Doesn’t the name Palos Park conjure images of peaceful woodlands? It should. Palos Park is known for its thickly forested hills.
Welcome to Palos Park. This village in Cook County, Illinois, offers a unique blend of history and nature. Today, we will explore the intriguing stories hidden within this serene community.
Palos Park’s history stretches back to the 1830s. Settlers from the eastern United States and Ireland began farming here. The area’s hilly, wooded sections provided lumber and fuel. By the 1840s, many Northern Irish had settled here. The first post office was briefly named Orange.
The arrival of the railroad in 1883 was a pivotal moment. It connected Palos Park to Chicago and spurred growth. In the 1890s, Palos Park gained recognition as a country retreat. Well-to-do Germans even founded the Sharpshooters Association. Chicagoans sought fresh air here, away from the crowds of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Artists, writers, and wealthy city dwellers built second homes in Palos Park.
Palos Park’s reputation as an arts center grew. The Palos Improvement Clubhouse was built in 1903. It could seat 350 people. That was more than the entire village population. In 1914, the village voted to incorporate. The Cook County Forest Preserve began buying land in the area. This ensured Palos Park would remain a retreat for city dwellers.
The Calumet Sag Channel was completed across the north side of Palos Park in 1922. In 1928, Southwest Highway opened. It improved access to the area. A few stores developed. However, Palos Park remained dominated by artists and writers. Sculptor Lorado Taft, author Pearl Buck, and playwright Sherwood Anderson all spent time here.
Over time, summer homes were converted to year-round residences. Families from urban areas settled here. Palos Park became a bedroom community for Chicago commuters.
But there is more to Palos Park than just peaceful woodlands. The area holds a darker legend. It is the tale of the Demon Butcher of Palos Park.
Hermann Butcher arrived in Palos during the chaos of the Columbian Exposition of 1892. He was one of several German immigrants who opened butcher shops. A depression hit the United States. Livestock became scarce. Butcher, however, stayed in business. He was well-connected to Chicago meat suppliers.
One day, a large shipment of beef arrived at Butcher’s shop. His apprentice died in an accident. Butcher, fearing blame, hid the body. He then began selling the apprentice’s meat.
The customers loved it. Butcher then began luring hobos to his shop. He would drug and butcher them. He sold their meat too.
When hobos became wary, Butcher turned to the children of Palos. Butchers customers found this to be the most succulent meat of all.
Eventually, the villagers grew suspicious. They stormed Butcher’s shop. They discovered the horrifying truth. The enraged villagers butchered Hermann Butcher. They severed his head.
The head was buried at Indian Hill. The headless remains were buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. Legend says the body has been moving closer to the head ever since.
Today, Palos Park is a uniquely peaceful suburb. Residents enjoy horseback riding, fishing, boating, and hiking. But at Oak Hill Cemetery, all is not at rest. Is it only a matter of time before Butcher’s body rejoins its head?