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

Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden

Photographed by Sean Flynn

1. Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden Marker

Inscription.
In remembrance of
Ernest M. Hemingway
Author, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize recipient
Born in Oak Park July 21, 1899
Class of 1917
Oak Park & River Forest High School

A gift to the community from the Rotary Club of Oak Park
Commemorating 75 years of service 1920-1995

Constructed in cooperation with the Village of Oak Park and Oak Park & River Forest High School

Dedicated March 27, 1996

[Back:]

In honor of past and present members of the Rotary Club of Oak Park
The personalized bricks were contributed to help fund this remembrance garden

*******

Restoration of the lamps from the original high school entrance on Ontario St. was made possible by a gift from the Class of 1934

Erected 1996 by Rotary Club of Oak Park.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the Rotary International series list.

Location. 41° 53.409′ N, 87° 47.293′ W. Marker is in Oak Park, Illinois, in Cook County. It is at the intersection of North Scoville Avenue and Ontario Street, on the right when traveling south on

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North Scoville Avenue. The marker is located next to the main entrance of Oak Park and River Forest High School, on N. Scoville Ave, across the street from (and a few yards to the south of) the intersection with Ontario. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 201 North Scoville Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302, 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: Oak Park and River Forest High School World War I Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Dan Stratis (approx. 0.2 miles away); Oak Park Spanish-American War Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ridgeland School (approx. 0.3 miles away); Continental Divide (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Continental Divide (approx. 0.3 miles away); Scoville Park's Designer: Jens Jensen (approx. 0.3 miles away); Scoville Park is the Heart of Oak Park (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oak Park.

More about this marker. The home where Hemingway was born, on Oak Park Avenue about five blocks from OPRF, is today the Hemingway Birthplace Museum. Hemingway spent most of his childhood in another home, about four blocks northwest of his birthplace; that site is a private home today and has a historical marker in the front yard.

Regarding Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden. Ernest Hemingway was born and raised

Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean Flynn, May 31, 2023

2. Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden

in Oak Park, and he attended Oak Park and River Forest High School from 1913 to 1917. During his high school years, Hemingway was active in extracurricular activities, writing for the student newspaper and the school's literary magazine, participating on athletic and debate teams, and acting in a school play. After graduating from OPRF in June 1917, Hemingway took a job as a reporter for The Kansas City Star before sailing to Europe in 1918 to drive a Red Cross ambulance during World War I. As he became one of America's preeminent writers, he seldom returned home to Oak Park, and set none of his novels in his hometown. Hemingway died by suicide in 1961 in Idaho; his father, Clarence, had committed suicide in Oak Park in 1928.

Also see . . . Hemingway at Oak Park and River Forest High School. An article from the Hemingway Birthplace Museum in Oak Park. (Submitted on July 2, 2023.)

Photographed by Sean Flynn

3. Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden Marker

Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden Honors image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean Flynn

4. Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden Honors

Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden: Quote 1 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean Flynn

5. Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden: Quote 1

Photographed by Sean Flynn

6. Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden: Quote 1

Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden Marker: Quote 3 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean Flynn

7. Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden Marker: Quote 3

Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden Quote 4 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean Flynn

8. Ernest Hemingway Remembrance Garden Quote 4

"Oak Park High School Class of 1917. Includes Ernest and Marcelline Hemingway." image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Unknown, 1917

9. "Oak Park High School Class of 1917. Includes Ernest and Marcelline Hemingway."

A photo of OPRF's class of 1917, in front of the school's original entrance on Ontario. According to an inscription on the back of the photo, Ernest is in the top row, third from the left; his older sister Marcelline is eighth from the left in the second row. Note one of the lamps that is now part of the Hemingway Remembrance Garden.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 31, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 687 times since then and 79 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on May 31, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 7, 8, 9. submitted on June 2, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.