Park Forest House Museum

The 1950s Park Forest House Museum, 227 Monee Road (inside St. Mary’s Catholic Church) in Park Forest, Illinois, represents an original rental townhome, furnished as it might have been from 1948-1953, the first five years of the village. Park Forest is the first fully-planned, post-World War II suburb, built to give preference to returning World War II veterans. It was the subject of William H. Whyte's, "Organization Man," and of Gregory Randall's, "America's Original GI Town." Originally the 50th Anniversary House Museum, it began in September 1998 as a two month temporary exhibit in an original rental townhome. It was located at 397 Forest Boulevard, moved to 141 Forest Blvd. in 2007. Since September 2015 it has been in two classrooms of the former St. Mary’s Catholic School. The Park Forest Historical Society also operates an Archive in Room 2 of the smaebuilding. The museum is closed in January, except by appointment, weather permitting. The Archive is open Friday mornings.