1950s Park Forest House Museum Tour Guides

The 1950s Park Forest House Museum, operated by the Park Forest Historical Society is in an original rental unit, furnished as it might have been from 1948-1953, the
first five years of Park Forest. Guides tell the story of the beginning of Park Forest, the first fully-planned post-World War II Suburb, and America's Original GI Town,
as well as describing the social and fashion trends of the period. One room is furnished like Forest Boulevard School, the first school in Park Forest, started in the
rental apartments.

Museum tour guides open the museum which is at 141 Forest Blvd in Park Forest (one block north of
the Police Station), in a very pleasant, historic rental area of Park Forest. Tour guides put up the open signs, open blinds, turn on lights and heat or air-conditioning, and
put small signs outside the building. A script is on site, which they will become familiar with, but are not required to memorize. They may also offer the written script to visitors so they can do a self-guided tour. We do ask guides try to give the introduction. Tour guides are trained by the museum director or an experienced docent. Except during holiday months, the docents generally work
alone. Parking for volunteers in just behind the building. There is also convenient street parking.

Tour guides handle small amounts of money for the museum admission or donation, and make
change for books, postcards, Marshall Field's bricks, scripts, etc., sold in the museum store.

There are two stairs leading in to the museum and about 20 stairs to the second story. There are about 10 steps to the museum basement.

Tour guides need not have ever lived in Park Forest or even during the 1950s to be able to perform the job. We will accept students with community service requirements for school, if they can donate a number of hours.

The Park Forest Historical Society does have other volunteer opportunities which are listed on our website at www.parkforesthistory.org.