farm in Dunning on the northwest side of Chicago. This location was very near the Rock Island railroad and a new railroad station was constructed northwest of the present day intersection of 159th Street (
US Route 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...
) and Cicero Avenue (
Illinois Route 50 Illinois Route 50 (IL 50) is a north–south state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the junction with U.S. Route 45 (US 45) and U.S. Route 52 (US 52) in West Kankakee north to US 41 in Skokie. In Chicago and the sub ...
), which provided convenient rail access to the facility. A railroad spur off of the Rock Island railroad line was also constructed onto the Oak Forest Hospital site that was used for both delivery of materials during its construction and delivery of coal for its heating plant and other goods used at the facility for many years. The Oak Forest Infirmary opened in 1910. Shortly after its opening, the facility accommodated close to 2,000 people suffering from poverty, mental illness,
alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...
, and other problems. The residents of the Infirmary helped maintain farmlands at and around the facility. By 1932, the Infirmary was serving more than 4,000 patients, including over 500 with
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
. Over the ensuing years following the opening of the Oak Forest Infirmary, a small settlement developed near both the railroad stop and the Oak Forest Infirmary populated by both workers at the facility and relatives of individuals in the Oak Forest facility. By the 1920s there were several residential subdivisions developing near the facility. The 1940 census reflected 611 residents outside the hospital. The hospital provided other business opportunities. For example, several mortuaries/funeral homes were to be found just outside the facility. In the 1930s, there were some efforts made to rename the community "Arbor Park." The proposed name did not gain much momentum, but the name did become memorialized in the name of the Arbor Park School District 145. In 1947, with a population of 1,618, the residents voted to incorporate as the Village of Oak Forest. It was reincorporated as a City in 1971. Christian Goesel and several relatives settled near 147th and Oak Park Avenue (then Bachelor's Grove Road) beginning in about 1861. In 1884, the Goeselville post office was established (replacing the East Orland Post Office) to continue to serve the small settlement in that general vicinity (which had previously been part of the larger area of the earlier Batchelor Grove settlement). This post office operated as a satellite of the New Bremen/Tinley Park post office until it was discontinued in 1903. At its peak there were about 30 residents in the Goeselville area, with a few general stores to supply the farmers. Parts of the former Goeselville settlement are now within the far northwestern boundaries of the City of Oak Forest. Although that post office has been closed for over 100 years, the Goeselville name occasionally continues to be found on current maps. On August 10, 2020, an EF1 tornado touched down in Oak Forest and caused significant damage to portions of the city. Extensive tree damage and long lasting power outages affected most of Oak Forest north of 155th Street.


Geography

Oak Forest is part of the
Chicago metropolitan area The Chicago metropolitan area, also colloquially referred to as Chicagoland, is a metropolitan area in the Midwestern United States. Encompassing 10,286 sq mi (28,120 km2), the metropolitan area includes the city of Chicago, its suburbs and hi ...
. It is mostly surrounded by
Cook County Forest Preserves The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is a governmental commission in Cook County, Illinois, that owns and manages a network of open spaces, containing forest, prairie, wetland, streams, and lakes, that are mostly set aside as natural areas ...
(hence the name). Some neighboring communities of Oak Forest include Crestwood to the north, Midlothian to the northeast,
Markham Markham may refer to: It may also refer to brand of of clothing which originates from South Africa which saw it's establishment in 1873. Biology * Markham's storm-petrel (''Oceanodroma markhami''), a seabird species found in Chile and Colombia * ...
to the east, Country Club Hills to the southeast, Tinley Park to the southwest,
Orland Park Orland Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion in Will County. The village is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, Orland Park had a population of 58,703. Located 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Chicago ...
to the west, and beyond
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery Bachelor's Grove Cemetery is a cemetery in Bremen Township, Cook County, Illinois, in Chicago's southwest suburbs. The cemetery has also been called Bachelor Grove, Batchelor Grove, Batchelder's Grove, and Everden (or Everdon). This cemetery is ...
and Forest Preserve is Palos Heights to the northwest. According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Oak Forest has a total area of , of which (or 99.21%) is land and (or 0.79%) is water.


Wards

The City of Oak Forest is split into 7 wards and each ward is represented by an
Alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...
.


