I loved this video..the Aquacenter, the ballfield, the Plaza, riding bikes all over the place, ice skating on a pond near where the synagog was built, all the tot lots, the clock tower, going to the Forest Preserve with our family, taking the IC into Chicago to go shop..was I only 14 when I started doing that? Does anyone remember the name of the pennycandy store at the Plaza? To begin with, didn't I only pay 9 cents to get into the movies on Saturday? Sara May
I lived there from 1952 to 2002. Went to all the schools there, bought my very first home there in 1972 and added on. Paid it off in 1997. Stayed as long as I could but ultimately HAD to move out. Was victimized 3 times in 4 months. Not the town it was, by any stretch of the imagination. Camelot is dead. There are ghosts everywhere of what it "use" to be. Sad..50 years in a town and now all gone. I'm looking forward now, not back.... A town is only as good as the people who live in it....
Rich south stars rule! Down with the Rockets. Class of 1979. My bike got stolen at the park forest racquet club across the street from Rich East. A beautiful yellow 1974 Schwinn Varsity. Bastards.
I was raised here. It's all true!! I can't tell you what that freedom has meant to me as an adult. If you had a bike, you had the whole town to have fun in. We indeed kept our door unlocked always. I'm so sorry my children and my grandchildren can''t have this. It was tolerant. I learned so much about other people and other ways of living that has stayed with me for a lifetime.
PF was an amazing place for a kid in the 1950s and 1960s. A kid could ride his bike all over safely - from the Aquacenter to the tennis courts to the Plaza. My folks were central in the music world in Park Forest, starting with the homegrown musical about Park Forest produced in the early 1950s ("Analysis in Wonderland"). It has been a bit sad to see the homes deteriorate with age and poverty take over where egalitarian Middle Class values used to be shared by all.
The record store in the plaza was called Lowe's. I loved the big hill near the Kroger store--great for sleding in winter. I went to Mohawk ele., if anyone went there between 1968 and 1975 send me a note.
I loved Park Forest- it was a real shock moving to Massachusetts when I was ten. Hey, if Beverly Peterson, Bill Hull or Paula Newman are out there somewhere, drop me a line! This is the former Ellen Kelly!
I had a lot of fond memories of growing up in Park Forest in the 60s and 70s. it became ruined shortly afterward by liberal politics, and a bunch of progressive dogooders.
I want to thank the intellectuals of the 60s who told us that what we had in Park Forest in the 50s was not only impossible, but to want it was bad for us. Can you imagine? Little League baseball, Moms at home watching the kids, Dads helping Dads building additions for their expanding families. Things are much better now that we listened. Thanks to the 60s, things are much better now than Park Forest 'was'.
I, too, love good memories. I have lived in Park Forest for 36 years. I witnessed the decline of The Plaza and it's rebirth as Downtown Park Forest. Contrary to a previous comment, it is not TAKEN OVER by gangs. The downtown is in the midst of redevelopment including a new, very successful Bigelow single family home development. Every community has gone through natural evolution through the years, but our positives far outweigh our negatives.
grew up there. Wonderful. sad that my parents lived there since 1958 and we moved them out last fall. It was multi cultural and full of interesting vibrant people. Now it's run down and taken over by Chicago's ever encroaching gangs.
It was on PBS Channel 11 a few years ago. One of those great shows that only got run once, and if you missed it and didn't tape it (d'oh!), you were out of luck.
The movie was produced by one of my Rich East High School Alumni by the name of James (Jim) Gilmore. He is president of Alcadia Pictures which was the production company that made the file with Jim directing it. He as well as myself grew up in Park Forest. (by the way, I might be misspelling Alcadia, so search for variations of that spelling.)
@Tudorp15 very awesome movie!!! VERY well done. I've watched it alot - LOVE the music - so much of the 50's! Please thank him for one who was raised there during the 50's and 60's.
This video upsets me because I was born in the late 80s but have an extreme nostalgia for such a simple time in which American suburbia thrived and countries looked to us when we still had the American dream.
