An article from OakPark.com outlines a new occupant for a historic Oak Park firehouse.
There was a lot less history to account for in the villages of Oak Park and River Forest in 1970 — the year the local historical society set up shop in a single room of the landmark Pleasant Home at 217 Home Ave. But over more than four decades, the society’s collection of historic material, including tens of thousands of photos, grew, and the single bedroom expanded to the entire second and third floors of the mansion, explained Frank Lipo, executive director of the Historical Society.
Lipo said that if all goes well … the society [will] relocate to the historic Cicero Firehouse, 129 Lake St., (also known as the pump house) at the corner of Lombard Avenue in Oak Park.
The Pleasant Home site currently offers about 5,000 square feet for the group, but the fire house location would provide roughly 7,500 square feet, said Lipo, noting that the society also aims to eventually build an addition that would give the group more exhibition space.
To prime the pump (house), they held an open house of the new location on Saturday and another is planned for Thursday, April 24, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Lipo said the group has raised $500,000 to set up a geothermal heating and cooling system at the new location and to facilitate the demolition and renovation of interior walls and remove drop ceilings.
thanks John
