Events

"Whoo Whoo! - Next stop River Forest!" Meet us at the River Forest Methodist Church for a stroll through River Forest history. Learn about the oldest commercial building, the history of the train and its architecturally significant station, the “power couple” who helped bring the Columbian Exposition to Chicago, and much more as we take a sidewalk tour down the stretch of Keystone Avenue known as

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 18. We’ll meet in front of the museum, 129 Lake St., and the tour, expected to last about two hours, will

History lovers and readers unite for the History Book Club. This month, the group will discuss "The Great Halifax Explosion" by John Bacon. If you have a suggestion for a future book club discussion, please leave your suggestions in our Contact Form. 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

You’ve seen his cartoons in the Wednesday Journal, and now here’s your chance to hear the thoughts behind his work. Marc Stopeck will talk about his 35 years creating the political cartoon, "Shrubtown," for the local newspaper at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at OPRF Museum.

The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest will have its annual meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 30 at OPRF Museum. Everyone is invited to hear a recap of our past year, discuss plans for the future, and hear a special program of “insider stories” about our construction project currently underway.

Join us in Scoville Park on Wednesday July 8 when we will host a public reading of the Declaration of Independence at 5 p.m. Communities in U.S. states and territories will be simultaneously reading the Declaration, marking the anniversary of when it was first publicly read in 1776. Many community groups and organizations will be represented, each taking turns reading a part of the Declaration

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

Richard Fried, a retired history professor at University of Chicago-Illinois, will give a talk at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 12 at OPRF Museum about his fourth book, “The Man Everybody Knew: Bruce Barton and the Making of a Modern America.” Barton, a 1903 graduate of OPRF, was a pioneering advertising giant and co-founder of what became the Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn advertising agency (BBDO)

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