Drivers on the Eisenhower Expressway are getting some help to find the iconic Haymarket Martyrs’ monument thanks to new highway signs installed earlier this year near the Harlem Avenue exit.
The attraction signs can be seen by eastbound and westbound travelers on Interstate 290. The signs were installed after a push by the Historical Society of Forest Park (HSFP) and Illinois Labor History Society (ILHS). According to the HSFP, Forest Park Village Commissioner Jessica Voogd, Public Works Director Sal Stella and Mayor Rory Hoskins all aided in the effort.
The Haymarket Martyrs’ monument was sculpted by Albert Weinert and dedicated in 1893. It was designated a National Historical Landmark in 1997. The monument recognizes the four labor leaders who were arrested and executed under dubious circumstances following the violent Haymarket Affair in Chicago in 1886. The incident became a rallying point for labor leaders at the time.
The HSFP and ILHS are holding a joint event on May 1 at the Haymarket Martyrs’ monument inside Forest Home Cemetery, 863 Desplaines Ave. This year’s event includes an outdoor exhibit and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on the May Day event, visit forestparkhistory.org.
