Dearborn Park

Dearborn Park, Union Baseball Grounds
Life Span: 1860-1896
Location: Michigan Avenue, between Randolph and Madison streets
Architect: NA

Chicago Tribune, July 7, 1857

The Mayor read a communication recommending that means be provided for the improvement of Dearborn Park, the work to be done next year! Referred to the Finance Committee.

Chicago Handbook for Tourists and Strangers, Halpin, Hayes and McClure, 1869

DEARBORN Park.—The first, and for many years the only public park in the city, is an oblong piece of ground extending from Randolph to Washington street, and from Michigan avenue to Dearborn place, and contains one and a half acres. The ground was presented to the city by the United States, to be used for ever as a public Park. It is enclosed by a neat iron railing, and planted with trees.

Dearborn Park at Randolph Street and Michigan Avenue, At the left the wholesale drug house of Burnhams & Van Schaack, later the location of Sprague Warner & Co., where now Crerar Library stands. At the right is the Armour Building which housed the Pullman Palace Car offices. From a stereoscopic view by Copelin & Melander taken in the summer of 1871.

Chicago Tribune, January 28, 1871

Grounds For The White Stockings.
A movement is on foot looking toward the leasing of a suitable portion of the lake shore park, lying between Randolph and Madison streets, for the purpose of base ball grounds for the White Stockings and other Chicago clubs. It is probable that an application to lease the property at a fair rental will at once be made to the Common Council, and it is earnestly to be hoped that the city fathers will look favorably upon a project which will so greatly contribute to the amusement and gratification of the public, besides affording a revenue to the city for a piece of ground which, for two or three years to come, will not be devoted to any other use, and which, for the matter of that, could scarcely be devoted to a use more attractive and enjoyable to everybody. The ground is 355 feet ion width, and can be enclosed to double that length, if desired. It is finely located and splendidly adopted for a base ball field, and there would seem to be no reason why it should not be used for that purpose for at least two years to come.

Dearborn Park 1871

In 1870, an independent professional baseball team was born by the name of the Chicago White Stockings. With no organized league to join in 1870 they made their business by playing against other independent ball clubs that would play them and charge and admission to watch. They played their home games at Ogden Park and Dexter Park Race Course. The Chicago White Stockings joined the National Association at its beginning in 1871 and played at Union Baseball Grounds.

Dimensions of Union Baseball Grounds

However, on October 9, 1871 the Great Chicago Fire burned the Union Baseball Grounds along with all of the teams equipment and possessions to the ground. They were forced to sit out the 1872 and 1873 seasons because they did not have a home field to play at and were suffering from extreme financial problems from losses in the fire. In 1874 the Chicago White Stockings were able to play again as they had been able to replace all of the lost equipment and found a stadium to play at, known as the 23rd Street Grounds.

The Chicago White Stockings (later Chicago Cubs) left Twenty-Third Street Park and relocated to Lakefront Park near the corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street. The same location that Union Baseball Grounds had stood before The Fire. The ballpark opened on May 14, 1878 with a 3:45 pm “game between the Indianapolis nine (Blues) and the home nine.” The Chicago Inter Ocean said:

Although the day was very chilly and exceedingly unpleasant for out-door sports, fully 2,500 people assembled to witness the game and listen to a very ‘queer’ band, provided by President (William) Hulbert to officiate at the opening and funeral services of his white-hosed boys.

The ballpark was expanded after the 1882 season and remained the White Stockings’ home until they moved to West Side Park in 1885, but not before they won championships in 1880, 1881 and 1882.

This park became the location for the new Chicago Public Library in 1897.

Dearborn Park 1871