Demographics

As of the 2020 census there were 27,478 people, 10,102 households, and 7,219 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 10,750 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 71.60%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 7.52%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 4.82%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.59% Native American, 0.02%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 6.61% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 8.85% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 16.53% of the population. There were 10,102 households, out of which 51.12% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.67% were married couples living together, 8.31% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.54% were non-families. 23.37% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.38% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 2.71. The city's age distribution consisted of 21.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $78,865, and the median income for a family was $94,225. Males had a median income of $49,488 versus $35,735 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $35,289. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over. ''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''


Arts and culture

Every July in Oak Forest is a Festival known as Oak Fest. They host live music, fireworks and other events. The commission responsible for this event was dissolved in 2020, making Oak Fest 2019 the final one.


Education

Public grade school districts in Oak Forest include
Forest Ridge School District 142 Forest Ridge School District 142 is a school district headquartered in Oak Forest, Illinois in Greater Chicago.Home
Forest Ridge School District 142. Re ...
, Arbor Park School District 145, and
Tinley Park Community Consolidated School District 146 Community Consolidated School District 146 is located in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is home to approximately 2500 students. The Administration Center is located at 6611 W 171st Street in Tinley Park Tinley P ...
. The city also includes one parochial Pre-K through 8 elementary school
St. Damian School
named for its connection to Oak Forest Hospital. Oak Forest is home to
Oak Forest High School Oak Forest High School is a public high school located in Oak Forest, Illinois. It is part of Bremen Community High School District 228 which also includes Tinley Park High School, Hillcrest High School and Bremen High School. It serves most of ...
, one of four high schools in
Bremen Community High School District 228 Bremen High School District 228 is a public four year high school district covering about in Bremen Township. It serves the communities of Midlothian, Posen, Tinley Park, Markham, Hazel Crest, Country Club Hills, and Oak Forest in southern Co ...
. Some of Oak Forest feeds into
Tinley Park High School Tinley Park High School, TPHS or simply Tinley is a public high school located in Tinley Park, Illinois, approximately 30 miles southwest of Chicago. It is part of Bremen Community High School District 228 which also includes Oak Forest High School ...
. A portion of Oak Forest west of Ridgeland Avenue feeds into Victor J. Andrew High School. A small portion of Oak Forest feeds into
Carl Sandburg High School Carl Sandburg High School, Sandburg, or CSHS, is a public four-year high school located at the intersection of La Grange Road and Southmoor Drive in Orland Park, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is ...
. Oak Forest is part of Community College District 510 (South Suburban College). Higher education is also readily available at the
South Suburban College South Suburban College is a public community college in South Holland, Illinois. It has a second campus in Oak Forest, Illinois. History South Suburban College was founded in 1927 as Thornton Junior College. At that time, the college was an ext ...
University and College Center, and there are branches of University of St. Francis,
Chicago State University Chicago State University (CSU) is a predominantly black public university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1867 as the Cook County Normal School, it was an innovative teachers college. Eventually the Chicago Public Schools assumed control of t ...
,
Governors State University Governors State University (Governors State or GOVST) is a public university in University Park, Illinois. The campus is located south of Chicago, Illinois. GSU was founded in 1969. It is a public university offering degree programs at the und ...
and
Illinois Institute of Technology Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Tracing its history to 1890, the present name was adopted upon the merger of the Armour Institute and Lewis Institute in 1940. The university has prog ...
. Chicago Gaelic Park, a banquet facility open to the public with three banquet rooms, an outdoor patio, new landscaping for outdoor ceremonies or events and The Carraig Irish Pub, a restaurant for dine in or carry out. Gaelic Park also has a sport field for Irish games as it also promotes the Irish culture through sports, music, dance and theatre.


