7705 N. Eastlake Terrace
Chicago, IL 60626
Hours
Park Hours
Hours Notes
The beach is open from 6 am to 11 pm, but swimming is only permitted when lifeguards are on duty, from 11 am to 7 pm daily
Description
Rogers Beach Park is 2.38 acres of open green space located along Lake Michigan. In addition, there are tennis courts for those looking to stay active.
History
Part of Rogers Beach Park was originally acquired by the North Shore Park District in 1916 and this portion of the park became part of the Chicago Park District’s portfolio in 1934 when North Shore Park District and 21 other park districts were consolidated. The City of Chicago owned the other portion of Rogers Beach Park, this property was transferred to Chicago Park District pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act of 1957. Many of these beaches were located in the Rogers Park neighborhood, where a growing population of apartment dwellers lacked easy access to recreational opportunities. In contrast to the City's larger municipal beaches, the street-end beaches, though manned by lifeguards, had no changing rooms or other facilities. 1977, the Park District acquired additional land for the expansion of the park.
Rogers Avenue and the adjacent beach take their names from Phillip Rogers (1812-1856), the first white settler in the area. Rogers, an Irish immigrant, arrived from New York in 1836 and soon became a successful truck farmer, amassing over 1,600 acres of land before he died. His son-in-law, Patrick L. Touhy (1839-1911), later subdivided some of Rogers' land and named the town Rogers Park in his honor.