'Founding Families Of Oak Lawn' Delves Into History Of Village's Earliest Citizens

OAK LAWN, IL—Glance into Oak Lawn’s Black Oak past at the “Founding Families” exhibit now open at the Oak Lawn Public Library, 9427 S. Raymond Ave. A reception will take place Thursday, March 26 at 7 p.m. at the library's Encore Room.

OLPL invites its community to recognize the families that chose to live in Oak Lawn. In the new “Founding Families of Oak Lawn” exhibit, Local History Librarian Tom Javorcic has curated a portrait of the Europeans who settled Oak Lawn during Chicago’s great immigration wave in the late 1800s.

These earliest residents were farmers looking for affordable land near Chicago, where they could sell their crops and livestock. During this time, the area saw rapid growth, great upheaval and change. Patrons can view the exhibit in the Local History Room during regular library hours, which provides insights into Oak Lawn’s earliest settlers through informational display panels and artifacts.

Of the items displayed in the exhibit, Javorcic called attention to two as his favorites. An Irish lace tablecloth sewn in the late 1800s, the family heirloom is on loan from a fellow OLPL librarian and featured in its own display case. He also mentioned an antique traveling trunk that was donated by a local patron.

The reception on Thursday, March 26, will feature Javorcic speaking about the exhibit and refreshments. Patrons who attend will also have time to explore the exhibit.

Javorcic will lead monthly guided tours of the exhibit on the first Tuesday of the month. He is also planning two follow-up programs related to the exhibit, featuring local South Side historian Carol Flynn.

“I hope to give people a basic understanding of the bigger picture of what was happening worldwide, nationally, and in the Chicago region during the mid-late 1800s. Knowing this will help them understand why settlers chose Oak Lawn to live.”

“Founding Families of Oak Lawn” will be open throughout 2026.