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Oak Park

Wright's Hometown, Hemingway's Birthplace

21stops
2.3miles
1h 29mwalking
$2.99in the app

Oak Park, a leafy village just west of Chicago, has two famous sons. Frank Lloyd Wright lived and worked here for twenty years, invented the Prairie house on these streets and left behind the largest collection of his buildings anywhere. Ernest Hemingway was born here in 1899, grew up a few blocks away and left as soon as he could. This walk takes you from Wright's concrete Unity Temple and Hemingway's birthplace to Wright's own home and studio, the houses he designed in secret, a row of Prairie houses along Forest Avenue and an ice cream parlor from 1919. Wright's buildings can only be seen inside on guided tours, so book ahead if you want to go in.

Nearest 'L' station
Oak Park Green · 4 min walk to the start
Map of the Oak Park walking route with its 21 stops
The route of the Oak Park walk. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

The first 3 stops

Try these stops for free in the app. The full stories and directions are waiting for you there.

  1. 1Scoville Park

    The bronze soldiers on the granite monument are Peace Triumphant, Oak Park and River Forest's memorial to the First World War, dedicated on November 11, 1925, with Vice President Charles Dawes in the crowd.

  2. 2Percy Julian

    Percy Julian, honored by the bronze bust by the library, was a Black chemist who turned soybeans into medicines, among them a cheap way to make cortisone.

  3. 3Unity Temple

    In June 1905 lightning set fire to Oak Park's Unitarian church, and the congregation, short of money, hired a 38-year-old member named Frank Lloyd Wright.

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18 more stops to discover

In the app, Oak Park will be $2.99 for the full 2.3 mi route: every stop's photos and stories, and GPS guidance that tells you when you've arrived.

Coming soon to the PaveTrail app. The Chicago walks are on their way; New York's 26 walks are in the app now.

Also on this walk: Hemingway Birthplace, Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Harrison Young House and more

Sights

  • Austin Gardens
  • Beachy House
  • Copeland House
  • Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
  • Frank W. Thomas House
  • Harrison Young House
  • Hemingway Birthplace
  • Heurtley House
  • Hills-DeCaro House
  • Lake Theatre
  • Laura Gale House
  • Moore-Dugal House
  • The Bootleg Houses

Food and drink

  • Lou Malnati's
  • Petersen's Ice Cream
  • Poor Phil's
  • Sugar Fixé

Shops

  • The Book Loft
Oak Park · Coming soon to the appAll Chicago walks