Fieldhouse
Washington Park Fieldhouse
A beautiful day in the park
Pool
Enjoying a day in the pool
Fountain of Time
Washington Park Framework Plan Open House
Washington Park Framework Plan Open House
Location:

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60615

Supervisor: Janie M. Collins
Phone Numbers: Main (773) 256-1248
Features: Outdoor, Court Type - Combo Tennis & Pickleball

 

Hours

Park Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Monday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Tuesday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Wednesday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Thursday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Friday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Saturday: 6:00 am-9:00 pm
Fieldhouse Hours
Day Time slot Comment
Sunday Closed
Monday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Tuesday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Wednesday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Thursday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am-9:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am-5:00 pm

Description

Located in the Washington Park/Woodlawn neighborhood, Washington Park totals 345.67 acres and features two gymnasiums, a photography lab, dance studio, racquetball court, fitness center,game room, and multi-purpose rooms. Green features of the park include a nature area, a Harvest Garden and an arboretum. Outside, the park offers a lagoon, aquatic center, three playgrounds, basketball/ tennis courts, baseball, football, soccer, cricket, and softball fields. Many of these spaces are available for rental including our gymnasiums, fields, and multi-purpose rooms. Additionally, Washington Park features the renowed Fountain of Time sculpture by Lorado Taft.

Park-goers can participate in the Park Kids after school program, seasonal sports, fitness, Teen Club, Junior Bears Football. On the cultural side, the park offers music and movement and dance. During the summer, youth can participate in the Chicago Park District’s popular six-week day camp.

In addition to programs, Washington Park hosts fun special events throughout the year for the entire family, such as Ashaki Black History Month Celebration and other holiday-themed events.

History

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted & Calvert Vaux, Washington Park is one of Chicago’s most significant historic landscapes. Originally considered the “western division”—a 345-acre portion of the enormous 1055-acre South Park—it was connected to the park’s “eastern division” via a grand boulevard called the Midway Plaisance. The South Park District acquired land for this park from 1868-1885. In 1881, the South Park Commissioners named the western division in honor of George Wash­ington (1732–1799) first president of the United States. At the same time, they named the eastern division Jackson Park.

Olmsted and Vaux completed an ambitious plan for South Park in 1871. The plan included a magnificent South Open Green- an open meadow on which cows and sheep would roam to enhance the pastoral experience and keep the lawn trim. The meadow was not only enjoyed by flocks of Southdown sheep, but also park patrons who gathered for baseball, drills, and other athletics.  Renowned architects Burnham & Root designed two late nineteenth century buildings in the park—the stables and round house and the refectory which originally housed the offices for the South Park Commissioners.  In 1910 Burnham’s firm designed a larger administrative headquarters which houses the Du Sable Museum of African American History.

In 1922, Lorado Taft (1860–1936), Chicago’s pre-eminent sculptor, created the Fountain of Time on the southeastern edge of Washington Park. Inspired by “The Paradox of Time,” a poem by Henry Austin Dobson, Taft’s fountain is composed of an ominous cloaked Father-Time figure gazing at a wave-like procession of one hundred human figures across the water.

In 1928, approximately 4 acres of the park was transferred to the State for the construction of an Armory to be occupied by the 124th Field Artillery, National Guard.  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.

By the mid-1930s, the growing African-American community around Washington Park was in dire need of additional recreational facilities. The Park District responded by building two competition-size swimming pools near the refectory. In 1991, the Park District transferred a parcel of land within the park to the Board of Education for a new school, Walther H. Dyett High School.   In the early 1990s, the Park District rehabilitated the refectory and transformed the swimming area into a major aquatic center. Recent projects include lagoon improvements, the construction of a $700 thousand playground, the creation of an arboretum, and a $2 million restoration of the Fountain of Time.  Lagoon improvements were made in the early 2000s.

Advisory Council

Contact: Cecilia Butler,   President
Phone: (773) 667-4160
Meeting Details:

3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.

