Lake Park
Chicago Illustrated,, February 1866
A Strangers’ Guide to the City of Chicago, 1866
THE PARKS OF CHICAGO.
Although Chicago is now a city of 250,000 inhabitants, it is not so closely built as to require parks as ventilators simply. On the North and West sides especially, there are wide expanses of ground unbroken by dwellings or other buildings, and as near the business centre as parks could be established. Yet a creditable beginning has been made in the way of securing ground for and constructing parks. Already several important projects have been adopted for the improvement and ornamenta- tion of these parks, on a scale of magnitude and beauty fully commensurate with the present and future greatness of the city.
Dearborn Park.
Dearborn park is the oldest of the public breathing places of the city, is an oblong piece of ground extending from Randolph street to Washington, and from Michigan avenue to Dearborn place, half-way to Wabash avenue, and containing about one and a half acres. This ground was the property of the United States early in this century, when the mouth of the Chicago river was defended by Fort Dearborn. By the general government it was presented to the city to be used forever as a public park. It has been inclosed by an iron railing, and at one time had a few promising trees and a handsome lawn, but these were smothered out by the great Sanitary Fair building, which covered its whole extent in June,1865. Since that time it has been replanted, and will probably soon be green again.
Dearborn Park
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1869
Lake Park.
Otherwise called the Esplanade,or the Parterre,fronts Lake Michigan, and extends along the Basin, on the east side of Michigan avenue, from Randolph street to Park place. Its proper name is Lake Park. It is a mile in length, but as yet it is wholly unimproved. It is proposed, however, to erect a stone wall along the shore of the basin, the whole length of the park, and surmount it with a tasteful iron railing, opening at suitable intervals, with stair cases descending to the water’s edge for those who resort hither in great numbers in the summer time to indulge in the amusement of boating. The park is to be graded and turfed and will be intersected with walks and ornamented with shrubbery, fountains, evergreens and flowers, making it one of the most charming and attractive places of promenade and resort to be found in the United States.
Lake Park
1868
Private Parks.
There are no other parks in the South Division except two private parks opposite the University of Chicago, entitled, respectively, Woodland and Groveland. These were laid out by Senator Douglas in the beautiful grove called Oakenwald, and are intended for the especial benefit of the proprietors of the lots which front upon them.
Union Park.
In the West Division, contains about sixteen acres. It is of an irregular pentagonal form, bounded on the north by Lake street, on the south by Warren street, on the west by Reuben street, on the northeast by Bryan place, and on the southeast by Southwestern avenue. It is perfectly flat, and in its natural condition was a portion of the bare prairie, as level as a floor and adorned only by a scanty growth of grass. The plan of improvement, commenced in the year 1865, contemplates the transformation of the ground with hills, rocks, rivulets and cataracts. The plan is a very tasteful one, and includes a beautiful pond in the centre of the park. When completed it will be really an ornament to the city. Beyond Union Park, on the west, in the district bounded by Madison and Randolph streets, are situated some of the most elegant and picturesque private residences in the city of Chicago. It is here that real home life may be found, combining the attractions of semi-suburban quiet with the social festivities and excitements of the city. It is the West End of Chicago, where in the future, undoubtedly, will gather a goodly portion of Chicago’s aristocracy, wealth and refinement.
Union & Jefferson Park
Guide Map of Chicago
Rufus Blanchard
1868
Jefferson Park.1
Jefferson Park, but two blocks south and one block east of Union park, and embraces but a single square, bounded by Monroe street on the north, Throop street on the east, Adams street on the south, and Loomis street on the west. It contains an area of more than five acres. At present the visable attractions of the place are a number of stately and beautiful residences facing the park.
Vernon Park.
Is an oblong piece of ground about 300 feet wide by 600 feet long, just six blocks south of Jefferson park. It lies just west of Rucker street, and interrupts the continuity of Polk street.
Vernon Park
Guide Map of Chicago
Rufus Blanchard
1868
Washington Park.
A little square between Clark and Dearborn streets, north of Chestnut street, and containing two and one-half acres, has a number of shade trees of tolerable size, and is really pleasant to look upon, though but little attention has been paid to its ornamentation. It needs walks and seats, as well as trees and shrubs and artificial ornaments, to make it what it should be.
Lincoln Park.
The only park in the city which presents any variety of surface is Lincoln park, just north of the City Cemetery on the lake shore. Moreover, it is larger in extent than all the rest of the city parks combined, containing as it does about 60 acres. It is intended, moreover, to add to its area the ground now occupied by the city cemetery, from which the bodies are to be removed, and also the large open sand waste to the north of it. A plan of improvement is now in progress which will eventually make this resort the Central Park of Chicago. The surface will be broken into hills, dales and lawns, and varigated with bright pieces of water and clumps of trees and shrubs, while the walks and drives are so planned as to magnify the real extent of the grounds and give the impression of a wide and intricate woodland, while beyond all, and crowning all, the broad lake will stretch out to the horizon, as boundless and sublime as the ocean itself.
