Inspired by Nature: The Garfield Park Conservatory and Chicago's West Side (Paperback)

by Julia Sniderman Bachrach (Author), Jo Ann Nathan (Author), Alex Kotlowitz (Foreword)
Key Phrases: fern room, victory gardens, park commissioners, Garfield Park, West Side, Chicago Park District (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
...just in the nick of time, the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance has published a book filled with reminiscences, historical accounts and stunning photos of the West Side's crown jewel...Bachrach and Nathan's book shows the landmark for what it truly is: a reflection of Chicago -- perpetually in transition, its demography in flux, but fundamentally true to an identity planted long ago, its thick roots now inexorably entwined with history. -- Chicago Tribune Books, December 15, 2007

Review
"You really need a gift for a Chicago gardener? . . . See if your local bookstore has "Inspired by Nature" . . . . It''s a fascinating history of the 100-year-old horticultural landmark, designed by Jens Jensen, its evolution and that of the community around it. It would be a good present for anyone with an interest in Chicago history too."-Beth Botts, Chicago Gardener (Beth Botts Chcago Gardener )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance; illustrated edition edition (November 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979412501
• ISBN-13: 978-0979412509
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #789,543 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A City in a Garden: Growth, Decline and Renewal, October 15, 2008

By	Borowy26 "Hank" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

The rich and diverse history of Garfield Park, which was the former headquarters of the West Park Board (the former park board office building now serves the public as a field house), and its surrounding residential neighborhoods is put on full display in this magnificent new book which includes a fascinating collection of period photographs and a lively and thoughtful text. While many Chicagoans are vaguely aware of the historic park district conservatory and the botanical gardens located on the grounds, there is so much more to the story!

Much of the West Side was annexed to the City of Chicago a few short years before the Chicago Fire of 1871. The annexation required the city to move its border past the eponynmic Western Avenue to Crawford Avenue(which was subsequently renamed Pulaski Road as city politicians courted favor with Polish-American voters decades later). Following the great fire, many displaced residents of the central city opted to settle on the West Side which had been buffered from the flames by the Chicago River. Within a few years, the elegant Ashland Avenue neighborhood, anchored by Union Park, experienced a residential decline and some property owners looked to establish new homes opposite the parks and boulevards planned farther to the West as warehouses and tenements replaced mansions on the near West Side.

For a time, the horse racing industry, which included both legal and illegal track meets, depending upon the whims of the Illinois legislature and the official indifference of the Chicago Police Department to organized gambling, was based opposite Garfield Park, close to the city limits. Eventually, sufficient pressure was applied by reform elements to shut down the popular horse tracks.

Chicago's Central Park was renamed for President James A. Garfield following his assassination. William Le Baron Jenney, the noted architect who is credited with building Chicago's first skyscraper, was the initial developer of the park who cleared the land, drained the swamps and laid out the grounds. After this promising start, corrupt patronage politics and wasteful spending nearly bankrupted the West Park Board.

The development was renewed in large part due to the appointment of the acclaimed landscape designer Jens Jensen who labored to beautify Garfield Park and frequently had to battle political interference to realize his prairie inspired vision for the green space. In time, Garfield Park would have its own golf course and lagoon. Jensen was also instrumental in creating such beautiful neighboring parks as Douglas Park to the south, Humboldt Park to the north and Columbus Park to the west. Eventually, the multiple park districts serving the city were consolidated into the unified Chicago Park District in 1934.

Urban decay and white flight to suburbia hastened the decline of the West Side during the Fifties and Sixties. The construction of the Congress expressway divided portions of the community and necessitated the demolition of several blocks of homes. What was once a racially and ethnically diverse area which had included African American, Italian, Irish and Jewish households and a thriving retail shopping district became an almost exclusively African American enclave within the space of a few years. The urban riots of 1968 which were accompanied by arson and looting caused many people to avoid visiting the impoverished Garfield Park neighborhood for decades afterwards.

Thankfully, there are optimistic signs of renewal centered upon the restoration and revival of Garfield Park as the conservatory observes its centennial. This book is a welcome addition to that worthwhile cause. Both authors are to be commended. This West Side story may have a happy ending.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, December 15, 2007

By	Kevin Gwin (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a west side resident who lives down the street from the conservatory, I have long been curious about the history of the neighborhood, the park, and the conservatory. This book had great information and leads me to want to learn more about the history of the west side.

5.0 out of 5 stars grab it!, December 13, 2007

By	C. Lane (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having visited Garfield Park Conservatory multiple times, I wanted to know more about the neighborhood. I sensed that there was a lot more to the story for a place that has such a gem of a facility in its ranks. The book has GORGEOUS pictures that really tell the story or Garfield Park's evolution. This neighborhood is in the midst of another revitalization and this book really completes the picture of how all of it came to be.