Notable places

*
Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County is a 600+ bed hospital located in south suburban Oak Forest, Illinois. It specializes in long-term care, ventilator care, chronic disease and rehabilitation services. It is part of the Cook County Bureau of ...
, a large hospital specializing in long-term care and some other varieties of care *
George W. Dunne Golf Course and Driving Range George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Preside ...
, located in Oak Forest just south of 159th Street (
U.S. Route 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...
) *
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery Bachelor's Grove Cemetery is a cemetery in Bremen Township, Cook County, Illinois, in Chicago's southwest suburbs. The cemetery has also been called Bachelor Grove, Batchelor Grove, Batchelder's Grove, and Everden (or Everdon). This cemetery is ...
, near Oak Forest in the Rubio Forest Preserve


Politics

Most of Oak Forest is part of
Illinois's 1st congressional district Illinois's first congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Illinois. Based in Cook County, the district includes much of the South Side of Chicago, and continues southwest to Joliet. From 2003 to early 2013 it ext ...
and is represented in the
U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
by
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
Bobby Rush Bobby Lee Rush (born November 23, 1946) is an American politician, activist and pastor who served as the U.S. representative for for three decades. A civil rights activist during the 1960s, Rush co-founded the Illinois chapter of the Black Pant ...
. Some very small areas totaling under at the city's southeast edge are in the 2nd district. Oak Forest is a part of 3 state legislative districts of the Illinois General Assembly. The 14th senate/28th house district, which lies west of Central Ave. and north of 159th St., the 15th senate/30th house district, which lies east of Central Ave., and the 19th senate/38th house district, which lies west of Long Ave. and south of 159th St. These districts are represented by state senators
Emil Jones, III Emil Jones III Site variously referred to Jones as "Emil Jones, III"; "Emil Jones III"; and "Mr. Emil Jones Jr. III" (born May 16, 1978) is the Illinois State Senator for the 14th Senate District since 2010. The 14th district covers all or pa ...
,
Napoleon Harris Napoleon Bill Harris, III (born February 25, 1979) is an American politician and former American football linebacker who has been a member of the Illinois Senate representing the 15th district since 2013. The 15th district stretches from Blue Is ...
, and Michael Hastings; and representatives
Robert Rita Robert "Bob" Rita (born October 2, 1969) is a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives for the 28th District since January 8, 2003. Rita is also the Calumet Township Democratic committeeman and a trustee on the township board ...
, William Davis, and
Al Riley Al Riley (born March 4, 1953) was a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 38th District between January, 2007 and January 2019. The district includes all or portions of Country Club Hills, Flossmoor, F ...
, respectively.


