| Oak Park, Illinois
is a suburb bordering the west side of the City of Chicago
in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Oak Park has
easy access to downtown Chicago (the Chicago Loop) thanks
to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue
and Green lines, CTA buses, and Metra commuter rail.
As of the 2000 census, the area had a total population
of 52,524. A census estimate for 2003 showed that the
population had dipped to 50,824.
The population of Oak Park boomed
during the 1870s, with Chicago residents resettling
in the suburb following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
The Village of Oak Park was formally established in
1902, following a referendum.
Oak Park has a history of alcohol
prohibition. From the time of its incorporation, no
alcohol was allowed to be sold within its village limits.
This law was relaxed in 1973, when restaurants and hotels
were allowed to serve alcohol. The law was further loosened
in 2002, when select grocery stores were given permission
to sell packaged liquor. Oak Park's expansive homes,
parks and an excellent school system have continued
to position the village very high among the suburbs
of Chicago. Recently, Oak Park demographics have shifted
from long-term, more conservative residents, to younger,
urban, more liberal residents.
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