Grant Park is Chicago’s central lakefront park, a 319-acre public landscape between Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan that grew from early promises to keep the shoreline open. First set aside as Lake Park in 1844, it expanded through railroad construction and successive landfill projects, and in 1901 was renamed for Ulysses S. Grant. Repeated efforts to build on the site sparked legal fights, especially by Aaron Montgomery Ward, that helped preserve its openness. Over time it gained major civic and cultural landmarks, including the Art Institute, Buckingham Fountain, Museum Campus, and Millennium Park, while also serving as a major setting for public ceremonies, protests, festivals, and citywide events.

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Chicago, Illinois · USA