Charles Miller, January 6, 2001
My name is Charles Miller. My family and I were among the first 100 families to move into Park Forest in 1949. I was four years old at the time. I remember watching the sidewalks being poured, and the other apartments being built. My mother is Reeva (Ricky) Miller, who at 85 years old, is living in Leisure World in Seal Beach, California. My father, who died in 1990 at the age of 82, was Harry Miller. He occasionally wrote for the Park Forest Star. His columns were Contract Bridge, Grist from the Miller, and Out of my Mind.
Our first apartment was at 2716 Western Ave., which was the third unit from the end, facing the entrance to the court. Among the other families living there at the time, I remember Dr. Bourque and his many children, and the Dempsters, the Piggins (Bill, Ruth, Tom, Gail and Joyce), and the Hochbergs.
We moved across Elm Street to 8 Gerstung, and among our neighbors were the Dowies, the Crowleys, and the Johnstons.
Finally, we moved into our newly built house at 102 Walnut where we lived until 1957, when we left Park Forest for Los Angeles, California.
I recall going to school in converted apartments before the actual schools were built. After that I went to Lakewood elementary, and Blackhawk Junior High.
In 1999, my sister Amy and I visited Park Forest with my mother for the first time since we had left in 1957. We were delighted to see how many things had not changed, and still looked as we remembered them. However, we were quite disappointed to see that the shopping center and the clock tower had not survived.
After all these years, I still consider Park Forest to be my hometown, and look back with many fond memories.I am currently living in Huntington Beach, California with my wife of 23 years, Tillie. If anyone would like to contact me, I can be reached via email at:
