South Suburb Wrestles With Confederate Street Names

(WBBM Newsradio) -- Park Forest is looking at what to do about several streets named for Confederate generals.

WBBM's Jim Gudas reports.

The Lincolnwood subdivision, named for Abraham Lincoln, was built in 1949.

Park Forest Communications Director Jason Miller says street names in the subdivision were inspired by Civil War generals. Hence, there is a Lee Street named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

In the wake of the growing controversy over Confederate memorials in other cities, Park Forest decided to form a committee to consider what to do about the Confederate street names.

Miller says renaming the streets is unlikely due to the cost and other factors, though he says one option is to re-dedicate them to noteworthy people with similar names.