345 E. 118th St.
Chicago, IL 60628
Hours
Park Hours
Description
Located in the West Pullman community, Kensington Playground Park is 4.88 acres and it features outdoor basketball courts, grass football fields, and outdoor baseball fields. The indoor park facilities are closed; the outdoor facilities may be used during park hours.
History
In 1942, the City of Chicago purchased property for Kensington Park, using Playground Bond funds. The City soon transformed the site into a playlot and constructed a small fieldhouse. Streets were vacated in 1943 to expand the park. In 1949, the Chicago City Council designated the property Kensington Playground. Kensington was an early village in what is now the West Pullman community. Originally known as Calumet Station, the village sprang up after the Illinois Central and Michigan Central Railroad Companies built a station there in 1852. (Nineteenth-century residents are said to have disliked the newer "Kensington" name, preferring the older name common to nearby Lake Calumet and the Calumet, Grand Calumet, and Little Calumet Rivers.) Kensington was annexed to Chicago in 1889. The City transferred the park to the Chicago Park District in 1957 pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act.