Lincoln Park
Plat Maps from 1863 and 1870
Chicago Tribune, December 6, 1868
Among the many objects which are now receiving from the public that attention which the heat and excitement of a hotly-contested election has not recently allowed to be given them, is that of the creation of the great public park, which the best interests of the city demand, and which, though discussed for so long a time, has not yet been secured. Not only is this question receiving much consideration among the people, but it is more than probable that at the next session of the Legislature bills will be introduced providing, in one way or another, for the creation of parks and boulevards. In view of this, and as the public sentiment seems to be in favor of the establiahment of something of the kind, we have prepared a brief statement of the size and condition of the parks now existing, as well as of the location and dimensions of those which it is proposed to lay out, so far as we have been able to ascertain anything concerning them.
South Side Park.
The proposed South Side Park commences with a boulevard four hundred feet wide, running on Kankakee avenue, from Douglas place, to about Forty-sixth street. There it opens into a park of six hundred acres, extending southward one mile. It then turns eastward on a tract one-half mile wide, and runs to the lake shore, where it opens into another park of five hundred and fifty acres, making in all one thousand one hundred and fifty acres. It is understood that the projectors of this scheme will present a bill to the Legislature at its coming session, and that it is also contemplated that before it is finally adopted, the matter shall be submitted to a vote of the people. The Riverside Park interest is supposed to be hostile to this project for a south Side park. Another project, whether independent of this, or connected with it, we do not know, contemplates
The Land Owner, October, 1869
A Drive or Boulevard
three hundred feet in width, extending entirely around the city, commencing at Lincoln Park, on the north, running westward on North avenue to Western avenue, south on Western avenue to about Fifty-fifth street, and eastward on Fifty-fifth street to the contemplated South Side park, or to the lake shore, as the case may be.
West Side Park.
This project also contemplates a park of suitable dimensions—probably not less than one thousand acres—for the West Division, to be selected either by the Common Council, or by citizens of the West Division, as may be deemed most advisable. This last-mentioned plan of a road connecting Lincoln Park with those proposed to be laid out on the South and West Sides has for its main object the harmonizing of the interests of the three divisions of the city, with a view to some concert of action.
Riverside Park,
comprising a tract of sixteen hundred acres, including the well-known Riverside Farm, located on the Desplaines River, about six miles, in a southwesterly direction, from the city. Riverside is intended for a resident park. The entire territory within its limits will be interspersed with walks and drives, groves, arbors, fountains, &c. The river will be formed into innumerable artificial lakes, and the stream will be crossed at a score or more of places by fancy bridges. The ornamentation of the grounds is in the hands of the architects of Central and Prospect Parks of New York and Brooklyn, Messrs. Olmsted, Vaux & Co., which is a guarantee that it will be well performed. Mr. Olmsted is very enthusiastic in furthering the plan, and says that Riverside has as fine natural advantages as any grounds in the world. The park will be connected with the city by the finest drive in the West. It will probably be opened from Union Park, and run in a direct line, by what is now known as the Northwestern Plank Road, to the Desplaines River. It is further proposed to connect the drive with Twelfth and perhaps Twenty-second street. Over one hundred workmen have been engaged during the past month in building the foundations for the road, and three miles of ditching and grading will be completed by the 20th inst. The drive will be ornamented with five rows of trees, dividing it into carriage and wagon roads, riding paths, &c. An artesian well is how being sunk on the grounds, that is intended to furnish the residents of the park with water. A fifty thousand dollar hotel will be finished in the spring, and a dozen villas, at a cost or $10,000 each, are now being constructed. Olmsted will take especial pride in bringing all his genius to bear in the embellishment of this park. It is his first undertaking of the kind in the West, and, if a success, will prove a great recommendations for designing future projects. If the proposed parks in Lake and Hyde Park towns ever become realities, it is proposed to connect them by drives with Riverside Park. The Burlington & Quincy Railway runs through the centre of the grounds, and the hotel is being erected near the track, where a depot will shortly be established. The Chief Engineer of Prospect Park, Brooklyn is retained for Riverside, and has been at work over a month in executing the designs of the projectors and architects. He has with him twelve of his most expert assistants. This park, although a private enterprise, will, no doubt, prove of incalculable benefit to Chicago, people need breathing places, and they don’t care much how they are procured. But, private enterprise as it is, it is being carried out on a grand scale, and probably no less than half a million dollars will be expended in its improvement.
