Taylor-Lauridsen (John, Emil) Park

Park Details

Main Address

704 W. 42nd St.
Chicago, IL 60609
United States

  • Tel: (312) 747-6729 | Main
Park Supervisor
Brendan Rice
Park Hours
Open
| 6:00 am-11:00 pm

Taylor-Lauridsen (John, Emil) Park

Description

Located in the New City Community Area, Taylor-Lauridsen Park totals 4.90 acres and features a new state-of-the-art field house, completed in 2010 which houses a gymnasium, fitness center and meeting rooms.

Outside, the park offers a soft surface playground, an athletic field for football or soccer and a baseball field. Many of these spaces are available for rental.

Park-goers can play seasonal sports at the facility. After school programs are offered throughout the school year, and in the summer youth attend the Park District’s popular six-week day camp.

In addition to programs, Taylor-Lauridsen Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the whole family, such as holiday events and Night Out in the Parks movies and concerts.

History

The New City community grew up around Chicago's world-renowned Union Stock Yards, founded in 1865. By the first decades of the 20th century, the stock yards and related industries had brought successive waves of immigrant laborers into the neighborhood. New City's population reached 92,659 in 1920.

In 1922, the City's Bureau of Parks and Recreation decided to establish a much-needed park in the northeast corner of the neighborhood. However, condemnation proceedings delayed development for more than five years.

Finally, in 1928, the bureau improved the site with a gravel-surfaced playground and ball diamond, an oval wading pool with a pergola shelter, and a small office building with open sand court wings. In the years following World War II, the building wings were enclosed to create a year-round recreational building, and the wading pool was converted to a spray pool.

In 1957, the City transferred the park to the Chicago Park District, along with more than 250 other properties, pursuant to the Chicago Park and City Exchange of Functions Act. After paving the playground in 1964, the Park District made more extensive improvements in the late 1980s and 1990s, constructing a soft surface playground and enclosing the park with ornamental fencing.

The park and adjacent Graham Elementary School are jointly operated by the Park District and the Board of Education. The park was long known as Boyce Field. In September, 1976, the Park District renamed the site Taylor-Lauridsen Park at the request of numerous community groups and organizations. An ordinance was passed in 2002 to vacate a portion of South Union Avenue to expand the park.  The Park District has been leasing a portion of the park property from the City since 2008. 

The park's new name honors highly-regarded neighborhood residents John Taylor and Emil Lauridsen, who were murdered on March 13, 1976 after stepping in to help a 15-year-old who was being attacked by four assailants.

Additional Information

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

Contact: Katie Gagen, President

Contact Email: katiegagan@yahoo.com

Meetings: 2nd Thursday of the month @ 6:30pm.

Out of an abundance of caution Park Advisory Council Meetings will be held virtually for the near future. Please contact the Taylor Lauridsen  PAC for details.

Facilities at Taylor-Lauridsen (John, Emil) Park

9 facilities

Programs at Taylor-Lauridsen (John, Emil) Park

Most programs run from Monday, June 16 to Sunday, August 10 Online registration beings In-person registration begins
Day Camp at Taylor-Lauridsen
Camp
General Interest
At least 6 but less than 12
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
$225.00

Events at Taylor-Lauridsen (John, Emil) Park

2 Events