Park Ridge residents walked through a rain shower on Sunday, Sept. 13, to explore the Hodges Park neighborhood's history. Joan Mattingly, chair of the city's Historic Preservation Commission, led the walking tour.

The group gathered at Hodges Park, at the intersection of Vine, Main and Courtland, and walked the surrounding blocks for what the Park Ridge Public Library described as a "then and now" look at buildings and homes in the area. Umbrellas came out, but nobody left.

The tour covered memorials within the park and then moved up Vine Avenue, where two homes that once belonged to Park Ridge mayors sit side by side. Mattingly pointed out the pair from the street.

At the corner of Main Street and Prospect Avenue, attendees learned about a hotel built in 1873 by land developer Leonard Hodges. Hodges constructed the hotel to house guests of real estate developers promoting Park Ridge's scenery to prospective buyers, according to the Park Ridge Historical Society's walking tour guide. The building later served as the Swedish Old People's Home and then as the Fred Gillick Real Estate Office before it was demolished.

Hodges himself donated the land that became the park bearing his name.

The Park Ridge Park District acquired it in 1914. The park hosted its first summer concert in 1949.

The walking tour fits a goal laid out in the city's Historic Preservation Plan, adopted by the City Council in November 2024. That plan calls for community programming including walking tours and "then and now" photo comparisons under an objective labeled "Make It Entertaining."

The commission, a seven-member citizen body, has been active on several fronts this year. The City Council recently designated Park Ridge's first historic district, as we reported Sept. 11. Earlier in 2025, the commission launched a Historic Preservation Awards Program to recognize properties that reflect the city's architectural character.

Residents who missed the Sept. 13 tour can read about the featured sites through a link on the library's post, written by Jennifer Healy.