Schiller Park in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Great Escape Restaurant Building
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 13, 2025
1. The Great Escape Building marker
Fred Kolzes General Store 1889-1918
Papa Chris' Saloon 1918-1988
Summerfield's Restaurant 1988-1992
Erected by Schiller Park Historical Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1889.
Location. 41° 57.303′ N, 87° 51.926′ W. Marker is in Schiller Park, Illinois, in Cook County. It can be reached from West Irving Park Road (Illinois Route 19) 0.1 miles east of Grace Street, on the right when traveling west. The marker is near the entrance to the Great Escape Resturant. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9540 West Irving Park Road, Schiller Park IL 60176, 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
this page online
Regarding Great Escape Restaurant Building. The original building is still standing, but has been expanded over the past 130+ years. The location has been, for more than 25 years, a restaurant called the Great Escape.
Also see . . .
1. The History of the Great Escape Restaurant Building, Schiller Park, Illinois.
Excerpt: "The Great Escape is more than just a restaurant; it's a portal to the past, a place where the spirits of those who came before still roam. Many patrons and staff have reported strange occurrences, from unexplained noises and flickering lights to being watched(Submitted on May 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)by unseen eyes. Some say the ghost of Al Great still haunts the kitchen, ensuring that his signature recipes are perfectly prepared. Others claim to have seen the spectral figure of a woman in a long dress wandering through the dining room, her footsteps echoing through the centuries.Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 13, 20252. The Great Escape
"One of the most chilling stories is that of a former bartender who swore he saw the apparition of a man sitting at the bar, his face obscured by a wide-brimmed hat. The bartender approached the figure, offering him a drink, but the man simply vanished into thin air, leaving behind an icy chill and the faint scent of cigar smoke."
2. The Great Escape Restaurant. Website homepage:
Excerpt: "The bar and Banquet Room are part of the original structure built in 1889. The bar itself, hand-carved by the Chicago Bar Company, is a beautiful nod to the past, offering a glimpse of craftsmanship from over a century ago. Once at street level, the building featured swinging doors leading out onto a dirt road with hitching posts for horsesa true relic from a bygone era."(Submitted on May 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, May 13, 2025
3. The Great Escape
The marker is on the rear side of the building.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 279 times since then and 77 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 13, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