I am now inspired to post my video of The Park Forest Plaza in its final days as a pile of rubble. Park Forest had everything, except things for teenagers to do. We hung out at the plaza and counted the people we knew. Then I'd go to Lyon-Healy and try memorize the sheet music I couldn't afford.
Please! post it. I lived there many years ago and have often wondered what happened to the Plaza; I walked up there every day one summer with friends. Does anyone remember Mayama's Book Store?
I'm sorry! I have so many tapes. I will post it soon. It's very good. You can see where everything was! Mayama's son was a local drug enforcement officer. I still have two books I bought there. The people on the tape tell many stories.
I enjoyed Mayama's Bookstore, bought posters, gifts for dad, etc there. Officer Mayama had a talk with me once O :o)
Looking at Instruments and an early Peavey mixer at Lyon and Healy was certainly part of my musical exposure then... Hm, what was the record store next door called?
I loved this video..the Aquacenter, the ballfield, the Plaza, riding bikes all over the place, ice skating on a pond near where the synagog was built, all the tot lots, the clock tower, going to the Forest Preserve with our family, taking the IC into Chicago to go shop..was I only 14 when I started doing that? Does anyone remember the name of the pennycandy store at the Plaza? To begin with, didn't I only pay 9 cents to get into the movies on Saturday? Sara May
sararoseman 2 months ago
I lived there from 1952 to 2002. Went to all the schools there, bought my very first home there in 1972 and added on. Paid it off in 1997. Stayed as long as I could but ultimately HAD to move out. Was victimized 3 times in 4 months. Not the town it was, by any stretch of the imagination. Camelot is dead. There are ghosts everywhere of what it "use" to be. Sad..50 years in a town and now all gone. I'm looking forward now, not back.... A town is only as good as the people who live in it....
meezerlover 3 months ago
yes, it was lovely while it lasted... moved there as a baby in 1960, left with my own family in2001
jonsey617 6 months ago
Where can I watch the full version of this?
UserEighteen 7 months ago
Rich south stars rule! Down with the Rockets. Class of 1979. My bike got stolen at the park forest racquet club across the street from Rich East. A beautiful yellow 1974 Schwinn Varsity. Bastards.
bks1979 8 months ago
Rich south stars rule! Down with the Rockets. Class of 1979.
bks1979 8 months ago
I was raised here. It's all true!! I can't tell you what that freedom has meant to me as an adult. If you had a bike, you had the whole town to have fun in. We indeed kept our door unlocked always. I'm so sorry my children and my grandchildren can''t have this. It was tolerant. I learned so much about other people and other ways of living that has stayed with me for a lifetime.
carolily531 9 months ago
I also went to Mohawk school in the early 70's.
casjuke 1 year ago
PF was an amazing place for a kid in the 1950s and 1960s. A kid could ride his bike all over safely - from the Aquacenter to the tennis courts to the Plaza. My folks were central in the music world in Park Forest, starting with the homegrown musical about Park Forest produced in the early 1950s ("Analysis in Wonderland"). It has been a bit sad to see the homes deteriorate with age and poverty take over where egalitarian Middle Class values used to be shared by all.
drdave822 1 year ago
The record store in the plaza was called Lowe's. I loved the big hill near the Kroger store--great for sleding in winter. I went to Mohawk ele., if anyone went there between 1968 and 1975 send me a note.
60466007 2 years ago
@60466007 I also went to Mohawk Ele in the early 70s.
Tudorp15 2 years ago
I loved Park Forest- it was a real shock moving to Massachusetts when I was ten. Hey, if Beverly Peterson, Bill Hull or Paula Newman are out there somewhere, drop me a line! This is the former Ellen Kelly!
ellenlinn7 2 years ago
I had a lot of fond memories of growing up in Park Forest in the 60s and 70s. it became ruined shortly afterward by liberal politics, and a bunch of progressive dogooders.
4211959 3 years ago
I will move to a suburb soon.
