Oak Forest Real Estate Listings of Houses and Homes for Sale in Cook County, Illinois


	Oak Forest Houses for Sale

Oak Forest

Oak Forest was believed to have been settled first by a man named Cooper in the 1830s. In those days, the densely forested area was known as Cooper’s Grove. Farmers arrived in the region in the middle of the 19th century. About that same time, the name of the post office was changed from Cooper’s Grove to New Bremen. The origin of the name “Oak Forest” isn’t clearly documented, though historians assume it was a descriptive title earned for the area’s abundance of mature oak trees. The first known use of the name was in 1893 on a railroad schedule. Oak Forest became a village in 1947 and then incorporated as a city in 1971.

Although today’s Oak Forest is a relatively small community, the city does offer a full range of services. Features include the Acorn Public Library, Oak Forest Hospital, METRA commuter train station, PACE bus service, commuter parking lots and special services for seniors.

Recreational programs for all ages are managed by the Oak Forest Park District; the main facility and location of the health and fitness center is on Central Avenue. Oak Forest has 19 park sites and many walking and riding paths available for public use.

The community’s proximity to Chicago allows residents to take advantage of the many cultural, educational and entertainment opportunities of the Windy City. The Museum Campus area downtown is home to several renowned museums, including The Field Museum of Natural History, the Alder Planetarium and the Museum of Contemporary Art. For those who appreciate a more competitive type of fun, Chicago has its own professional baseball, basketball, hockey, football and soccer teams. And to top it off, the dining, nightlife and shopping opportunities in Chicago are practically endless.