Transportation

Oak Forest is served by
U.S. Route 6 U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...
(159th Street) and
Illinois Route 50 Illinois Route 50 (IL 50) is a north–south state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the junction with U.S. Route 45 (US 45) and U.S. Route 52 (US 52) in West Kankakee north to US 41 in Skokie. In Chicago and the sub ...
(Cicero Avenue). Central Avenue serves as a sort of Main Street for Oak Forest, where the local
Jewel-Osco Jewel-Osco is a regional supermarket chain in the Chicago metropolitan area, headquartered in Itasca, a western suburb. In 2007, the company had 188 stores across northern, central, and western Illinois; eastern Iowa; and portions of northwest ...
,
Food 4 Less Food 4 Less is the name of several grocery store chains, the largest of which is currently owned by Kroger. It is a no-frills grocery store where the customers bag their own groceries at the checkout. Kroger operates Food 4 Less stores in the ...
, post office, Acorn Public Library, Oak Forest Park District, Police Station/Fire Department/City Hall, and
Oak Forest High School Oak Forest High School is a public high school located in Oak Forest, Illinois. It is part of Bremen Community High School District 228 which also includes Tinley Park High School, Hillcrest High School and Bremen High School. It serves most of ...
are all located.
Interstate 57 Interstate 57 (I-57) is a north–south Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central Railroad for much of its route. It runs from Sikeston, Missouri, at I-55 to Chicago, Illinois, at I-94. I-57 ess ...
crosses the southeast corner of Oak Forest, just north of its intersection with
Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
. Exit 346 on I-57 (167th Street) is the closest access point, while Exit 348 (U.S. Route 6) is just to the east, across Pulaski Road/Crawford Avenue. The
Tri-State Tollway The Tri-State Tollway is a toll highway in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. It follows: *Interstate 80 from I-94/I-294/IL 394 in South Holland to I-294 in Hazel Crest; *Interstate 294 from I-80/I-94/IL 394 in South Holl ...
(
I-294 Interstate 294 (I-294) is a tolled auxiliary Interstate Highway in northeastern Illinois. It forms the southern portion of the Tri-State Tollway in Illinois. I-294 runs from South Holland at I-80/ I-94 and Illinois Route 394 (IL 394) to ...
) is also accessible a few miles east of Oak Forest.
Pace (transit) Pace is the suburban bus and regional paratransit division of the Regional Transportation Authority in the Chicago metropolitan area. It was created in 1983 by the RTA Act, which established the formula that provides funding to the Chicago Tra ...
bus route 354 runs from
Harvey Harvey, Harveys or Harvey's may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Harvey'' (play), a 1944 play by Mary Chase about a man befriended by an invisible anthropomorphic rabbit * Harvey Awards ("Harveys"), one of the most important awards ...
down 147th and Central Avenue through Oak Forest to Tinley Park. Pace bus route 364 runs from
Hammond, Indiana Hammond ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area, and the only city in Indiana to border Chicago. First settled in the mid-19th century, it is one of the oldest cities of northern Lake County. As of the ...
, to Orland Square Mall in
Orland Park Orland Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion in Will County. The village is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, Orland Park had a population of 58,703. Located 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Chicago ...
down 159th Street (U.S. Route 6) through Oak Forest and other south suburbs. Pace bus route 383 runs down Cicero Avenue (Illinois Route 50) from
Chicago Midway International Airport Chicago Midway International Airport , typically referred to as Midway Airport, Chicago Midway, or simply Midway, is a major commercial airport on the Southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the Lo ...
in the south side of Chicago to 159th Street at Oak Forest Hospital. The Oak Forest station of the
Metra Metra is the commuter rail system in the Chicago metropolitan area serving the city of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs via the Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and other railroads. The system operates 242 stations on 11 rail lines. I ...
commuter rail line, located at 159th and Cicero, is a popular option for commuters to
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
. This station is part of the
Rock Island District The Rock Island District (RI) is a Metra commuter rail line from Chicago, Illinois, southwest to Joliet, Illinois, Joliet. Metra does not refer to its lines by color, but the timetable accents for the Rock Island District line are "Rocket Red" i ...
Metra line that runs between Joliet and the
LaSalle Street Station LaSalle Street Station is a commuter rail terminal at 414 South LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. First used as a rail terminal in 1852, it was a major intercity rail terminal for the New York Central Railroad until 1968, and for the Chicago, ...
in the
Chicago Loop The Loop, one of Chicago's 77 designated community areas, is the central business district of the city and is the main section of Downtown Chicago. Home to Chicago's commercial core, it is the second largest commercial business district in Nort ...
.


Recent developments


Gateway Project

In spring 2005, Mayor Patrick M. Gordon with the assistance from ZPDA, Baxter and Woodman and city staff announced plans for a "Gateway Project", consisting of a
mixed-use Mixed-use is a kind of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning type that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to som ...
commercial and residential development at the corner of Illinois Route 50 (Cicero Avenue) and 159th Street. The project is said to provide the community with a transit-oriented development at the METRA commuter rail line. The development was promoted by the mayor as greatly enhancing the tax base of the city and generating additional commercial interest in the Cicero Avenue Corridor. In 2008, the city broke ground on the Gateway Development at the northwest corner of 159th Street and Cicero Avenue. Construction of the mixed-use development will bring more than of new retail and restaurant space and approximately 80 residential units to the city. In spring 2012, the Gateway Project still has the same two buildings built in 2008. PNC Bank, which was the bank branch from 2009 to spring 2012, has relocated to Tinley Park. Currently, CVS Pharmacy, which opened doors in 2008, is still there. In 2016, a 2 unit building was built between the
CVS Pharmacy CVS Pharmacy, Inc. is an American retail corporation. A subsidiary of CVS Health, it is headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. It was also known as, and originally named, the Consumer Value Store and was founded in Lowell, Massachusetts, in ...
and First Savings Bank of Hegewisch, which was bought by
Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
and
ATI Physical Therapy ATI Physical Therapy is an American provider of physical therapy services based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
opened in fall 2016.


Fresenius Medical Care Center

In June 2012 a developer proposed to the city council to develop the Fresenius Medical Care Center. Later that month, the city council approved it to be developed. The city council chose a suitable location for it, near 159th on Lorel Avenue. The Medical Center is to serve as a
kidney dialysis Kidney dialysis (from Greek , , 'dissolution'; from , , 'through', and , , 'loosening or splitting') is the process of removing excess water, solutes, and toxins from the blood in people whose kidneys can no longer perform these functions natura ...
center. In October 2012, the builder Net3 Real Estate bought the land for $270,000. Later that month, the builder broke ground. The center is due to be complete in spring 2013.


