Garfield Park

Originally known as Central Park, Garfield Park was conceived as the centerpiece of the West Park System in 1869 and was renamed after President James Garfield's assassination in 1881. Plans for the ensemble of Humboldt, Garfield, and Douglas parks and connecting boulevards were completed in 1871 by William Le Baron Jenney, later known as the father of the skyscraper. Because the ambitious plan could not be realized all at once, the park developed in stages, beginning with the east lagoon. In 1905, Jens Jensen, revered as the Dean of the Prairie style in landscape architecture, transformed unfinished areas of Garfield Park into gardens and naturalistic landscapes. He also designed the Garfield Park Conservatory, one of the world's largest and most unique glass buildings built for the display of plants. In 1927, a ten million dollar bond issue led to the construction of several new Garfield Park buildings. The most ornate was the Gold Dome Building, the Spanish Revival style headquarters for the West Park System. When the office space was no longer needed in the 1930's, the building was converted into the Garfield Park fieldhouse, which continues to offer numerous cultural and athletic programs.

Chicago, Illinois · United States