My Family in the Village
The Move to Oak Meadows (south):
The History of Wick Drive in Maps
The property owners that surrounded the infant village of
Oak Lawn. It would appear that a person named W.K. Kerrot owned what is currently my subdivision
a 1935 map south of 99th to 103rd, Cicero to Central
from the Oak Lawn Public Library
The photo below is my neighborhood of Oak Meadows half competed in 1953 with Sward Elementary School all alone in the middle of the photo. The meander streets of my subdivision
(left of photo) were incomplete due to a bankruptcy in 1949 hence failed to extend the neighborhood planned development to 103rd.
aerial and map
the planned development of Oak Meadow (north)
images - Oak Lawn Pubic Library
new electric appliances for a fabricated house but no basement
No Wick Drive Yet!
1954 zoomed map - Oak Lawn Public Library
It would appear that my street of Wick Drive was a afterthought
for this newly established neighborhood. The housing in my area
were constructed from brick unlike Oak Meadows (north) wood. Instead of a box look design to the houses in the north the south of Oak Center had a look of city bungalows with a basement instead of a concert slab like the post World War II houses in the north.
with a zoomed look at Oak Meadows with a penciled illustration of the planned streets south of Oak Center Drive
and by 1958
highlights the private & public schools as well as churches
A Pioneer of my Area
for this newly established neighborhood. The housing in my area
were constructed from brick unlike Oak Meadows (north) wood. Instead of a box look design to the houses in the north the south of Oak Center had a look of city bungalows with a basement instead of a concert slab like the post World War II houses in the north.
a 1955 map of Oak Lawn
highlights the private & public schools as well as churches
There are two streets in my subdivision named after him. I do find it odd though that one of those streets is called East and the other South - a bit confusing to a non-residents particular pizza drivers
My Neighborhood in Vintage
by Kevin Korst with his book called Oak Lawn
and the forest that that was his property
Cabo the Dog
The Albrecht & Collins Family Moved in
along with the in-laws
My families moved into Oak Lawn between 1956 & 1958
my adopted parents in 1947 a year before they wed
my sister & me to the right and me to the left - I'm older
We moved to Wick Drive in 1956 with only a few houses were on the block that year. Within two years my extended family moved on the block first with the Albrecht's (my uncle's family), my family also a Albrecht, and then my mother's brother - the Collins.
My family ruled the block, sorta speak, for the next six years.
Culture & Standard of Living in 1956
according to The People History
mom & me in our house in the late 50's
my Collins cousins and me
My first home was founded in 1888 by the Sisters of Charity.
St. Vincent's Infant Asylum & Maternity Hospital represented both the commitment of Catholic orders like the Sisters of Mercy's to help the needs of Chicago's working class Catholics
well into the late 20th century
a snippet by the Chicago Tribune
I was born in Chicago at St. Vincent Orphanage in February 1955. This was my first home until March of same year. During that brief time the nuns and staff played the role as parents. As a 'ward of the state' the State of Illinois appointed a legal guardian to me until a married couple who visited the institution and liked what they saw signed an agreement to adopt. My new parents paid a donation of 50 bucks for me. The adoption had to be legalized by the courts of Cook County before the name Albrecht became my legal surname.
Above is the summons placed on my infant hand that was issued in November 1955. My legal name prior to adoption was Edward Nelson to be later changed to Garry Albrecht.
The less than Honorable Otto Kerner and future governor of Illinois presided at my court proceeding that November
above is a partial document recording my appearance and
below is a letter from Catholic Home Bureau stating the required donation of 50 dollars as payment for adoption transaction.
I was baptized at the orphanage
on behalf of Holy Name Catholic Parish
Two decades later in a form of a letter I received
some information about by biological parents.
I am of Polish & Swedish decent, apparently
Note: all documents are in my possession
Public or Private Oak Lawn Education??
Catholic was the logically choice for this Roman Catholic family of Irish & Bohemian descent. Linus was the carved out of St. Gerald's Parish. The Catholics were moving in to the village in greater numbers displacing the social dominance of the Protestant social class. More parishes would be established in time.
The name of the parish to Catholics marked the geographical location of your neighborhood. Any Catholic in the Chicagoland area would have a good idea the name of your suburb you lived by only mentioning the name of your parish. The Catholic population would be the dominate social class by the end of the 20th century.
The priority for St. Linus Parish was construct of school first due to the high number of children and St. Gerald's incapacity to house them. The church building would be established later after the funds for it were secured by the parishioners with assistance from the Archdiocesan of Chicago. Initially, Sunday church services were conducted in a gym at a local school called Sward within the borders of the parish. Sward opened in 1952 named after Carl A. Sward, a local teacher, principal, & superintendent of Oak Lawn.
a 1950 promotional to the voters of Oak Lawn
St. Linus - the Catholic Option
My sister and I attended this school from 1st grade to graduation while the entire family attended church every Sunday. We were all part of the larger Catholic family of St. Linus Parish
the school in 1957 from the Oak Lawn Public Library
An Account in 1957
Note: St. Linus School would not have a
kindergarten program until 1978
The first rectory was located across the street
an aerial shot below - unknown date
and looking north in 1965
an old church envelope of mine
Village Growing Pains by 1956
My parents moved like most folks moved from the south-side of Chicago to adjacent suburbs to primarily but not exclusively for more space and home ownership. GI assistance from the Feds
made that happen in earnest.
The article below highlights the consequences of that growth.
A Special Assessment 1962
There would be a few of these
The Experience of Oak Lawn
Feel free to visit the
using these links
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