Oak Park in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Henry W. Austin Memorial Plaza
Photographed by Sean Flynn
1. Henry W. Austin Memorial Plaza Marker
Founder and President 1892-1922
Chairman of the Board 1923-1947
In 1947 Henry Austin gave the land known as Austin Gardens at Ontario St. and Forest Ave. to the Park District of Oak Park
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.
Location. 41° 53.356′ N, 87° 48.151′ W. Marker is in Oak Park, Illinois, in Cook County. It is on Marion Street north of Lake Street. The marker is on the rear (north-facing) wall near the drive-through for Chase Bank (formerly home of Oak Park Trust & Savings). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1048 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: Austin Gardens Environmental Center (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The History of Austin Gardens (about 500 feet away); Austin Gardens Woodland Habitat (about 500 feet away); Mount Carmel Baptist Church (about 500 feet away); Birthplace of Oak Park (about 600 feet away); a different marker also named Austin Gardens Woodland Habitat (about 600 feet away); Continental Divide
this page online
More about this marker. The Oak Park Trust & Savings building was completed in 1923; today it is home to a Chase Bank branch. In 1947, Henry Austin donated the land that would become Austin Gardens, about 50 yards east, to the Park District of Oak Park, on the condition that it keep the Austin name; it officially became Park District property upon the death of Austin's wife in 1954.
Regarding Henry W. Austin Memorial Plaza. In Oak Park, the Austins purchased land on the north side of Oak Park's downtown from Joseph Kettlestrings, the area's first white settler; their home stood on Lake Street, not far from this marker. Henry Austin Sr. was also instrumental, as a state representative, in passing the Illinois Temperance Act in 1872, which, for all intents and purposes, established Oak Park as a "dry" village until the 1970s.
The Austin name remains prominent in Oak Park and the surrounding area beyond Austin Gardens. The Austin neighborhood of Chicago borders Oak Park about 1½ miles east of this spot; Austin Boulevard is the dividing street. Austin bought the marshy
Photographed by Sean Flynn, October 31, 2023
2. Henry W. Austin Memorial Plaza Marker
The marker is near the corner of the building.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. The History of Austin Gardens
Photographed by Sean Flynn, October 31, 2023
3. The Oak Park Trust & Savings building (built 1923)
The front of the Chase Bank. The marker can be found by going up Marion Street on the left of the building. Up close, the residue of the bank's original name can be seen behind the Chase sign that is now there at the top of the building.
©Indiana Limestone Company. Courtesy Indiana Geological and Water Survey, Indiana Univ., Bloomington, circa 1925
4. Oak Park Trust & Savings building
This historic photo was taken soon after the building was completed in the 1920s. It was found in the Indiana Limestone Photograph Collection, a trove of more than 25,000 photographs documenting the use of Indiana limestone in prominent buildings across the United States.
Courtesy of Newberry Library, circa 1900/1925
5. The Austin home
The Austin home, located roughly where Oak Park's Lake Theatre stands today, about 250 feet from the bank building.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 31, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 349 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 31, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 4. submitted on November 6, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 5. submitted on October 31, 2023, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
