Garfield Park
When I first heard that we had to go to Garfield Park on a tour, I didnt think it was gonna be all that great. I knew a little a bit about that general area, and from what I had heard from other people it wasnt that appealing to me. Well, needless to say, when I got to Garfield it was a totally different story. I didnt expect it to be as clean and as good looking as it was. If I would have gone a couple more exits down on the 290, like at Kostner, I would have had all the windows rolled up and would not have been looking at anybody, but in Garfield I felt somewhat safer.
The first segment of the Park was opened to the public in August of 1874. It was first intended to be a place for picnicking or walking around with loved ones. William LeBaron Jenney, the designer of Garfield Park, designed a lagoon in the park that served two purposes. It would be used to drain the park and also to provide the necessary water feature that any good park should have. In the summer the lagoon was used for boating and in the winter it doubled as an ice skating rink.
These features alone drew thousands of people to the park each year to enjoy outdoor activities. Many of Jenneys ideas were derived from French parks he had seen in Paris.
In 1920 a major addition to Garfield Park was underway. A golden dome administration building designed by Michaelson and Rognstad.
This golden dome would later become the parks fieldhouse and center of park activities. Even though there have been some changes to the park, the roads, buildings, water features, and other unique aspects of the park still remain.Words
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