Events

Celebrate Juneteenth with us and learn about the contributions and influence African Americans had on our two villages. Grab your helmet and your water bottle and ride your bicycle over to Oak Park River Forest Museum for a bicycle tour led by Executive Director Frank Lipo on Thursday, June 19. We’ll meet in front of the museum, 129 Lake St., and the tour, expected to last about two hours, will

Join us at OPRF Museum on Tuesday, June 24 at 7 p.m., when The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest will host its 2025 Annual Meeting at Oak Park River Forest Museum. The meeting will include a brief business session and report on the 2024-25 fiscal year. There will be a presentation of the 2025-26 Board Slate for new and returning board members. In addition, we will bestow our annual

Ridgeland Ramble: A Walking Tour of This Distinctive Oak Park Neighborhood Join Museum guides for a walking tour along Lake Street and surrounding blocks and learn about the history, buildings, activities, and people of this east side neighborhood. Along the way you will learn about Oak Park's largest employer in 1900, the West Suburban Jewish Community Center, the boy who started a successful

Take a stroll with us through scenic, historic River Forest on West Side Stories: People and Architecture That Shaped River Forest! This walk up Edgewood Place and then south on Thatcher Avenue will demonstrate why these two streets are a living outdoor museum of architecture and village history. Hear fascinating and surprising stories about people who lived here, some of the renowned architects

History lovers and readers unite for the History Book Club. This month, we will discuss the book Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff. Book Club is open to all current members of The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest. Space may be limited. To reserve your place or check your membership status, please email oprfhistorymatters@sbcglobal.net or call 708-848-6755. And join us for the next

Be among the first to experience our new walking tour this season! Take a walk through time as we explore the historic area bordered by Lake Street, East Avenue, North Boulevard and Oak Park Avenue. You'll hear the fascinating stories behind familiar landmarks like the Scoville Block anchor buildings and the high school stadium. You’ll also learn about some of Oak Park’s long-lost buildings

Join us for this tour down Lake Street as Historical Society guides tell the stories of women in our community who broke down barriers in the fields of government and civic life, cultural affairs, and social services. You'll meet pioneers in fair housing and civil rights as well as a judge, a symphony conductor, and women on the war memorial in Scoville Park. The tour kicks off at 10 a.m. at the

Greater Downtown Oak Park boasts an array of marvelous examples of Art Deco design that are often overlooked. Join our guides on a walk down Lake Street as they point out many of these treasures that we walk past every day without noticing. The tour will start at 10 a.m. in the lobby of the Medical Arts Building, proceed along Lake Street toward Harlem Avenue, and then loop back toward the