Sergeant Means Park was originally part of a 600 acre farm that included the area which is now Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center. A.J. Mason was the owner of the expansive site from 1918 until 1934. The 20 acres which now encompasses Sgt. Means Park changed hands a couple of times before being purchased by Louis Cull in 1949. With his sons Tom and Ed, Louis Cull founded Cull Nursery in 1955. Ten acres of the nursery were developed into a park site in 1967. This land was named in tribute to Olympia Fields Police Sgt. Chester Means, who died December 15, 1967 of injuries sustained while on duty. In 1985 the Olympia Fields Park District acquired the remaining 10 acres of the Cull Nursery and decided to incorporate the land and historical buildings into a recreational “common ground” for the community.
The Park District’s Administration Center, Cull House, is an actual 1890’s farmhouse. This lovely frame home contains the original square nails, and interior lumber features full-sized two-by-fours and two-by-sixes. “Finished” lumber with reduced dimensions was a process developed by the lumber industry years later. This home is accented by a Milk House which adds to the historic character of the park.
Another interesting link to the past is the charming 1917 barn opposite the home. This over 80 year-old structure is a masterpiece of early carpentry techniques. The restoration of the barn allows the ability to admire the original high beams which were joined with mortise and tenon, then pegged with wood dowels. No nails were used in the barn’s original construction! The 1917 barn and a new silo provide the community with meeting facilities – and they both offer a lovely park view!
An international design competition for the new “common ground” was begun in 1990. Over 200 registrants representing 34 states and 3 countries submitted designs. The competitors were challenged by the 4 principal goals of the contest:
#1 - The park and facilities should serve as a major public space that becomes an exciting social focus for the community.
#2 - The design should be feasible from the standpoint of a budget and phased implementation.
#3 - The park and facilities should provide primarily for passive recreation and special events.
#4 - The design should include the preservation and restoration of existing historical buildings, and integration of these structures into the setting and uses of the new park.
The design entries were judged by a jury of five including Grady Clay, author, critic, past editor and Landscape Architect; The Executive Vice President of Perkins and Will, Ralph Johnson; Bridgid Sullivan, Director of Milwaukee County Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture; Donald F. Ransford, President of Olympia Fields Park Board of Commissioners; Mary Colmar, Director of Parks and Recreation of the Olympia Fields Park District.
Weiss/Manfredi Architects of New York, New York designed a new focal point for the Olympia Fields community. Their plan celebrates the historic and natural beauty of the property while providing for the leisure needs of today’s families.
The architects created a design which links the baseball diamond, tennis courts and playground on the western edge of the site with the 1890 
homestead to the east through a series of stepped terraces and walkways which create a clearing that suggests an agricultural landscape. The northern and southern edges of the park are covered with trees to create an amphitheater effect. The main pedestrian path is on the park’s northern edge and leads to a new working windmill. The outer edges of the clearing create a “map of Illinois” with the windmill denoting the location of Olympia Fields.
The Sergeant Means Park will no doubt touch the lives of the entire Olympia Fields community. Many Fourth of July’s will be celebrated here. Countless football, soccer and baseball games will be played here. Family and friends will meet here together to celebrate weddings or just to enjoy the warmth of a sunny day. The community will come together here to make decisions necessary to lead Olympia Fields into the next century and beyond. This New American Green is for YOU!
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