Orland Park Museum Exhibit Showcases Early Municipal Services

ORLAND PARK, IL (February 20, 2019) – Public services in Orland Park date back to the late 19^th Century.

According to the Illinois State Water Survey, “A public water supply was installed by the village of Orland Park in 1897.” Cement sidewalks replaced wooden in the early part of the century with bright over the street gasoline lighting replacing the kerosene street lights in 1905 when the population was just under 370.

Almost 10 years later, Orland Park was described as “…the only town southwest of Chicago to have its own water system, cement sidewalks and street lights.”

The Village of Orland Park History Museum will recognize early municipal services with its new exhibit, “Serving Our Community: A History of Orland Park Police, Public Works and Fire.” The exhibit opens Saturday, March 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orland Park History Museum, 14415 South Beacon Avenue. Admission to the museum is free.

“Orland Park will mark 127 years as a municipality in the State of Illinois this year,” said Trustee Kathy Fenton, village board liaison to the history museum. “It’s interesting to look back at the origins of basic municipal services like public works, police and fire."

Early village government included three village departments one of which was not the police department. In the early 1900s, village staff included one police officer, who in addition to routine duties was responsible for lighting the street lights and starting the water pumps. As recently as the 1960’s, police officers were responsible for starting the water pumps.

“The idea for this exhibit came from some of our current public works employees,” said Museum Curator Sarah Stasukewicz. “Not long after, new donations came from the Orland Fire Protection District including a hose cart, and we received uniforms and equipment from the police department. Those really made the exhibit idea come to life.”

According to the Orland Fire Protection District, the earliest indications of a fire department include a department flag with the year 1894 sewn on it.

Orland Park volunteer firefighters were also photographed with Mayor John Humphrey in front of the two story village hall and fire station at 14415 South Beacon Avenue. Bucket brigades probably operated before the organized Orland Park Volunteer Fire Department but no records exist.

“The pictures from early Orland Park are invaluable today,” Fenton said. “Like the picture of our first mayor with the firefighters in front of the building that was the village hall and fire house at the museum’s current address --- we’re studying it 125 years later to learn more about Orland Park history.”

According to Orland Fire Protection District history, “The six block farming community was guaranteed a good water supply thanks to a wooden water system and elevated water tower erected in 1892.”

The late Orland Park Village Treasurer Franklin Loebe, who was a volunteer firefighter and served as treasurer from 1929 until 1994, remembered when the water tower behind the village hall fell in 1916.

During the village’s 1992 Centennial Celebration, Loebe described how he was 10 years old, playing nearby when he and a friend quickly ran to the commotion to see the water quickly running down Beacon Avenue, settling in a low spot in John Humphrey’s yard.

“Big happening in a small town,” Loebe recalled. The tower was then replaced by a tank on the ground connected to an air compressor.

Although Loebe wasn't officially a member of the Orland Park Volunteer Fire Department until 1929, he began pulling the department's hose cart in 1926. Most volunteers weren't in town during the day, instead "working as car knockers down on Western Avenue, repairing freight cars," Loebe explained in 1994.

In the late 1920s, the fire bell was located in the village hall/fire station on Beacon Avenue. "There was an upstairs meeting room which had an old hot blast stove and the fire department was downstairs," Loebe said.

When the fire bell rang, Loebe and Fire Chief Jack Hellenhouse, the local barber, would hop into Loebe's pick up truck and race to the fire house. "Everybody who was in town would go to help out," Franklin recalled.

The men would sit on the open tailgate of Loebe's pickup, pulling the hose cart behind them. While he never lost a passenger, he did take a few turns too fast one time. "They got off with their fists up," he remembered chuckling, describing one frantic drive to a fire.

Firefighters weren't paid when Loebe served, although they did get "a dollar per call to have their trousers cleaned."

A dispute over the purchase of a firetruck reportedly caused the separation of fire services from village government. In 1969, voters approved the formation of the Orland Fire Protection District, a separate taxing body from the Village of Orland Park.

The Orland Park History Museum is open Tuesdays from noon to 4 p.m. and Thursdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, call 708/873-1622.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

Orland Park Mayor John Humphrey (seated, right) with members of the Orland Park Volunteer Department in front of the village hall/fire station at 14415 South Beacon Avenue, circa 1980s. Now the site of the village’s history museum, the facility will debut its new exhibit, “Serving Our Community: A History of Orland Park Police, Public Works and Fire.” The display opens Saturday, March 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This 1960s Orland Park Police Department photo was taken in front of the Beacon Avenue Village Hall, built by volunteer firefighters in 1961 at 14415 South Beacon Avenue. Standing (l to r) are Police Chief Frank Goetter, Matron Eleanor Voss and Officers Bob Olson (who later became chief), Art Cochrell, George Oakley, Jim Garrett and Ted Ludes for whom Orland Park’s Fraternal Order of Police Lodge was named.

The Village of Orland Park History Museum unveils its new exhibit, “Serving Our Community: A History of Orland Park Police, Public Works and Fire” Saturday, March 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The building that served as Orland Park’s village hall, pumping station and firehouse was located at the current site of the Orland Park History Museum, 14415 South Beacon Avenue. The pictured water tower behind the building fell in 1916 flooding the area. The museum will recognize early municipal services with its new exhibit, “Serving Our Community: A History of Orland Park Police, Public Works and Fire.” The exhibit opens Saturday, March 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Orland Park History Museum.