Long before Long John Silver’s anchored itself at Harlem and Dixon, two of Forest Park’s earliest houses stood (formerly Village of Harlem).
The Henry Kaul house, at the corner, and the house immediately to the north on Harlem were reported sold to the Sun Oil Co. in 1957. The Kaul family lived at the corner house (125 Harlem) for 61 years, moving to the Village of Harlem in 1896. Henry Kaul was a German newspaper publisher. Elected mayor three terms, Henry Kaul and his wife, Elizabeth raised their 4 children, Henry, Armin, Gerhardt and Irma at this corner.
The house to the north (119 Harlem) was said to be an “old house” when they moved to Harlem, and served at one time as the freight terminal for the Northwestern railroad.
Henry Kaul, the younger, retired as a post office parcel carrier a few months before the sale and planned to travel with his wife to Florida. Mr. Kaul reported the purchase price of the two units as $50,000.
