Editing Oak Lawn, Illinois (section)

===Founding===
In August 1835, James B. Campbell purchased the land stretching between [[Cicero Avenue]] and Central Avenue from [[95th Street (Chicago)|95th Street]] to 103rd Street. It is unclear what Campbell's intentions with the area were, but by 1840, he had lost a court battle with the Illinois State Bank and his land was sold in a public auction. John Simpson, a prominent figure in early Oak Lawn history, bought the northern half of the property in 1842. By 1859, the recently incorporated government of [[Worth Township, Cook County, Illinois|Worth Township]] paid for the construction of Black Oak Grove Road, an early name for 95th Street. Black Oak Grove is also the earliest known name of the area that would become Oak Lawn. It was later shortened to Black Oak or Black Oaks, but in 1882, the [[post office]], train depot and surrounding community became known simply as Oak Lawn. Before this however, the area now known as Oak Lawn was, briefly during the early 1800s, called Agnes. It was also on some occasion referred to as Oak Park. Over the next two decades, the area grew in population as more homes were built and local business sprang into being.<ref name="Oak Lawn: A Century of Growth">[http://www.lib.oak-lawn.il.us/documents/ol100.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928084847/http://www.lib.oak-lawn.il.us/documents/ol100.pdf|date=September 28, 2011}}, Oak Lawn: A Century of Growth. The Centennial Commission. 1982</ref> As the area continued to grow, many residents visited Englewood by train to shop. Oak Lawn residents also made income during early days by selling their farm and dairy products to various markets in Chicago.