Lincoln Park
is situated on North Clark street, about two miles north of the Chicago River, and embraces, in its present limits, sixty acres of land, park fronts upon the lake, with the old City Cemetery to the southward and purity adjoining. It is contemplated to include the latter tract within the park as soon as the process of disinterment, which at present progresses but slowly, shall have been completed, and it is also designed to purchase the Canal Trustees tract of forty acres lying north of the park, so that the latter may connect with a sixty-acre tract lying till further north. These additions, together with the Millman tract, which partially separates total Part from the cemetery, would give a total area of about two hundred acres, and would comprise a park which the world could scarcely surpass. It is now about three years since ground was first broken in Lincoin Park, since when about $52,000 have been expended in beautifying the park, planting trees, laving out gravelled walks and drives, erecting bridges and buildings, supplying seats, creating artificial mounds and lakes, etc. During the past year about $20,000 have been expended in this way, and the park at present contains two and a half miles of carriage drives and nearly two miles of gravelled walks; thirty acres have been graded forty seeded: five hundred and sixteen evergreen trees have been planted; and one hundred wooden and ten iron seats supplied. In another year Lincoln Park, which has grown to be almost indispensable as a source of health and pleasure, will have vastly improved in appearance by the development of the improvements already begun.
Union Park.
comes next in order as to size and development. It is situated in the West Division, with Bryan place on the northeast, Southwestern avenue on the southwest, Warren avenue on the south. Reuben street on the west, and Lake street on the north. It comprises nearly fourteen acres of land, and, although limited in extent, is capable of being made a valuable feature in its vicinity. For some years past this park has been almost entirely neglected, but during the present season a large amount of work has been done there. The carriage drives and walks have been finished; the miniature lake filled with water and sloped; two iron and two rustic bridges erected for carriages and pedestrians; a number of seats supplied, and the ground seeded anew. These improvements have involved an expenditure of $14,228, and it is estimated that $12,000 will be required to carry on improvements and keep the park in order next year.
Jefferson Park,
also in the West Division, includes about five acres and a half, lying between Rucker and Loomis streets on the east and west, and Monroe and Adams streets on the north and south. The park is simply a breathing space, with no improvements of consequence. The Board of Public Works have under advisement of the proposition of citizens in the vicinity to donate two dollars each per foot fronting the park for an iron fence, and the improvement will probably be made next year.
The Land Owner, January, 1871
Vernon Park
is another vacant piece of public property in the West Division, lying between Harrison and Polk, and Loomis and Rucker streets. Its area comprises about an acre and a quarter, and is more a public square than a park
Dearborn Park,
in the South Division, is too well known to need any description, were it capable of any, beyond the mere mention that it includes about one acre and a half of valuable ground, fronting along Michigan avenue, between Washington and Randolph streets. An iron fence surrounds the park, which is admirably adapted for cutting cross lots when desired.
Lake Park.
is also a prominent and well-known tract of municipal real estate, which extends from Randolph street along Michigan avenue to Park place, forming a narrow strip of land between the street and the basin. Within the past season four acres and a half at the northern end and have been filled, graded, and fenced, being mainly made land. When the entire basin is filled in the park will comprise about one hundred acres of land.
Ellis Park
is little known and remotely situated in the vicinity of the Douglas Monument. It embraces an area of about three acres, and is but little improved.
Washington Park,
situated between North Clark and North Dearborn streets and Washington and Lafayette places, is a pretty square of two acres and a half with no improvements beyond a fence, a few trees and foot walks. The latter have been laid with concrete during the past season.
Recapitulation.
The following table shows the number of acres devoted to park purposes, should all the above projects be carried into effect:
The Boulevard.
The proposed grand boulevard connecting the three parks will be three hundred feet wide, and will run about two-and-a-half miles on the North Side, nine on the West, and three-and-a-half on the south.
System of Parks and Boulevards of the City of Chicago
1879-1880
NOTES:
1In 1934, Jefferson Park became part of the Chicago Park District’s portfolio when the West Park Commission and the 21 other park commissions were consolidated into the Chicago Park District. The park became known as the “the first Jefferson Park” because the Park District had previously acquired ownership of another site named Jefferson Park on the City’s Northwest side.
The first Jefferson Park remained unchanged until 1955, when it was renamed in honor of the adjacent Mark Skinner School. One of Chicago’s earliest school inspectors, Mark Skinner (1836-1887) went on to serve as a U.S. attorney for Illinois, and a State Representative. The City of Chicago transferred ownership of Skinner Park to the Chicago Park District pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act of 1957.
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