[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16078]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE VILLAGE OF FOREST PARK, ILLINOIS ON ITS 100TH 
                           YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANNY K. DAVIS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 15, 2007

  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, 100 years ago the village of 
Harlem changed its name to Forest Park and since that time has 
functioned as a municipal government in the state of Illinois located 
in the western portion of Cook county. The village of Forest Park has 
had a very interesting origin and development. For thousands of years 
the Potowatomi Indians and their ancestors lived in the area. They 
buried their dead along the east bank of the Des Plaines River in the 
area that is now home of the Forest Home Cemetery. Des Plaines Avenue 
is known to have been an Indian trail. It lies on top of an ancient 
sandbar that was on the western edge of Lake Chicago, now Lake 
Michigan. After Illinois entered the Union, most of the land west of 
Chicago was set aside for veterans of the war of 1812. By 1835, the 
area was known as Oak Ridge because of the many oak trees. In 1839, a 
French and Indian trader, Leon Bourassa, received a land grant from 
President Martin Van Buren of 160 acres along the Des Plaines River 
north of what is now Roosevelt Road. By this time the Indians had been 
banished to west of the Mississippi River, but one Indian maiden 
remained to tend to the grave of her ancestors. According to legend, 
she married Leon and they settled here on land which is now part of 
Forest Home Cemetery. The deed for the government land Bourassa 
purchased was personally signed by President Martin Van Buren and is 
now kept in the Forest Park Library.
  The railroad came in 1856, bringing workers who established the first 
community settlement. A German immigrant, Ferdinand Husse, purchased 
land in 1851, mostly from Mr. Bourassa, and built a home styled after 
the manors of New Orleans that he had seen. When he buried 3 members of 
his family near the homestead, they became the first white settlers to 
be interred here. When the Chicago and Galena Union Railroad (now the 
Northwestern), established a division where Des Plaines Avenue now 
approaches the track in 1856, it marked the beginning of public 
transportation in the area. Soon after the railroad arrived, a nearby 
landowner, John Henry Quick, gave part of the area a new name, after 
his hometown in New York City (Harlem). In the aftermath of the Chicago 
fire in 1871, many refugees came to this area to build their homes, and 
their community continued to grow and develop.
  The Altenheim German Old People's Home opened in 1885 and boasts the 
original victorian building still in use. The building has been popular 
with Hollywood and it has been used as a location for three movies. In 
1973, 20th century film ``Harry and Fonte''. Art Carney, the film star, 
won an Oscar for his performance and in 1988, scenes were shot there 
with Gene Hackman in the package. Finally, in 1995, the building was 
again used for exterior shots for the movie ``The Babe'', starring John 
Goodman. In the Waldheim Cemetery now merged with Forest Home, are 
buried Albert Parsons, Adolph Spies, Adolph Fisher and George Engel. 
These 4 men were executed on November 11, 1887 for their alleged part 
in the Haymaker Riot. Waldheim, the only Cemetery that would accept the 
bodies, hosted over 15,000 persons who attended the funeral. Governor 
John Peter Altgeld later exonerated the men and pardoned 3 others 
sentenced to life imprisonment. These 7 soon became martyrs in the eyes 
of the labor movement. Ceremonies are now held at the gravesite each 
year honoring the fallen labor heroes.
  A sausage factory started in 1890 by Karl Lau became the area's first 
industry, the metropolitan westside ``El'' began electrified rapid 
transit service in 1895 and because it ran through Garfield Park, it 
became known as the Garfield Line.
  In 1897, the installation of electric lighting for ``whomever desired 
this service'', was available to those living or doing business on 
Madison Street, and the telephone came in 1898. In 1898, Nicholas Shank 
built the very tall multistory building known as the Castle (at Harlem 
and Madison) which still stands. It was said to be the tallest building 
between Chicago and St. Louis. By 1904, Henry J. Mohr had served 3 
terms as president of Harlem. After the village changed its name to 
Forest Park in 1907, he served 4 more terms from 1909 through 1912. The 
office of president was then changed to mayor in 1916 and of course, 
Mohr was elected to yet another 4 years. This time it became an 
extended period of 6 years because the election was not held at the 
proper time. Thus Henry J. Mohr was the last president and the first 
mayor of Forest Park, serving a record 13 years as head of local 
government. Of course Forest Park has continued to grow and develop 
into a city of great homes, schools, shopping centers, and recreational 
outlets. It is home to the world renowned Living Word Christian Center 
Complex Mall under the leadership of Pastor Bill Winston.
  Madam Speaker, I take this opportunity to congratulate mayor Anthony 
Calderone, trustees, other village officials and all citizens on the 
100th anniversary of the village of Forest Park, Illinois.

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