{"product_id":"oak-park-the-evolution-of-a-village-9781609490706","title":"Oak Park:: The Evolution of a Village","description":"\u003ch2\u003eOak Park: The Evolution of a Village - A Comprehensive Historical Chronicle\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDavid M. Sokol, professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Art History at University of Illinois at Chicago, presents an authoritative exploration of Oak Park's transformation from its earliest days to the present. This meticulously researched volume documents how a modest village without major waterways or dramatic vistas became home to some of America's most influential figures and architectural treasures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical Figures and Cultural Legacy\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis book chronicles the lives and contributions of Oak Park's notable residents, including novelist Ernest Hemingway, modern dance pioneer Doris Humphrey, Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs, chemist Percy Julian, McDonald's founder Ray Kroc, and William Barton. Sokol examines how the community nurtured these innovators while maintaining its distinct identity through constantly-shifting challenges spanning a century and a half.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFrank Lloyd Wright and Prairie School Architecture\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOak Park houses the world's largest concentration of Prairie School buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his followers. Sokol provides detailed analysis of this architectural heritage, drawing from his extensive background as vice-president of the Unity Temple Restoration Foundation and board member of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation. His expertise offers readers unparalleled insight into these structures' significance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout Author David M. Sokol\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSokol brings exceptional credentials to this work. He taught American art at UIC beginning in 1971 and directed the museology program. His deep community involvement includes serving as an Oak Park Village Board trustee (1977-1981), chairing the Historic Preservation Commission, and chairing the Oak Park Public Art Advisory Commission. He also served on the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council and was elected to the Oak Park Library Board in 2011. His previous publications include \u003ci\u003eOak Park, Illinois: Continuity and Change\u003c\/i\u003e, a guidebook to the Prairie School District, and \u003ci\u003eThe Noble Room\u003c\/i\u003e, a monograph on Unity Temple.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eComprehensive Community Study\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis volume examines Oak Park's relationship with neighboring Chicago and how the village negotiated its independence while facing urban pressures. The book documents the community's careful balance between embracing innovation and preserving tradition, illustrated through stately trees, generous lawns, and architectural preservation efforts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePaperback format. Published by History Press, May 2011. Essential reading for anyone interested in Illinois history, Midwest cultural development, Chicago area studies, or American architectural history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSokol, David M.:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - David M. Sokol is professor emeritus and former chair of the Department of Art History at University of Illinois at Chicago, where he taught American art and directed the program in museology. He began teaching at UIC in 1971 and still directs the work of several graduate students. He also served as a museum curator and administrator and is the author of many exhibition catalogues for museums, college galleries, art centers and commercial galleries. He served a term as a trustee on the Oak Park Village Board from 1977 to 1981, several years on the Plan Commission and many years as chair of the Historic Preservation Commission. Sokol served as vice-president of the Unity Temple Restoration Foundation and as a member of the board of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Foundation. He currently chairs the Oak Park Public Art Advisory Commission and recently completed a term on the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council. He was elected to the Oak Park Library Board in April 2011. Sokol is also a past president of the American Culture Association. In addition to his other books, articles, reviews and exhibition catalogues on both American and European art and architecture, Sokol is the author of Oak Park, Illinois: Continuity and Change and co-author of the guidebook to the Prairie School District of Oak Park and has written a monograph on Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple, The Noble Room.","brand":"History Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50681344295186,"sku":"9781609490706","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_0910fc82-014a-4b03-9384-73ba88a52f63.jpg?v=1758635040","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/oak-park-the-evolution-of-a-village-9781609490706","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}