Oak Forest, Illinois

Oak Forest is a suburban city about 24 miles (39 km) south/southwest of downtown Chicago in Bremen Township in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 27,962 at the 2010 census.

History

The origins of present-day Oak Forest begins with a railroad whistle stop on the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad near the present day intersection of 159th Street (US Route 6) and Cicero Avenue (Illinois Route 50) which primarily served area dairy farmers. This stop was located in a largely forested area of what was previously known as the Cooper's Grove Stand of Timber. By the 1880s this particular area of timber was being referred to as the "Oak Forest" due to its abundance of oak trees. A section of the former "Cooper's Grove Road" paralleling the railroad track from 66th Court to 167th Street in Tinley Park became known as "Oak Forest Avenue," because it was the road from the Village of Bremen/New Bremen (now Tinley Park) that lead to this "Oak Forest."

Oak Forest, Houston

Coordinates: 29°49′41″N 95°25′31″W / 29.82806°N 95.42528°W / 29.82806; -95.42528

Oak Forest is a large residential community in northwest Houston, Texas, United States. Oak Forest is the third largest group of subdivisions in Harris County (behind Kingwood and Sharpstown).

History

Oak Forest was established in 1947 by Oak Forest Realty Corporation, owned by Frank Sharp, a developer who would later establish Sharpstown. Oak Forest Realty Corporation built houses only in Section 1 (Golf Dr to Oak Forest Dr, and Du Barry Ln to W 43rd St). Sharp would later develop the neighborhood for 17 additional sections by building streets and installing utility lines, but left the home construction to other contractors.

The first house, which served as a sales office, was built at the corner of Golf and Fisher Dr. Almost all of the first houses were sold to World War II veterans for $8,000-$10,000. One of the original homeowners, Ruth Metzger, bought her house in April 1947, when it was only a slab and still lived there through 2008.

Oak Forest station

The Oak Forest Metra station is located on the Rock Island District Metra line that runs between Joliet, Illinois and downtown Chicago, Illinois at the LaSalle Street Station. It is in Zone E according to Metra fee schedules based on distance from downtown Chicago. It is located at 159th Street (U.S. Route 6) and Cicero Avenue (Illinois Route 50) in south suburban Oak Forest, Illinois. There are several parking lots adjacent to the station, though they are being removed and relocated further away from the train station as part of Oak Forest Mayor JoAnn Kelly's Gateway Project.

In 2011 Oak Forest, then the second-busiest station on the Rock Island line with 1,500 daily commuters and 23 trains, received a $1.3 million grant from the United States Department of Transportation for modernization.

Tracks

There are 2 tracks at this station. On weekdays between 5a-2p trains from Chicago run on track 2 and trains to Chicago run on track 1. After 2p trains from Chicago run on track 1 and trains to Chicago run on track 2. On weekends all trains run on track 1, unless announced otherwise.