About

Tinley Park, a southwest suburb of Chicago, is located near Interstate 80 and Harlem Avenue. A short train ride from downtown Chicago, or a half-hour drive from the city, the village of Tinley Park is home to the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre (formerly the World Music Theater), Odyssey Fun World and the Tinley Park Convention Center. Tinley is also home to a diverse community and fascinating history dating back to the 1800s.

Tinley Park’s historic downtown district, still made up of the village’s original 1892 boundaries, encourages property owners to restore and preserve their historic buildings and homes. The Carl Vogt Building, a two-story, brick, Italianate-style building at the southwest corner of Oak Park Avenue and Hickory Street, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is used today as an office building. The Vogt house is rumored to be the first house in Tinley Park to have had running water. The Tinley Park Historical Society has renovated the Old Zion Landmark Church, another historical building, for use as its museum and headquarters.

In historic downtown, Oak Park Avenue today serves as the town’s version of the proverbial Main Street. Several blocks northward of the Metra Oak Park Avenue train station are lined with historic homes-turned-businesses and family-run shops. The true gems remain mostly out of sight, to the point where many long-time residents pass by on their way to the train without knowing these establishments exist. The Vogt Visual Art Center, for example, hosts affordable art classes. Across the street from the train station, in a small faded-blue house, is an upscale consignment shop called The Attic Door. Near Oak Park Avenue and 171st Street is a second-hand shop where all proceeds go to help community residents in need, run by the hard-working and friendly folks at Together We Cope — a nonprofit dedicated to keeping folks from going homeless and hungry.

Tinley Park houses its share of corporate chains, but the true value lies within the community. In summer, the Farmer’s Market blossoms in Zabrocki Plaza. Block parties and live music draw in locals and passers-through. From May until October, Oak Park Avenue is lined with hand-crafted benches painted and designed by local artists and sponsored by local businesses. In winter, Santa parades down Oak Park Avenue and toy drives benefit local kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to celebrate the holidays. All year round, local businesses struggle to compete with the bigger franchises. But somehow, in the spirit of community, many survive and thrive here.