Sweet Clover Playlot Park
History
The Chicago Park District purchased this playlot site in 1974 with the help of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The park was officially named Sweet Clover in 1998. In the 1870s, the park's Austin neighborhood was a small, beautiful suburb that stood in sharp contrast to the grime and tumult of Chicago. Many Austin residents made daily rail commutes into the city to earn their livings. On summer evenings, the fragrance of sweet clover growing near the Austin train station welcomed them home to the placid village. By 1899, when Chicago annexed Austin against the wishes of village residents, the town's rural character was beginning to fade.