Tag: Oak Forest

Oak Forest is a suburban city about 24 miles (39 km) south/southwest of downtown Chicago in Bremen Township in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 28,051 at the 2000 census.
The area currently known as Oak Forest was originally called Cooper’s Grove in the early 19th century. Cooper’s Grove was then bounded by Kenton, Cicero, Kilpatrick, Lamon, Lavergne and LeClaire Avenues. Mr. Cooper who settled here in the 1830s was said to have been the first resident of Bremen Township. A log cabin discovered by later settlers is believed to have been built by Cooper and was the first home built in the township.
The community was further established when settlers arrived to farm in the area (many of them were German-born), sometime in the mid to late 1840s. The Cooper’s Grove post office began service in 1848 and later changed its name to New Bremen alongside the Bachelor’s Grove post office which began service in 1843 and later changed its name to Bremen after township…