Development of the Village of Park Forest started in the late 1940s. The South Side planned community was centered on an open-air shopping plaza, originally known as its COMMERCIAL CENTER. The first stores opened in December 1949.
Drawing from American Community Builders, Incorporated
The first Park Forest abodes were rental units. In 1951, single-family "starter homes," such as the one depicted here, were offered for sale. Encompassing 974 square feet, and selling for between $12,500 and $13,600, the natural stone and brick structure was one of 5,700 single-family houses built in Park Forest during the 1950s.
