The Ginger Creek subdivision is a beautiful neighborhood in Oak Brook, Illinois. The history of Ginger Creek of Oak Brook, IL is centered around one man: Paul Butler. Butler, the founder of Oak Brook, is also the founder of this subdivision. Paul Butler, a remarkable man began a remarkable community: Ginger Creek.

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Paul Butler, a man devoted to polo, developed Ginger Creek in the 1960’s.  He was born on June 23, 1892 in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from the University of Illinois is 1911, he spent much of his time developing the sport of Polo in the Oak Brook area. In 1922, Butler created the Oak Brook polo club and continued to develop it throughout his life. Under Butler, the Open Polo Championship (the most prestigious polo competition in the US) was held twenty-four years in a row (1953-1979) at the Oak Brook Polo Club. This is the largest amount of consecutive times the Open has been played at one location, excepting two years when it was held in California. In addition, Butler won six of those championships, and later would be inducted into the Polo Hall of Fame.

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Butler’s affiliation with polo had surprising applications in the military. He was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force during World War I. After the war, Butler maintained his relationship with the military, becoming Captain of the 106th Calvary Division in 1931. During the inter-war years, the Unit conducted training, including playing polo under Butler’s direction. This practice was common in the military, as polo is useful in training split-second decision-making during battle. In 1940, the unit was mechanized and inducted into the Federal Service at Camp Livingston, Louisiana. The 106th went onto great success in World War II and was recognized for its outstanding action.

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Paul Butler was as equally dedicated to his community as he was to polo. In 1958, he founded Oak Brook, a suburb of Chicago. Working with a team of experts: Carl L. Gardner, land planning expert, and Alfred Shaw, architect, Butler formed the “master plan” of Oak Brook. This included the planning of Ginger Creek, the first residence Butler and his team developed. Butler had a unique vision for the sub-division centered around quality, and each house had to be authorized by Butler before being built. He said, “I’ve retained absolute final approval that what we’ve started wouldn’t fall by the wayside.” The subdivision was completed in 1961, and soon the 181 houses became homes. Butler’s love of polo is reflected in the street names of Ginger Creek. All received their moniker from horse’s names. Ginger Creek began because of Paul Butler and his desire for fine suburban living.

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After almost 60 years, Ginger Creek of Oak Brook, IL remains true to Paul Butler’s vision. It is a lovely and highly desirable community located in Oak Brook. Centered around a 34-acre natural lagoon, Ginger Creek is well maintained by the local Resident’s Association who uphold Butler’s philosophy. Each home in the community rests on approximately one acre of land full of handsome greenscape. Much of the land is heavily wooded, ideal for privacy. The prestigious Butterfield Country Club golf course contributes to the elegancy of Ginger Creek’s surroundings. Ginger Creek maintains an outstanding quality of living to this day.

 

After Ginger Creek’s completion, Butler said, “Quality is a better way to operate. When it comes to the development of a town… I’ve always been a very strong believer that the result is better if you go for the highest quality that seems practical. We’ve always carried that out, and in our case, it’s paid off.” Indeed, it has paid off. Ginger Creek, even after over half a century, is still a wonderful place to live, just as Paul Butler would have wanted it.