Veterans' Memorial Park

On March 10, 1954, the Chicago City Council decided to honor veterans of the United States armed forces by naming a new southside park Veteran's Memorial Park. This tribute was a natural extension of the patriotic attitude that prevailed across the country during and after World War II. Developed by the city's Bureau of Parks and Recreation the previous year, the four-acre park was intended to meet the increasing recreational needs of the South Deering community, whose population had nearly doubled between 1940 and 1950. Initial improvements included outdoor athletic facilities, a playground, and a small brick recreational building. In 1959, the city transferred Veterans' Memorial Park, along with more than 250 other properties, to the Chicago Park District. The park district installed a spray pool in 1966 and a new soft surface playground in 1989.