Park Forest, IL, 60466
URL : http://www.parkforesthistory.org
overview : Park Forest, Illinois is the first fully-planned, post-World War II suburb. It is home to one of the first two shopping centers in the world.
The 1950s Park Forest House Museum, operated by the Park Forest Historical Society is in an original rental townhome, furnished as it might have been in the first five years of the village, 1948-1953. One room depicts a classroom in Forest Boulevard School. The first schools in the village were in rental townhomes, converted for that purpose.
Docents are on duty to tell the history of the village and to describe social and fashion trends of the period.
collections : The collection is household and classroom furnishings of the late 1940s and early 1950s. - It includes furniture, housewares, books, toys, dolls, dollhouses, dishes and linens, with some clothing. The museum is decorated for a 1950s Christmas during December, and for Valentine's Day in February.
hours (subject to change) : Open Saturdays 1-3 p.m., or by appointment. Closed January.
topics : 1950s, Park Forest, house museum, Baby Boom, Baby Boomers, Christmas, Valentines, vintage, vintage dolls, babydolls, Howdy Doody, Mid-century modern, architecture, shopping centers, history, mid-20th century, suburbs, suburbia, city planning, Organization Man, GI Town, veterans, World War II, post-World War II, 1940s, American Community Builders, Park Forest Historical Society, dollhouses, Forest Boulevard School, the rentals, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953.
