North Park Village Collection

Abstract

North Park Village is located on the grounds of what was once Chicago’s Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium, covering nearly 160 acres on the northwest side of the city. It includes a nature center, senior housing, a gymnasium, and other community resources. The collection contains meeting minutes, correspondence, planning documents, event fliers, news clippings, historical material, brochures, photographs, and other records that document the site’s transformation from a sanitarium to a village and nature center within Chicago.

Biographical/Historical

Chicago’s Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium (MTS) opened in 1915 on the northwest side of the city on land donated by Pehr Peterson, a Swedish immigrant who had previously used the land as a tree orchard. At the time, fresh air and open space were considered important factors for treating tuberculosis, so the land was well-suited to its new use. By the 1970s, medical advances meant that declining numbers of people needed to visit sanitariums for treatment, and the MTS closed at the end of 1974. Shortly before that, in November 1973, developer Harry Chaddick proposed converting the nearly 160 acre MTS site in to a shopping complex and high rise apartments. This plan was strongly opposed by many area residents and local groups, including the North River Commission, an umbrella organization for local community groups that was founded in 1962. With the support of the North River Commission and other local groups, the North River Coalition to Save the MTS Site was created.

Northsiders opposed to commercial development on the MTS site attended meetings with city officials, wrote letters, surveyed local residents, held rallies, and researched alternative possibilities for the site. Their proposed uses for the land emphasized preserving open space and serving senior citizens. In 1975, Mayor Richard J. Daley proposed a plan for the site that incorporated many of the North River Coalition’s proposals, such as open space, a park, senior housing, and a health center. While the following decades continued to see disagreements and debates over the use of the land, many of these projects eventually became part of North Park Village, and the emphasis remained on open space rather than commercial development.

A groundbreaking for Pehr Peterson Park was held in 1977 on the former MTS grounds, and the area was officially given the name North Park Village in February 1979. In the next decade, two senior housing complexes and a health center opened, programs and events were held at the Nature Center, and plans began to renovate the MTS theater building.

In 1988, Mayor Eugene Sawyer announced the creation of a conservation easement that would prohibit development on over 100 acres of land within North Park Village. Rights for the land protected by the conservation easement were transferred to Open Lands, a local environmental non-profit. In exchange, it was agreed that the city would develop 12 acres in the southwest corner of North Park Village with the hope of raising revenues to offset costs of maintaining the rest of the village. Initially the conservation easement had a 75-year limit, but it was made permanent in 2020.

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the establishment of North Park Village at the site of Chicago’s former Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. It covers both initial and ongoing efforts of local people to oppose commercial development on the site, including the successful creation of a conservation easement. The collection also covers their work to establish a nature center, senior housing, a health center, a gymnasium, and other community resources at North Park Village.

The collection contains a significant amount of administrative records from the North Park Village Advisory Council, including meeting minutes, agendas, and correspondence. Correspondents include members of the Advisory Council and its many subcommittees, City of Chicago administrators, and leaders of other local groups and organizations. There are also a significant number of planning documents for the various projects that North Park Village leaders pursued, such as the health center and senior housing. The planning documents include reports, proposals, and site maps. The collection also includes promotional material such as fliers, event calendars, press releases, brochures, and newsletters, which provide information on events and activities at North Park Village. There are also clippings from local newspapers that document projects and events and a small number of photographs, mostly of the nature center and outdoor areas.

Arrangement

North Park Village’s longtime historian, Rose Wandel, had a detailed, subject-based system for organizing the Village’s archives. For the most part, that order has been maintained. When it arrived at the archives, much of the material was organized in to binders that correspond to the series listed below. The topics were also assigned letters (A-Z, skipping Q) that correspond to the order they are listed in below. In general, topics at the beginning of the list contain significantly more files than those at the end. Within each topic, in most cases the files were organized roughly chronologically.

The topical organizational scheme, its original order, and the chronological order within each topic have generally all been maintained. This means the collection is organized in the following series:

Series 1: Advisory Council, 1973-2007, undated

Series 2: History, 1915-2005, undated

Series 3: Nature Center, 1974-2007

Series 4: Theater and Gymnasium, 1975-1999

Series 5: Health Center, 1972-2006

Series 6: City Plans, 1973-2000

Series 7: Housing, 1968-1997

Series 8: Open Lands, 1974-2006, undated

Series 9: Pehr Peterson Park, 1972-2005

Series 10: Greenhouses and Gardens, 1979-1995

Series 11: Senate Apartments, 1979-2006

Series 12: Northside Learning Center, 1978-1998

Series 13: United States Forest Service, 1975-1990

Series 14: Parking, 1990-1991

Series 15: Community Plans and Interests, 1973-2003

Series 16: Security, 1981-1994

Series 17: Transportation, 1982-1997

Series 18: North Park Village Master Plans, 1977-2007

Series 19: Outside Developers, 1975-1997

Series 20: Recycling, 1985-1997

Series 21: Audubon Society, 1982-2001

Series 22: Cultural Arts, 1978-1998

Series 23: Condo developments, 1990-1993

Series 24: Chapel, 1951-2002

Series 25: Photographs and Slides, 1973-2003, undated

Related Collections

North Mayfair Community Collection has a small amount of related material.

