The Village of River Forest is committed to preserving its heritage. There are several structures designed by renowned architects, including Frank Lloyd Wright, who built the Winslow House here in 1893.

A total of 860 properties are in the village’s historic district, embodying styles such as Gothic Revival, Victoria, Prairie School, Tudor Revival, Bungalows, Buurma Built, Art Deco, and Modern. Additional noteworthy architects who left their mark on River Forest include William Drummond, Spencer and Powers, and E.E. Roberts.

River Forest was originally part of a larger community that included parts of Oak Park and Forest Park before it incorporated on its own in 1880. The villages remain connected through cultural programs. The Oak Park and River Forest Performing Arts Center has long hosted stage productions by Circle Theatre and Festival Theatre.

The River Forest Park District offers facilities hosting an array of activities, including 10 parks with baseball fields, paths, a sledding hill, and a climbing wall. Residents enjoy wide-open spaces and three miles of Cook County Forest Preserve trails that surround the community.