Sherman (John) Park

Park Details

Main Address

1301 W. 52nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

  • Tel: (312) 747-6672 | Main
Park Supervisor
Delwin Butler
Park Hours
Open
| 6:00 am-11:00 pm

Sherman (John) Park

Description

Located in the New City community, Sherman Park totals 57.70 acres and features two gymnasiums, an auditorium, fitness center, and multi-purpose rooms. Outside, the park offers a swimming pool,three playgrounds, basketball/tennis courts, baseball/softball diamonds, soccer/football fields. Many of these spaces are available for rental including our auditorium, gymnasiums, multi-purpose rooms, and fields.

Park-goers can participate in seasonal sports, aerobics, Teen Club. After school programs are offered throughout the school year, and during the summer, youth participate in the Chicago Park District’s popular six-week day camp.

In addition to programs, Sherman Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the entire family, such as Senior Sock Hop Dance, jazz concerts, and holiday-themed events.

History

The South Park District acquired land for this park in 1903.  Sherman Park was one of ten revolutionary Chicago parks which opened to the public in 1905. The City's population had grown from 300,000 in 1870 to 2 million by 1905, but less than 200 acres of new parkland had been created during that period. The noisy, overcrowded immigrant neighborhoods in the center of the City were far away from the existing parks. South Park Commission Superintendent J. Frank Foster envisioned a new type of park that would provide social services as well as breathing spaces to these areas. Nationally renowned landscape architects the Olmsted Brothers and architects Daniel H. Burnham and Co. designed the whole system of new parks. In addition to Sherman Park, these were Ogden, Palmer, Bessemer, and Hamilton Parks, and Russell, Davis, Armour, Cornell and Mark White Squares. (Mark White Square is now known as McGuane Park.) At 60 acres, Sherman Park was one of the largest of the parks.  In 1934, the park became part of the Chicago Park District’s portfolio when the South Park District and 21 other park districts were consolidated.  The Olmsted Brothers transformed its low and wet site into a beautiful landscape with a meandering waterway surrounding an island of ballfields. The classically-designed architecture, located at the north end of the park, includes the fieldhouse and gym and locker buildings united by trellis-like structures known as pergolas.

This architectural commission was especially meaningful to Burnham because the park was named for his father-in-law, John B. Sherman (1825- 1902). The founder of Chicago's Union Stock Yards, Sherman served as a member of the South Park Commission for 25 years.

Additional Information

For directions using public transportation visit www.transitchicago.com.

Contact: Sabrina King, President

Contact Email: shermanparkadvisorycouncil@yahoo.com

Meetings: Every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30p.m.

Facilities at Sherman (John) Park

19 facilities

Sherman Pool

Sherman Pool

Sherman Pool

Sherman Pool

Programs at Sherman (John) Park

Most programs run from Monday, June 16 to Sunday, August 10 Online registration beings In-person registration begins
Day Camp at Sherman
Camp
General Interest
At least 6 but less than 13
From June 23, 2025 to August 1, 2025
Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 10am to 4pm
Except the following dates:
Friday, Jul 4, 2025
$130.00
Rec Leader in Training at Sherman
Camp
Special Interest
At least 13 but less than 16
From June 23, 2025 to August 1, 2025
Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 10am to 4pm
Except the following dates:
Friday, Jul 4, 2025
$0.00
Sports Camp at Sherman
Camp
Sports
At least 9 but less than 13
From August 4, 2025 to August 8, 2025
Each Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday from 9am to 12pm
$19.00