The records of the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium are at the Chicago History Museum.

Subject Headings

• Nature centers.
• Older people – housing.
• Community health services.
• Conservation easements.

Collection Inventory

Series 1: Advisory Council, 1973-2007, undated

Scope and Contents

This series contains the records of the North Park Village Advisory Council, an advisory board made up of representatives from local residential groups, institutions, non-profit organizations, and relevant City of Chicago departments and agencies. It was formed by the city and the North River Commission to offer a way for local people to provide insight and offer advice in to the process of transforming the former MTS grounds. It aimed to “assist in the development and protection of North Park Village and act in cooperation and coordination with the City of Chicago for the long term governance of the village.” (Advisory Council By-laws, Article 1, 1986)

Arrangement

In two subseries:

Subseries A: General records, 1973-2007, undated

Subseries B: Administrative Building Task Force, 1996-2001, undated

Subseries A: General records, 1973-2007, undated

Scope and Contents

This subseries mostly consists of meeting material, such as minutes and agendas, from the North Park Village Advisory Council. Most folders also contain related material such as reports, notes, proposals and newsletters. In many cases, the topics discussed in the meeting minutes are covered in more detail in the other series in this collection. The subseries also contains a few petitions, rosters, surveys, and clippings.

Arrangement

Alphabetically according to the type of material, and chronologically therein when necessary.

Subseries B: Administrative Building Task Force, 1996-2001, undated

Scope and Contents

This series contains records from the task force that worked to find a tenant or tenants for three buildings on the grounds of the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium: the Administration Building, the West Community Room, and the former Annex Building. According to one of their early meetings, the task force’s purpose was to “gather ideas for the use or uses of these buildings and hopefully come to an agreement as to their future use” (Task force meeting minutes, 1997 October 23). They invited local cultural and community groups to submit proposals specifying how they would use the space. The Task Force planned to evaluate the proposals and present a recommendation to the City of Chicago.

Arrangement

Alphabetically according to the type of material, and chronologically therein when necessary.

Series 2: History, 1915-2005, undated

Scope and Contents

This series contains historical and retrospective information on the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium and North Park Village. Its focus is on the “Save the MTS” movement and the process of turning the sanitarium in to North Park Village.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with undated material and news clippings at the end.

Series 3: Nature Center, 1974-2007

Scope and Contents

This series documents efforts to oppose development and preserve open space on the grounds of the former Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. It also documents activities and events at the North Park Village Nature Center and surrounding area. The administrative files at the beginning of the series contain internal documents such as correspondence, minutes, notes, and reports as well as promotional material such as newsletters, event calendars, and fliers. The rest of the series is mostly newsletters, clippings, brochures, and fliers.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with the news clippings at the end.

Series 4: Theatre and gymnasium, 1975-1999

Scope and Contents

This series contains information on the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium’s theater building, which was renovated and turned in to a gymnastics center. The series contains planning material related to the renovation as well as correspondence, clippings, and other material related to the gymnastics program.

Arrangement

Chronologically.

Series 5: Health Center, 1972-2006

Scope and Contents

This series contains material on efforts to develop and maintain a community health center at North Park Village. It covers the Comprehensive Health Examination and Senior Citizen Health Center, which opened in 1980 and closed in 1983, as well as the new Community Health Center that replaced it. The series includes planning documents, clippings, correspondence, and promotional material.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with news clippings at the end.

Series 6: City Plans, 1973-2000

Scope and Contents

This series contains planning documents from the City of Chicago related to the former Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium site and North Park Village. It includes correspondence, maps, clippings, fliers, reports, and related material.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with news clippings at the end.

Series 7: Housing, 1968-1997

Scope and Contents

This series contains notes, reports, correspondence, and other planning material related to the development of and selection of tenants for North Park Village Apartments, a 180-unit affordable senior housing complex at North Park Village. Access to Subseries B is restricted. Contact staff for more details.

Arrangement

In two subseries:

Subseries A: General files, 1968-1997

Subseries B: Restricted material, 1976-1985

Subseries A: General files, 1968-1997

Scope and Contents

This subseries covers the process of planning, constructing, and selecting tenants for the North Park Village Apartments. It includes information on the physical buildings, plans for managing the housing complex, and debates surrounding changing criteria for selecting residents. It includes handwritten notes, reports, meeting minutes, and correspondence. Correspondents include the North Park Village Congregate Housing Subcommittee, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the City of Chicago’s Department of Planning, the League of Women Voters, and other groups and agencies. Any documents with individual information about tenants or prospective tenants have been moved to Subseries B.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with the exception of the last four files. After the general chronological files there is one folder of news clippings, and three folders that each came from separate binders related to the tenant selection process.

Subseries B: Restricted material, circa 1976-1985

Scope and Contents

This subseries contains handwritten and typed lists of people who applied to live at North Park Village Apartments, an affordable senior housing complex. In addition to names, the lists contain various types of personal information, such as addresses, health, and financial information. The subseries also contains a few housing registration forms. This subseries is restricted. Contact staff for more details.

