Lincoln (Abraham) Park

Park Details

Main Address

500-5700 N. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60614
United States

  • Tel: (312) 742-7726 | Main
Park Supervisor
Sonya Malinowski
Park Hours
Open
| 6:00 am-11:00 pm

Lincoln (Abraham) Park

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.

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. An expansion in1998 and the Fullerton Revetment Project of 2016 brought the park to its current size of 1,118 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.

Additional Information

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.

Contact: Ellen Issacson, President

Contact Email: lpacbdm2013@gmail.com

Contact Phone: (773) 743-2881

Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of the month

Facilities at Lincoln (Abraham) Park

142 facilities

Belmont Harbor

Chicago History Museum

Diversey Driving Range

Diversey Harbor

Lincoln Park - Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool

Lincoln Park Conservatory

Lincoln Park Cultural Center

Lincoln Park Cultural Center

Lincoln Park Zoo

Montrose Harbor

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course - 9 hole

Theatre on the Lake

Programs at Lincoln (Abraham) Park

Most programs run from Monday, June 16 to Sunday, August 10 Online registration beings In-person registration begins
Adaptive Cycling at Lincoln Park
Instruction
Fitness
13 and up
From May 20, 2025 to September 11, 2025
Each Tuesday,Thursday from 10:30am to 2:30pm
Except the following dates:
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Tuesday, Jun 17, 2025
Thursday, Jun 19, 2025
Thursday, Jul 3, 2025
Thursday, Jul 24, 2025
Tuesday, Aug 12, 2025
Thursday, Aug 14, 2025
$0.00
Adaptive Cycling at Lincoln Park
Instruction
Fitness
13 and up
From May 19, 2025 to October 8, 2025
Each Monday from 10:30am to 1pm
Each Wednesday from 4pm to 6:30pm
Except the following dates:
Monday, Sep 1, 2025
$0.00
Veterans Archery at Lincoln Park
Instruction
Sports - Archery
18 and up
From June 13, 2025 to September 19, 2025
Each Friday from 1pm to 3pm
Except the following dates:
Friday, Jun 20, 2025
Friday, Jun 27, 2025
Friday, Jul 4, 2025
Friday, Jul 18, 2025
Friday, Jul 25, 2025
Friday, Aug 1, 2025
Friday, Aug 8, 2025
Friday, Aug 15, 2025
Friday, Aug 29, 2025
Friday, Sep 5, 2025
$0.00

Events at Lincoln (Abraham) Park

6 Events
Aug
2

Movies in the Parks at Belmont Harbor

Location Notes

This movie screening will take place near the Belmont Harbor South parking lot at Belmont Ave. & DuSable Lake Shore Dr.

8:00 PM - 10:19 PM