Print Email

Home Parks & Facilities Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park Conservatory

North Pond in Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park

2045 N Lincoln Park West Chicago IL 60614

Hours: 6am - 11pm

Park Supervisor:
Lauren Quinn

(312) 742-7726

Description

Lincoln Park lies along the lakefront from Ohio Street Beach in the Streeterville neighborhood, northward to Ardmore Avenue in Edgewater. The section of Lincoln Park adjacent to the Lincoln Park neighborhood contains the Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory, Theatre on the Lake, a rowing canal, the Chicago History Museum, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, the North Pond Nature Sanctuary, Lincoln Park Archery Range, North Avenue Beach and Oak Street Beach, numerous playing fields, a very prominent statue of General Grant as well as, a famous statue of Abraham Lincoln and many other statues.

Within the park guests will also find recreational facilities - the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, Margate Fieldhouse and Clarendon Park.

The American Planning Association (APA) 2010 National Planning Excellence, Leadership, and Achievement Awards honor the outstanding planning initiatives and individuals of the previous year.

APA singled out Lincoln Park as one of the 2009 Great Public Spaces in America, for its world class amenities, historic landmarks and buildings, and for the wide range of activities available to park users. Most notably, Lincoln Park is the result of a long-standing commitment by city leaders and citizens to protect 1,200 acres of some of Chicago's most valuable lakefront real estate for the public's use and benefit.

4/3/2013
Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool Springs Opens For the Season April 20
Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool opens for the 2013 season on Saturday, April 20. Read more

9/28/2012
2012-2013 Chicago Parks Outdoor Art Exhibition | Photos of the sculptures near the lake
The lakefront has long been the Chicagoan's go-to for bumming on the beach or a stroll near the water–but now, world-class art? Showcasing over fifty sculptures... Read more

9/14/2012
Largest Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit on Display along Chicago Lakefront
The Chicago Sculpture International (CSI), in partnership with the Chicago Park District, will be hosting the “2012-13 Chicago Parks Outdoor Sculpture... Read more

6/29/2012
Park District Hosts NikeFuel House, Basketball Court in South Lincoln Park
The Chicago Park District hosts the NikeFuel House, 1800 N. Stockton, and the seasonal NikeFuel House basketball court in south Lincoln Park, offering... Read more

5/3/2012
Theater on the Lake Announces its 60th Season of Revived Productions from Local Companies
The Chicago Park District’s Theater on the Lake: The Chicago Summer Theater Festival turns 60 this year and is proud to announce the eight artistically... Read more

View All

For athletic permits in Lincoln Park please contact Vicky at 312.742.7841.

SPRING PROGRAMS:
Register online or in-person for spring programs now. Spring programs run the week of April 1 through the week of June 3.

SUMMER PROGRAMS:
Online registration for our park’s summer programs begins Tuesday, April 16 at 9 am, and in-person registration begins Saturday, April 20. The standard 6-week summer camp program runs July 1 through August 9. Most other summer programs run the week of June 17 through the week of August 19.