Series 8: Open Lands, 1974-2006, undated

Scope and Contents

This series documents North Park Village’s work with Open Lands, an environmental non-profit organization that supported efforts to turn the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium grounds into a nature area and later supported efforts to create a conservation easement for the land. It includes correspondence, notes, plans, and clippings. There is also a small amount of material about Jens Jensen and North Park Village’s rock garden.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with the exception of the last folder and videocassette, which are both about Jens Jensen and the North Park Village rock garden.

Series 9: Pehr Peterson Park, 1972-2005

Scope and Contents

This series contains material on Pehr Peterson Park, a 20 acre park on the grounds of the former Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium managed by the Chicago Park District. It contains correspondence, fliers, clippings, brochures, newsletters, and other material that cover efforts to develop the park as well as activities and events held there after it opened.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with news clippings at the end.

Series 10: Greenhouses and Gardens, 1979-1995

Scope and Contents

This series contains notes, minutes, diagrams, and reports covering strategies for making use of greenhouses and gardens at North Park Village. It contains a small amount of material from two groups that used the greenhouses, the Southeast Asian Community Garden Project and the North Park Village Garden Club.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with news clippings at the end.

Series 11: Senate Apartments, 1979-2006

Scope and Contents

This series contains material on the Senate Apartments, a 240-unit rent subsidized senior housing complex in North Park Village. It covers the 1979 ground breaking as well as activities and events at the apartments after they were established.

Series 12: Northside Learning Center, 1978-1998

Scope and Contents

This series contains news releases, invitations to events, programs, clippings, and principal’s newsletters for Northside Learning Center, a school for children with special needs on the North Park Village grounds.

Series 13: U.S. Forestry, 1975-1990

Scope and Contents

This small series contains brochures, a few pieces of correspondence, and meeting material regarding establishing a U.S. Forest Service research site on the former Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium grounds.

Series 14: Parking, 1990-1991

Scope and Contents

This series contains material related to a campaign initiated in 1990 to oppose a City of Chicago parking ticket payment center that opened in North Park Village. It includes notes on strategies to oppose the center, correspondence with city government, and clippings documenting residents’ opposition to the center.

Series 15: Community Plans and Interests, 1973-2003

Scope and Contents

This series contains reports, proposals, site maps, and related materials regarding the future of the Municipal Tuberculosis Site, which later became North Park Village. In addition to plans from local community groups, it includes a few plans and reports from the City of Chicago.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with news clippings at the end.

Series 16: Security, 1981-1994

Scope and Contents

This series contains one folder of correspondence, reports, notes, and news clippings on security issues at North Park Village.

Series 17: Transportation, 1982-1997

Scope and Contents

This series contains correspondence, notes, clippings, and petitions regarding the North Park Village shuttle bus. Residents used the bus to connect from the senior apartment complex to city buses. The series includes information about the shuttle bus being discontinued and residents’ efforts to have it reinstated.

Series 18: North Park Village Master Plans, 1977-2007

Scope and Contents

This series contains various plans, and drafts of many of the plans, for North Park Village. It also includes a number of site maps for North Park Village, and minutes, meeting material, and notes related to the plans and maps.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with news clippings at the end.

Series 19: Outside Developers, 1975-1997

Scope and Contents

This series contains proposals and related material from other organizations, mostly local non-profits, which were hoping to make use of land and facilities at North Park Village. Some of the proposals are in-depth and detailed, while others are brief inquiries.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with news clippings at the end.

Series 20: Recycling, 1985-1997

Scope and Contents

This small series contains a proposal for a recycling center at North Park Village as well as fliers, clippings, and correspondence related to recycling in Chicago and at North Park Village.

Series 21: Audubon Society, 1982-2001

Scope and Contents

This small series contains a lease for office space at North Park Village for the Chicago Audubon Society, issues of the Chicago Audubon Society’s Compass newsletter, and a survey of bird sightings at North Park Village.

Series 22: Cultural Arts, 1978-1998

Scope and Contents

This series contains two studies related to the arts in Chicago and at North Park Village along with related material such as notes, clippings, fliers, correspondence, and brochures. Much of the material is from the North Park Village Cultural Arts Task Force, and it mostly covers different options for bringing arts organizations to North Park Village or promoting the arts in North Park Village.

Arrangement

Chronologically, with news clippings at the end.

Series 23: Condo Developments, 1990-1993

Scope and Contents

This series contains brochures, reports, fliers, press releases, correspondence, and news clippings related to proposals for condominium developments in North Park Village.

Series 24: Chapel, 1951-2002

Scope and Contents

This series contains clippings and other historical information about the chapel on the grounds of the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium.

Series 25: Photographs and Slides, 1973-2003, undated

Scope and Contents

This series contains photographs and a small number of slides of the buildings and grounds of North Park Village and the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. Unless otherwise noted, the folders contain photographs. The few instance where there are slides are noted in the folder title.

Arrangement

The photographs are first arranged by topic, following the topics and order of the first 24 series. Not all series have corresponding photographs. Within each topic, the photographs are arranged in roughly chronological order.