The River Forest Historical Preservation Map is almost finished, according to Historic Preservation Commission Chair Tom Zurowski.
The document, which should be completed sometime in the fall, will have pictures of about three dozen architecturally and historically significant commercial and residential properties in the village along with a map of their location in town. The commission is still tweaking some of the accompanying text and is planning to sit down with the River Forest Village Board in August.Â
 “Part of our charge is to educate and inform folks,” Zurowski said, referring to his commission. “We thought a map would be a great tool. … We’re hoping we can get people excited about architecture in River Forest.”
Commissioners nominated properties from around River Forest and then worked to whittle down the list to something “consumable” that still captures the variety of architectural styles. The commission began its work after hearing about a similar effort in neighboring Maywood.Â
“The idea was to give people a flavor of the breadth of stuff in River Forest,” Zurowski said.Â
A draft document on the village’s website shows the variety and depth of architectural style available in River Forest. There are several Frank Lloyd Wright houses and other Prairie-style residences. The William Drummond House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is included. The David Cunningham Thatcher House, River Forest’s oldest residence — built in 1858 — and the late mob kingpin Tony Accardo’s former Franklin Avenue mansion are both listed, too, along with a few mid-century modern, Tudor, Romanesque and Spanish Renaissance homes, as well.