FACILITIES

FACILITY TYPE	ADDRESS	DESCRIPTOR	QTY	NOTES
Archery Range	east of Belmont Harbor/south of Bill Jarvis Bird Sanctuary.		1	Lincoln Park Archery Club
Baseball Field	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		14	Southfield, Waveland, Lawrence
Basketball Court - Outdoor	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		1	Southfield and Foster Beach
Birding Area	3550 N. Lake Shore Drive		1	Bill Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Birding Area	Between Ardmore Ave. & Hollywood Ave. at Lake Michigan		1	Kathy Osterman Beach
Birding Area	Montrose Ave. & Lake Michigan		1	Montrose Point
Ceramics Studios	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		1
Community Gardens	Edgewater Meadows	Ornamental	1	Community Garden
Community Gardens	at Berwyn and Sheridan	Edible	1	Community Garden
Concessions	Lincoln Park Waveland Bike Path, Waveland and Lake Shore Drive		1	Bike, 11am - 7pm, 847.712.6776, www.bikechicago.com
Concessions	Lincoln Park, Diversey Driving Range, 141 W. Diversey		1	Food & Beverage, 10am - 9pm, 773.818.9336
Concessions	Montrose Soccer 1, Montrose & Lake Shore Drive		1	Food & Beverage, 10am - 8pm, 773.746.0592
Concessions	Lincoln Park, Montrose & Lake Shore Drive		1	Food & Beverage, 10am - 9pm, 773.544.2700
Concessions	Lincoln Park, Theater on the Lake, Fullerton & Lake Shore Drive		1	Food & Beverage, 11am - 9:30pm, 312.671.1013
Concessions	Lincoln Park, Wilson Comfort Station, Wilson and Lake Shore Drive		1	Food & Beverage, 10am - 8pm, 773.501.3046
Concessions	Lincoln Park, Wilson Comfort Station, Wilson and Lake Shore Drive		1	Food & Beverage, 10am - 8pm, 773.501.3046
Concessions	Lincoln Park, Foster & Lake Shore Drive		1	Cart, 11am - 7pm, 773.539.5062
Concessions	Montrose Soccer 2, Montrose & Lake Shore Drive		1	Food & Beverage, 12pm - 6pm, 773.815.4689
Concessions	Lincoln Park, North Pond		1	Food & Beverage, 5:30pm - 10pm, 773.667.3000, www.northpondrestaurant.com
Concessions	Lincoln Park, Waveland Tennis Courts, Waveland and Lake Shore Drive		1	Food & Beverage, 10am - 8pm, 773.278.8877
Cultural Centers	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		1
Dog Friendly Areas	Belmont & Lake Shore Drive		1	.15 acres, located east of Lake Shore Drive at north end of Belmont Harbor
Dog Friendly Areas	Foster & Lake Shore Drive		1	.78 acres, located at north east end of Foster Beach
Dog Friendly Areas	Montrose & Simonds Drive		1	3.83 acres, located at north end of Montrose Beach, adjacent to former boat launch
Dune Habitat	Monstrose & Simonds Drive		1	Montrose Beach
Dune Habitat	North Ave. & Lake Michigan		1	North Avenue Beach
Dune Habitat	Foster Ave. & Lake Michigan		1	Foster Beach
Dune Habitat	Between Ardmore Ave. & Hollywood Ave. at Lake Michigan		1	Kathy Osterman Beach
Fieldhouse	1650 N. Stockton Drive		1	southfield
Fieldhouse	4921 N. Marine Drive		1	Margate Fieldhouse
Football / Soccer - Grass	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		5	Diversey, Montrose, Cricket Hill
Football / Soccer - Turf	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		4	Southfield, Montrose, Foster
Gardens	Corner of Stockton Dr. & Webster Ave. (3 blocks long)	Ornamental	1	Grandmother's Garden
Gardens	West of Lincoln Park Zoo off Stockton Dr.	Ornamental	1	Great Garden
Gardens	West of Lake Shore Dr., north of North Ave., at south end of the lagoon	Ornamental	1	South Lagoon Flower Garden
Lagoons and Ponds	2045 Lincoln Park West		1	South Pond
Lagoons and Ponds	2045 Lincoln Park West		1	North Pond Sanctuary
Lagoons and Ponds	2045 Lincoln Park West		1	Rowing Lagoon
Lapidary Studios	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		1
Meeting/Event Space	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		1	Clubroom
Meeting/Event Space	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		1	Small Auditorium
Meeting/Event Space	2045 N. Lincoln Park West		1	Playroom
Meeting/Event Space	2045 N. Lincoln Park West		1	Dance Studio
Playgrounds	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		5	Cummings, Sunshine, Diversey, Roscoe, Telscer
Prairies & Grasslands	4440 N. Lake Shore Dr.		1	Marovitz Golf Course
Prairies & Grasslands	Montrose Ave. & Lake Michigan		1	Montrose Point
Skate Parks	Wilson and Lake Shore Drive		1	Wilson Skate Park [Boards only]
Tennis Courts	3700 N. Recreation Drive		20	Waveland; South end courts closed for renovation.
Volleyball Courts- Outdoor	Montrose & Lake Shore Drive		50	Montrose Volleyball
Volleyball Courts- Outdoor	North Ave & Lake Shore Drive		100	North Ave Volleyball
Volleyball Courts- Outdoor	Oak Street & Lake Shore Drive		9	Oak Street Volleyball
Water Spray Features	Briar & Lake Shore Drive West		1	Telscer Water Spray Feature
Woodshops	2045 N.Lincoln Park West		1
Zoos	2001 N. Clark St.		1	Lincoln Park Zoo

History

Lincoln Park began as a small public cemetery on the northernmost boundary of Chicago where victims of cholera and small pox were buried in shallow lakeside graves. Aware of the public health threat, citizens began demanding the cemetery's conversion to parkland in the 1850s. In 1860, the city reserved a 60-acre unused section as Lake Park. Shortly after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln (1809-65), 16th President of the United States, the park was renamed in his honor. The city allocated $10,000 for improvements, and nurseryman Swain Nelson created and implemented the park's first plan. An early donation of mute swans marked the beginnings of the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Citizens argued for the removal of the remaining burial ground. This contributed to a larger parks movement, and in 1869, the state legislature created three park districts: the South, West, and Lincoln Park Commissions, each responsible for the parks and boulevards in its region. Under the direction of the Lincoln Park Commission, bodies were exhumed and relocated to other cemeteries, and the park was expanded south to North Avenue and north to Diversey Parkway. Severe winter storms in 1885 resulted in the construction of a breakwater system which included the first of many landfill projects extending Lincoln Park's boundaries.

The independent park commissions were consolidated into the Chicago Park District in 1934, and Lincoln Park was expanded north to Foster Avenue. A final expansion in the 1950s brought the park to its current size of 1,208 acres. Throughout Lincoln Park's history, renowned artists, landscape designers, and architects contributed to its development. These included sculptor Augustus-Saint Gaudens, landscape designers Ossian Cole Simonds and Alfred Caldwell, and architects Joseph Lyman Silsbee and Dwight H. Perkins.