Oak Park has an outstanding plethora of cultural gems within such a small geographic radius. A lesser know landmark within the Village of Oak Park is Pleasant Home. Noted as an early example of America's prairie style homes it offers a fascinating insight into life over a hundred years ago and the innovations of technology within domestic life. Pleasant Home was originally owned by John Larson and was later purchased by the Mills family (the house is within Mills Park), and is situated within walking distance from Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple and his home and studio.
Most notably about the actual house is its elaborate hand carved architectural details, stained glass, and overall craftsmanship. I think that Pleasant Home is a real treasure to Oak Park and surrounding area and I'm really hope to get more involved in supporting it.
The village of Oak Park has many great features and amenities, including the fantastic Oak Park Public Library, which has two satellite locations around the village. The main branch is located next to Scoville Park, centrally located in Oak Park, and it's close to Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple. The main branch is in a sleek contemporary building that features large glass windows, modern lighting fixtures, and a really great art gallery. Like many public libraries, Oak Park offers an array of books, digital services, and community programs. The public art display at the library is exceptional and I am going to write a blog specifically about artworks within their collection in a couple of weeks. I hope to frequent the library a lot in the future and learn more about their collection of art and books.
Unity Temple is an Unitarian Universalist house of worship that was designed by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Built at the beginning of the 19th century, the church is a wonderful example of Wright's personal beliefs and his aesthetic vision. The church is about to undergo a major year-long renovation that will update HVAC systems, structural issues, and preservation of the historical integrity of the building. The congregation will be moving it's services to a local Lutheran church from June 2015 to September 2016. John and I have been thrilled to have gone to several services inside the historic building before the major construction work begins and we can't wait to see how the renovations progress.
