Dates: 1870-2014. Size: Approximately 106,000 drawings; Over 30,000 PDF access copies. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections. Chicago's earliest parks were created between the 1830s and 1860s. In 1869, three major organizations were formed for the creation, maintenance and governance of Chicago's parks: the Lincoln Park Commission, the West Chicago Park Commission and the South Park Commission. By 1934, 22 independent park commissions existed, and in that year, they consolidated into the Chicago Park District. From large, famous park to small, neighborhood playground, from Chicago’s boulevard system to its beaches, the Chicago Park District is represented in its entirety in this collection. The records of the Chicago Park District are comprised of a wide variety of landscape and architectural drawings of parks, park buildings and related green spaces. Researchers will view PDF versions of the drawing in the Special Collections Reading Room. [Finding aid]
