The village of Park Forest South was incorporated in 1967 with 1,050 residents in what was known as the Wood Hill subdivision. From 1970 to 1972, the village was the site of a federally-designated "Title VII New Community" project which experienced a full array of successes and disasters. A New Town development period occurred between 1970-1974. The developers were originally called Park Forest South Developers. Later they became known as New Community Enterprises. At a public meeting on December 2, 1974, the developers announced the termination of their operations. Restructuring took place from 1975-1979 when the village government took on the development process. In 1984, the village name was changed to University Park. [Text based on Park Forest South/University Park: A Guide to Its History and Development by Larry A. McClellan.]
Documents in this collection pertain to the early history and development of Park Forest South.
The Park Forest South collection is located in the Governors State University Archives. A finding aid is available upon request. A description is available on the University Archives collection guide, https://libguides.govst.edu/archives/collections .
Submissions from 1986
Park Forest South/University Park: A Guide to Its History and Development, Larry A. McClellan
Submissions from 1980
Park Forest South: History and Development, An Annotated Bibliography, Larry A. McClellan
Submissions from 1975
Governors Gateway Industrial & Research Park, Seay & Thomas, Inc.
Park Forest South: Utopia goes kerplunk, Nory Miller
Residential Development Opportunities, Seay & Thomas, Inc.
Terrific New Town Newsletter, Village of Park Forest South
Submissions from 1974
A Place to Live ... Questions and Answers about Park Forest South, New Community Enterprises
Inter Faith Welcomes You to Park Forest South, Inter Faith Council of Park Forest South
Park Forest South: A Place to Learn, New Community Enterprises
Park Forest South: A Place to Play, New Community Enterprises
Submissions from 1973
Come Open a Town Information Center, New Community Enterprises
Submissions from 1972
Announce Town Center Plans for Park Forest South, New Community Enterprises
Park Forest South: A Whole New Town, New Community Enterprises
Submissions from 1970
Park Forest South: New Town of the Seventies, Park Forest South Developers, Inc.
Submissions from 1965
Wood Hill Herald 1965-01-01, (January 1965), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1965-02-01, (February 1965), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1965-03-01, (March 1965), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1965-04-01, (April 1965), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1965-05-01, (May 1965), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1965-06-01, (June 1965), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Submissions from 1964
Wood Hill Herald 1964-01-01, (January 1964), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1964-02-1, (February 1964), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1964-03-01, (March 1964), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1964-04-01, (April 1964), Wood Hill Herald staff writer
Wood Hill Herald 1964-05-01, (May 1964), Wood Hill Herald staff writer