It isn’t often that a local historical society gets to reclaim its own piece of history. But that is happening right now at the corner of Lake and Lombard as the Historical Society of Oak Park-River Forest works furiously, and with many partners and benefactors, to convert an aged, village-owned structure into its new home.
No one who attended an eye-opening open house last week would say exactly when the new facility will open. Still too many variables in old-building surprises, funding uncertainties and scheduling of all the people and organizations helping make this real.
But it is clear that 2016 will be the year that the one-time firehouse/pumping station/public works offices will be restored to its full possibilities. The opening may come in stages, says Frank Lipo, the society’s executive director, and don’t be surprised if he asks you, your Boy Scout troop, or church organization to carry over a load of artifacts from the current semi-invisible home on the top floors of Pleasant Home. He needs all the help he can get and he isn’t shy about asking.
Last Thursday evening, the rough space was opened to the curious and the committed. Among the grand discoveries of recent months, said Lipo, was the hole for the fireman’s pole between the second and the first floor. There’s no pole at the moment, but there could be. Also, with no particular expectations, the removal of layers of plaster from the first floor walls and ceiling revealed nothing but handsome, historic, elegant bead board.
Today everyone sees it as an unexpected treasure, but Lou Garapolo, the architect on the project, said that way back it was seen simply as a sturdy and inexpensive building material.
Like many aspects of this all-in project, the demolition work on the interior was done by crews volunteered by Willis and Shirley Johnson, owners of the Lake Theatre and many other historic movie houses across the suburbs. These guys know a thing or two about the big surprises behind old walls.
Everyone connected with the project seems to have local ties, including Mark Nussbaum, who designed and installed the thoroughly up-to-date geothermal heating and cooling system, and Tim Kelly, the one-time park district commissioner and now the contractor on the job. McAdam Landscaping was busy installing the exterior landscaping and Chris Ware, the local illustrator known for his New Yorker covers, has drawn an image of the restored building that will be sold as a fundraiser.
Boosters will note that the addition of the society is just the latest upside on the once overlooked east Lake Street stretch that now sports a new park district gymnastics center, Pete’s Fresh Market, and the School of Rock.
And because nothing comes cheap and because the state of Illinois does not deliver funding it has promised, the historical society last week unveiled its largest contribution to date. A cool $100,000 was donated by Patricia and Kendall Hunt and their T. Kendall Hunt Family Foundation. These are local people who moved into a Wright home in Oak Park a few years back and have now put a marker in place. But in addition to the initial $100K, the foundation has pledged another $100,000 if others will match it dollar for dollar in the next year.
This is the sort of money — along with the excited sales of various light fixtures and a toilet or two during last week’s open house — that will not only finish off the project but could leave the society with some money in the bank for operations.
There aren’t many more grassroots outfits in these towns than the Historical Society. Driven by a board steeped in our history and intoxicated by the scope of what they are about to accomplish and led by Lipo, the fast-talking history enthusiast, these folks are making history in all sorts of ways.
