Katherine Legge Memorial Park, 5941 S. County Line Rd., Hinsdale
Just two months after being targeted for demolition, a unique complex of structures designed by architect R. Harold Zook was saved and relocated by the Hinsdale Historical Society to a village park two miles south. The complex included an English Cotswold Cottage-style residence, an architecture studio, and a garden wall—all of which were designed in 1924 for Zook’s own use.
A Hinsdale resident from 1889 to 1949, Zook was one of the most prolific residential architects in the western suburbs.
His commercial designs include the St. Charles City Hall and the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge. The Zook Home and Studio had been listed as one of the Most Endangered Historic Places in March 2005. The resultant publicity helped to generate widespread publicity, public support, and private donations to save the structures. The project subsequently received a Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Advocacy in October 2005 from Landmarks Illinois.
Photo: Zook house during move May 2005 (credit: Landmarks Illinois)