Oak Park in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Scoville Park is the Heart of Oak Park

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, December 4, 2021

1. Scoville Park is the Heart of Oak Park Marker

Inscription.

Scoville Park is the Heart of Oak Park. . Located in the center of Oak Park, Scoville Park serves as both the figurative and geographic center of Oak Park. It was the first park established after the creation of the Park District of Oak Park in 1912, and was named after former landowner Charles B. Scoville. The World War I Monument now stands at the site of his original mansion. Scoville Park's original landscape was designed by famed landscaped architect Jens Jensen, who utilized densely layered plantings, existing mature trees and curvilinear pathways to create a structural framework for the park., Scoville Park is host to several events and festivals annually, including “A Day In Our Village,” held the first Sunday in June every year since 1973. Founded on the principle of showcasing the diversity of Oak Park, "A Day In Our Village” gives residents the opportunity to meet proprieters of local businesses as well as civic, cultural, and religious organizations in the community, all in the park's setting. The Park District of Oak Park also hosts an annual Summer Concert Series on Sunday evenings, as well as the occasional film screening., After many partial renovations since its inception, Scoville Park was selected for a complete renovation in 2012, funded in part by a $1.6 million Illinois Department of Natural Resources Park and Recreational Facility Construction Grant. The renovation was crafted in conjunction with public input and to honor several elements of Jensen's original design, preserving our "Village Green” for decades to come., SCOVILLE PARK, Scoville Park celebrated its centennial in 2012 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. For more information, please visit www.pdop.org., (photo captions:), Left to right from top: A colored photograph of the Scoville Mansion, pre-1920; a young resident gets a lift from his father at Day in Our Village; a conga line forming at a Summer Concert; the stage at the 2011 World War I War Memorial Rededication. Scoville Park celebrated its centennial in 2012 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. For more information, please visit www.pdop.org.

Located in the center of Oak Park, Scoville Park serves as both the figurative and geographic center of Oak Park. It was the first park established after the creation of the Park District of Oak Park in 1912, and was named after former landowner Charles B. Scoville. The World War I Monument now stands at the site of his original mansion. Scoville Park's original landscape was designed by famed landscaped architect Jens Jensen, who utilized densely layered plantings, existing mature trees and curvilinear pathways to create a structural framework for the park.

Scoville Park is host to several events and festivals annually, including “A Day In Our Village,” held the first Sunday in June every year since 1973. Founded on the principle of showcasing the diversity of Oak Park, "A Day In Our Village” gives residents the opportunity to meet proprieters of local businesses as well as civic, cultural, and religious organizations in the community, all in the park's setting. The Park District of Oak Park also hosts an annual Summer Concert Series on Sunday evenings, as well as the occasional film screening.

After

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many partial renovations since its inception, Scoville Park was selected for a complete renovation in 2012, funded in part by a $1.6 million Illinois Department of Natural Resources Park and Recreational Facility Construction Grant. The renovation was crafted in conjunction with public input and to honor several elements of Jensen's original design, preserving our "Village Green” for decades to come.

SCOVILLE PARK

Scoville Park celebrated its centennial in 2012 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. For more information, please visit www.pdop.org.

(photo captions:)

Left to right from top: A colored photograph of the Scoville Mansion, pre-1920; a young resident gets a lift from his father at Day in Our Village; a conga line forming at a Summer Concert; the stage at the 2011 World War I War Memorial Rededication. Scoville Park celebrated its centennial in 2012 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. For more information, please visit www.pdop.org.

Erected by Park District

Scoville Park is the Heart of Oak Park Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, December 4, 2021

2. Scoville Park is the Heart of Oak Park Marker - wide view

The marker is visible here between the trash can and the park bench on the right.

of Oak Park.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.

Location. 41° 53.344′ N, 87° 47.692′ W. Marker is in Oak Park, Illinois, in Cook County. It can be reached from the intersection of Lake Street and North Oak Park Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 800 Lake Street, Oak Park IL 60301, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Chicago.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Peace Triumphant (within shouting distance of this marker); Joseph and Betty Kettlestrings (within shouting distance of this marker); World War I Monument: Peace Triumphant (within shouting distance of this marker); Joseph Kettlestrings

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(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Percy L. Julian (about 300 feet away); Land Acknowledgement (about 300 feet away); Scoville Park's Designer: Jens Jensen (about 400 feet away); Continental Divide (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oak Park.

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 551 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 14, 2021, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.