Ntittare 3 years ago
is it nice in IL???
nintendo461 3 years ago
They're killing off the scenic 10.
slaxwax 3 years ago
I want to thank the intellectuals of the 60s who told us that what we had in Park Forest in the 50s was not only impossible, but to want it was bad for us. Can you imagine? Little League baseball, Moms at home watching the kids, Dads helping Dads building additions for their expanding families. Things are much better now that we listened. Thanks to the 60s, things are much better now than Park Forest 'was'.
jackmay52 4 years ago
What park forest do you live in? It was cool up to the late 80's, now its a shithole!
Aetherus7 4 years ago
I, too, love good memories. I have lived in Park Forest for 36 years. I witnessed the decline of The Plaza and it's rebirth as Downtown Park Forest. Contrary to a previous comment, it is not TAKEN OVER by gangs. The downtown is in the midst of redevelopment including a new, very successful Bigelow single family home development. Every community has gone through natural evolution through the years, but our positives far outweigh our negatives.
truelick 4 years ago
Thanks very much for putting up these pictures. I am 42, grew up in PF and remember how great it was!!!
PlanetDita 4 years ago
Hello, I have posted two videos of the Park Forest Plaza which you might enjoy!
nikkileehudson 4 years ago
There is a newish book chronicling the Park Forest story. I have it here somewhere, but I forgot the title.
marksecunda 4 years ago
grew up there. Wonderful. sad that my parents lived there since 1958 and we moved them out last fall. It was multi cultural and full of interesting vibrant people. Now it's run down and taken over by Chicago's ever encroaching gangs.
40momba 4 years ago
How about posting the rest of the movie. Or at least tell us where we can see it?
slaxwax 4 years ago
It was on PBS Channel 11 a few years ago. One of those great shows that only got run once, and if you missed it and didn't tape it (d'oh!), you were out of luck.
artistmac 4 years ago
The movie was produced by one of my Rich East High School Alumni by the name of James (Jim) Gilmore. He is president of Alcadia Pictures which was the production company that made the file with Jim directing it. He as well as myself grew up in Park Forest. (by the way, I might be misspelling Alcadia, so search for variations of that spelling.)
Tudorp15 2 years ago
@Tudorp15 very awesome movie!!! VERY well done. I've watched it alot - LOVE the music - so much of the 50's! Please thank him for one who was raised there during the 50's and 60's.
musiclady333 1 year ago
This video upsets me because I was born in the late 80s but have an extreme nostalgia for such a simple time in which American suburbia thrived and countries looked to us when we still had the American dream.
Zaevodnik 5 years ago
I am now inspired to post my video of The Park Forest Plaza in its final days as a pile of rubble. Park Forest had everything, except things for teenagers to do. We hung out at the plaza and counted the people we knew. Then I'd go to Lyon-Healy and try memorize the sheet music I couldn't afford.
jackhicko 5 years ago
Please! post it. I lived there many years ago and have often wondered what happened to the Plaza; I walked up there every day one summer with friends. Does anyone remember Mayama's Book Store?
lynda9314 4 years ago
I'm sorry! I have so many tapes. I will post it soon. It's very good. You can see where everything was! Mayama's son was a local drug enforcement officer. I still have two books I bought there. The people on the tape tell many stories.
marksecunda 4 years ago
I remember Mayama. He was a teen friendly cop.
PlanetDita 4 years ago
I have posted marksecunda's clip. It's called The End of the Park Forest Plaza, Part 1 of 3. It has Mayama's, the Theater, etc.
nikkileehudson 4 years ago
My dad owned that Lyon and Healy !! Wow that was a long time ago!!
PlanetDita 4 years ago
I enjoyed Mayama's Bookstore, bought posters, gifts for dad, etc there. Officer Mayama had a talk with me once O :o)
Looking at Instruments and an early Peavey mixer at Lyon and Healy was certainly part of my musical exposure then... Hm, what was the record store next door called?
zseattle 3 years ago