Did you know that Forest Park was once home to two amusement parks and a race track? Did you know that Forest Park has also been home to a variety of factories, dairies, and railroad yards? These and many other interesting facts and stories will be explained in fascinating detail by local resident and newspaper columnist, John Rice, on Sunday, Aug. 12, during the Forest Park Historical Society’s first-ever Historic Forest Park Bicycle Tour.
John will take participants on a two-hour, 4.5-mile bicycle ride around Forest Park, stopping along the way at various locations to explain each location’s significance to the history of Forest Park like Concordia Cemetery, St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Forest Home Cemetery and many others. There will be two tours: 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for non-members, $15 for members of the Historical Society in advance and $25 the day of the tour. The tour begins at the Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd., and participants should meet at least 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the tour. Participation is limited to 20 persons per group.
You must have your own bicycle to participate in the tour. If you do not have a bicycle, you can rent one for $10 more, but alert the Historical Society in advance. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call Diane Grah at the Historical Society 708-232-3747 or email her at forestparkhistory1975@gmail.com. Rain date is Sunday, Aug. 19.
