Oak Park in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Land Acknowledgement
Photographed by Sean Flynn, May 31, 2024
1. Land Acknowledgement Marker
Erected by Oak Park Public Library.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Indigenous Peoples and Communities.
Location. 41° 53.34′ N, 87° 47.762′ W. Marker is in Oak Park, Illinois, in Cook County. It can be reached from Lake Street 0.1 miles west of Oak Park Avenue, on the right when traveling west. The marker is affixed to the window to the left of the front door of the Oak Park Public Library's main branch. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 820 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: Percy L. Julian (a few steps from this marker); Joseph and Betty Kettlestrings (a few steps from this marker); Joseph Kettlestrings (within shouting distance of this marker); Unity Temple (within shouting distance of this marker); World War I Monument: Peace Triumphant (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct
this page online
More about this marker. An identical marker can be found inside the library, between the enclosed vestibule and the main lobby.
Photographed by Sean Flynn, May 31, 2024
2. Oak Park Public Library
The land acknowledgement can be seen just to the left of the sliding doors. The building is the third library to sit on this site. The first incarnation, the Scoville Institute, named after donor James Scoville (namesake of the adjoining park) was completed in 1888 and torn down in the 1960s. The second public library building opened in 1964 and was replaced by the current one in 2003.
Photographed by Sean Flynn, May 31, 2024
3. Oak Park Public Library and Scoville Park
The Land Acknowledgement marker is in the background, near the sliding doors into the library. In the foreground is a 1927 memorial to Joseph Kettlestrings, who is considered the first white permanent settler in the area that is now called Oak Park. Kettlestrings and his family first moved to the area in 1835, two years after the Treaty of Chicago forced the last Potawatomi Indians in the area to resettle west of the Mississippi River.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 16, 2024. It was originally submitted on May 30, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 288 times since then and 35 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week November 9, 2025. Photos: 1. submitted on May 30, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 2, 3. submitted on May 31, 2024, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
