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

Herbert S. Mills

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, March 27, 2025

1. Herbert S. Mills Marker

Inscription. 1910 CE

Herbert S. Mills purchases Pleasant Home

Erected 2012 by Park District of Oak Park.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.

Location. 41° 53.067′ N, 87° 48.128′ W. Marker is in Oak Park, Illinois, in Cook County. It is on South Marion Street south of Pleasant Street, on the right when traveling north. The stone is a part of a labyrinth located on the western edge of Mills Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 217 Home 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 25 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Village of Oak Park

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(here, next to this marker); Mills Estate Purchase (here, next to this marker); Pleasant Home Foundation (here, next to this marker); Pleasant Home (here, next to this marker); Mills Park Labyrinth (here, next to this marker); The Kettlestrings (here, next to this marker); First European Settlers in Illinois (here, next to this marker); Potowatamie (a few steps from this marker); Oak Savanna (a few steps from this marker); Hunter Gatherers (a few steps from this marker); End of the Wisconsin Ice Age (a few steps from this marker); Oak Park Sand Spit (a few steps from this marker); Beginning of the Wisconsin Ice Age (a few steps from this marker); Mills Park and Pleasant Home (a few steps from this marker); Sabre Tooth Tigers (a few steps from this marker); The Age of Mammals (a few steps from this marker); Illinois Tulley Monster (within shouting distance of this marker); Amphibians (within shouting distance of this marker); Ancient Illinois Climate (within shouting distance of this marker); Cambrian Sea (within shouting distance of this marker); Volcanoes (within shouting distance of this marker); Solar System (within shouting distance

Mills Park labyrinth image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, March 27, 2025

2. Mills Park labyrinth

of this marker); a different marker also named Mills Park and Pleasant Home (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Mills Park and Pleasant Home (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named Mills Park and Pleasant Home (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oak Park.

More about this marker. The stone is one of about 20 stone pavers in Mills Park that show the history of Oak Park from the dawn of the solar system through 2012. The pavers are part of a labyrinth embedded into the ground near the western entrance into Mills Park.

Regarding Herbert S. Mills. Herbert S. Mills was the owner of Mills Novelty, a company founded by his father, Mortimer, that made coin-operated devices such as slot machines and vending machines. Its best-known invention is likely the Violano Vitruoso, a self-playing combination violin-piano that was produced from around 1910 to 1930. Mills and his wife acquired Pleasant Home in Oak Park from the Farson family in 1910 and raised their eight children there. Mills died in Miami in 1929 after, according to the Chicago Tribune obituary,

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, March 27, 2025

3. Mills Park labyrinth

"being stricken with paralysis aboard his yacht." He was 57 years old. Mills is buried in All Saints Catholic Cemetery in Des Plaines, Illinois. The family sold Pleasant Home and the surrounding estate to the Park District of Oak Park in 1939.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. The Mills Park Labyrinth marker page includes a list of all 21 stones in the labyrinth in chronological order

Also see . . .
1. Herbert S. Mills obituary (1929). The obituary says that he was going to be buried in Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, however Mills was ultimately buried in All Saints Catholic Cemetery in Des Plaines. Also, while the obituary says he was 58, according to Find a Grave he was 57 when he died. (Submitted on March 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

2. About Mills Novelty Company. (Submitted on March 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
3. Pleasant Home history. (Submitted on March 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)

Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, March 27, 2025

4. Mills Park labyrinth

A nearby historical marker says that the labyrinth's artistic style was inspired by the architect George W. Maher, who designed the Pleasant Home, located in this park.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 361 times since then and 120 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 28, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3, 4. submitted on March 27, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.