 Please contact the Washington PAC for details.

Parking/Directions

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

Map & Facilities

Washington Basketball Court

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Playground - SW

5650 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Clubroom

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Racquetball Court

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Dyett High School Pool

555 E 51st St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Washington Cricket Slab

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Spray Feature - 55th & Ellsworth

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Drexel Fountain

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Fieldhouse

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Tennis Court

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington DuSable Museum Flower Garden

740 E. 65th Pl.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Fishing Area

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Emergence #11 | Artwork

Rainey Drive
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:

Washington Elegant Beauty (Artwork)

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Fitness Center

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Woven | Artwork

5200 S. Payne Drive
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

:

Washington Fountain of Time

Payne Drive and Midway Plaisance
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Football/Soccer Field

5200 South Ellsworth Drive
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Ghost Tree | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:

Washington (George Washington Monument)

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Fountains, Monuments, Sculptures

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

DuSable Museum of African American History

740 E 56th Pl
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
(773) 947-0600

Washington Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Monument

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Gymnasium

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Park -Teen Center

5531 South King Drive
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
773-256-1248

Washington Mosaic | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Park Natural Area

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Peculiar People | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington - Lille's Hot Dogs | Concession

4147 W. 58th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
(312) 434-4727

Washington Playground Art

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Harvest Garden

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Spirit of DuSable Series | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Pool

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
(773) 288-0619

Washington Unconditional Love | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Playground - E

5450 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Auditorium

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Playground - NW

5250 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Baseball Field

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Washington Playground - S

550 E. 60th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

default image
Washington Football/Soccer Field

5200 South Ellsworth Drive
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Racquetball Court

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Spirit of DuSable Series
Washington Spirit of DuSable Series | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Fountains, Monuments, Sculptures

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Dyett High School Pool

555 E 51st St.
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Spray Feature - 55th & Ellsworth

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Unconditional Love
Washington Unconditional Love | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Gymnasium

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Drexel Fountain
Washington Drexel Fountain

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Tennis Court

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Auditorium

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Washington Natural Area
Washington Park Natural Area

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington DuSable Museum Flower Garden

740 E. 65th Pl.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Abstract figure in front of park building.
Emergence #11 | Artwork

Rainey Drive
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
Show on Map
default image
Washington Baseball Field

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington - Lille's Hot Dogs | Concession

4147 W. 58th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
(312) 434-4727
Show on Map
Elegant Beauty
Washington Elegant Beauty (Artwork)

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Woven fabric pattern carved into and drawn on to a dead tree.
Woven | Artwork

5200 S. Payne Drive
Chicago, IL 60615
United States

:
Show on Map
default image
Washington Basketball Court

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Washington Harvest Garden

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Fountain of Time
Washington Fountain of Time

Payne Drive and Midway Plaisance
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Tree wrapped with cut Tyvek and decorated with aluminum details at the ends of branches.
Ghost Tree | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
Show on Map
default image
Washington Clubroom

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Washington Park Pool
Washington Pool

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
(773) 288-0619
Show on Map
George Washington Monument
Washington (George Washington Monument)

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Outside view of the DuSable Museum
DuSable Museum of African American History

740 E 56th Pl
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
(773) 947-0600
Show on Map
default image
Washington Cricket Slab

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Playground - E

5450 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Monument
Washington Gotthold Ephraim Lessing Monument

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Park -Teen Center

5531 South King Drive
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

:
773-256-1248
Show on Map
default image
Washington Fieldhouse

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Washington Playground - NW
Washington Playground - NW

5250 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Mosaic
Washington Mosaic | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Fishing Area

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Playground - S

550 E. 60th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Peculiar People
Washington Peculiar People | Artwork

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Fitness Center

5531 S. King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
default image
Washington Playground - SW

5650 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map
Playground Art
Washington Playground Art

5531 S. Martin Luther King Dr.
Chicago, IL 60637
United States

Show on Map