Hours
Park Hours
Description
Lincoln Park totals 1,188.62 acres and it 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 (used by Lincoln Park Archery Club and North Side Archery Club), 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.
Be sure to check out one of the five playgrounds in Lincoln Park. Visit the newly renovated playground just off of Lake Shore Drive at Hollywood, it has a great water spray feature as well. The playground was renovated under the ChicagoPlays! program.
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.
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. The Lincoln Park District acquired more land for the park in 1886. 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 Lincoln Park District continued acquiring land throughout the 1900s from various sources. Streets were also vacated in 1915 to expand the park property. The independent park commissions were consolidated into the Chicago Park District in 1934, and Lincoln Park was expanded north to Foster Avenue. The Chicago Park District acquired more land for the park from the 1940s-1960s. A final expansion in1998 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.
Parking/Directions
Paid parking is available in a number of Chicago Park District lots in the area. Get rates and additional information.
For directions using public transportation visit www.transitchicago.com.
Advisory Council
Contact:
Ellen Issacson, President
Phone:
(773) 743-2881
Email:
lpacbdm2013@gmail.com
Meeting Details:
2nd Wednesday of the month
Map & Facilities
Lincoln Park Telscer Water Spray Feature
Briar & Lake Shore Drive West
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
Lincoln Park - Diversey Natural Area
Wellington Ave. and N. Lake Shore Dr. W.
Chicago, IL 60657
United States
:
Lincoln Park - Bacino's | Concession
Diversey Pkwy & Lakeshore drive
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
:
(773) 880-9633
Lincoln Park - "Diversey" Football/Soccer Field - Artificial Turf
141 W Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60657
United States
:
Lincoln Park Conservatory
2391 N. Stockton Dr.
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
:
,
(312) 742-7736
:
(312) 746-5250
Lincoln Park - Daniel's | Concession
West Wilson Drive
Chicago, IL 60640
United States
:
(773)501-3046
Lincoln Park - North Ave. Beach Dunes Natural Area
N DuSable Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
:
Lincoln Park Cultural Center
2045 N. Lincoln Park West
Chicago, IL 60610
United States
:
(312) 742-7726
Lincoln Park - Lakeshore Bike N Tune | Concession
601 West Waveland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613
United States
:
(773) 348-7668
Dying to Survive - Phoenix Ascending - Trilogy | Artwork
2045 N Lincoln Park West
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
North Avenue Beach
1601 N. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60611
United States
:
312-74-BEACH
Lincoln Park - Noel's Tacos | Concession
Foster & Lakeshore drive
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
:
(773)766-1812
Theatre on the Lake
2401 N. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
:
(312) 414-1313
Lincoln Park - Park Bait | Concession
200 West Montrose Harbor Drive
Chicago, IL 60640
United States
:
(773) 271-2838
Lincoln Park - Tennis on the Lake | Concession
601 West Waveland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60613
United States
:
(773) 278-8877
Lincoln Park - Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary
200 W. Montrose Harbor Dr.
Chicago, IL 60660
United States
:
Lincoln Park - Osterman Beach Dunes Natural Area
5937 North Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60660
United States
:
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller Monument
2045 N Lincoln Park West
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course
2045 N Lincoln Park West
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
:
(866) 223-5564
Lincoln Wilson Football/Soccer
4400 N. Lakeshore Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
:
(312) 742-7841
Lincoln Park - Montrose Beach Dunes Natural Area
900 W Montrose Harbor Dr
Chicago, IL 60640
United States
:
Lincoln Park - Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool
Cannon Drive and Fullerton Parkway
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
:
(773) 883-PARK
Lincoln Park Oak Street Volleyball Court
Oak Street & Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
United States
Lincoln Park - Bill Jarvis Migratory Bird Sanctuary
2 West Belmont Harbor Drive
Chicago, IL 60657
United States
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