OLPL to Open “Founding Families of Oak Lawn” Local History Exhibit

OAK LAWN, Ill.—Monday, March 23, 2026—Oak Lawn Public Library will open its new Local History exhibit, “Founding Families of Oak Lawn.” It will be followed by a reception for the exhibit Thursday, March 26 at 7 p.m. in the Library’s Encore Room.

As America approaches its 250^th Anniversary of declaring independence, 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 glimpse 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.

The exhibit is set with the Library on Monday, March 23, at which point it will be available for patrons to view whenever the Library is open.

It 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 table cloth 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 “Founding Families of Oak Lawn” Reception will take place on Thursday, March 26 from 7-9 p.m. in the Encore Room. The event 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 of the exhibit on the first Tuesday of the month following its opening.

He is also planning two follow-up programs related to the exhibit. These will feature local Southside historian Carol Flynn.

Dates and times for tie-in programming can be found on OLPL’s online event calendar: www.olpl.org/calendar

When asked what he hopes patrons take away from the exhibit, Javorcic responded, “I hope to give people a basic understanding of the bigger picture — 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.

Local History buffs who can’t wait for the exhibit can enjoy a display about the Oak Lawn Round-up currently on the Library’s first floor. Those who wish to further explore Oak Lawn’s past can browse the Library’s virtual artifact collections on OLPL’s website: www.olpl.org/local-history

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