Amundsen (Roald) Park

Amundsen Park is among the thirteen parks created by the Northwest Park District, one of 22 park commissions consolidated into the Chicago Park District in 1934. The Northwest Park District began to purchase land for the park in 1925, on the recommendation of its Committee on Park Sites. By 1928, the North Austin Community Club was urging speedy improvement of the property. Before the end of that year, the park district had acquired the remainder of the park's 13.33 acres, contracted for playground equipment, and approved fieldhouse plans. By 1931, some improvements had been made, but a plea by the North Austin Manor Neighborhood Club to move ahead with the fieldhouse could not be honored due to the district's financial condition. The Chicago Park District eventually constructed the Amundsen Park fieldhouse in 1954. The Northwest Park District designated the park Roald Amundsen Park in 1933, two years after rejecting a petition to name the park for Norwegian-born football coach Knute Rockne (1888-1931). The Norwegian National League suggested the Amundsen name as a way to honor Norwegian polar adventurer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928). Amundsen led many scientific explorations in the Arctic and Antarctic, but is best known for discovering the South Pole on December 4, 1911. In 1928, Amundsen's plane disappeared near the North Pole as he led a search for a missing Italian dirigible.