Notable people

*
Tim Byrdak Timothy Christopher Byrdak (born October 31, 1973) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He has pitched for the Kansas City Royals, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros and New York Mets of Major League Baseball (ML ...
, former Major League baseball pitcher for the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
and Kansas City Royals; graduate of
Oak Forest High School Oak Forest High School is a public high school located in Oak Forest, Illinois. It is part of Bremen Community High School District 228 which also includes Tinley Park High School, Hillcrest High School and Bremen High School. It serves most of ...
(1991) *
Tevin Coleman Tevin Ford Coleman (born April 16, 1993) is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college fo ...
, NFL running back for the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...
; graduate of Oak Forest High School *
Jason Frasor Jason Andrew Frasor (born August 9, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He made his debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2004, and had a 4.08 ERA in 63 games. He also played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, ...
, former Major League baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals and
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
; graduate of Oak Forest High School (1995) * Virginia Frederick, Illinois state representative *
Tom Gorzelanny Thomas Stephen Gorzelanny (born July 12, 1982) is a former American professional baseball pitcher who is currently the pitching coach for the minor league Amarillo Sod Poodles. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, ...
, former Major League baseball pitcher for the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
and
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
, grew up in Oak Forest * Lee Martin, Pulitzer Prize Finalist and author of ''The Bright Forever'' lived in Oak Forest and attended Kimberly Heights Elementary and Arbor Park Middle School from 1963 until 1969 * Chris Medina, competed on 2011 ''American Idol''; lived in Oak Forest *
Garry Meier Garry Meier (born December 2, 1949) is a Chicago-based radio personality who has been active in Chicago radio since 1973. Meier is well known for being part of the highly successful radio duos " Steve & Garry" and " Roe and Garry", but he also ho ...
, Chicago radio personality; lived in Oak Forest *
Jimmy Pardo James Ronald Pardo, Jr. (born July 28, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and host of the long-running comedy podcast '' Never Not Funny''. From the show's inception until mid-2015, he performed as the Conan O'Brien program ''Conan ...
, comedian and host of the podcast ''
Never Not Funny ''Never Not Funny'' is a podcast hosted by American comedian Jimmy Pardo, since spring 2006, currently releasing two episodes a week. He and producer/co-host Matt Belknap have appeared in every episode. Comedian Mike Schmidt appeared as co-host f ...
''; graduate of Oak Forest High School (1984) * Paul Runge, serial killer *
George Saunders George Saunders (born December 2, 1958) is an American writer of short stories, essays, novellas, children's books, and novels. His writing has appeared in ''The New Yorker'', '' Harper's'', ''McSweeney's'', and '' GQ''. He also contributed a w ...
, short story writer and essayist; graduate of Oak Forest High School *
Lisa Joann Thompson Lisa Joann Thompson (born April 22, 1969) is an American dancer, choreographer, actress, and model involved in multiple areas of show business. She was a Warrior Girl, Laker Girl, Fly Girl, Motown Live Dancer, and Backup dancer to some of th ...
, dancer, actress, choreographer (''
In Living Color ''In Living Color'' is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in ...
'', ''
Fame L.A. ''Fame L.A.'' is an American drama series that aired in syndication from 1997 to 1998. It told the story of a drama/dance school in Los Angeles where students honed their talents while overcoming various personal problems. It starred Heidi Noe ...
'', and ''
Motown Live Motown Live is an American television series showcasing live performances by music artists in the areas of rhythm & blues, hip hop, and popular music. The show had 13 episodes from 1998-1999. The show was hosted by Robert Townsend and Montell J ...
'') *
Rick Gorecki Richard John Gorecki (born August 27, 1973) is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball. Gorecki was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 19th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Draft. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil ...
, former Major League baseball pitcher for the
Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
and
Tampa Bay Devil Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home ve ...
; graduate of Oak Forest High School (1991)


References


External links


City of Oak Forest official website
{{Authority control Chicago metropolitan area Cities in Illinois Cities in Cook County, Illinois Populated places established in 1848 1900 establishments in Illinois