Chicago's Parks: A Photographic History (Images of America) (Paperback)

~ John Graf (Author) "Several of the oldest parks in the city can be found on the West Side..." (more)
Key Phrases: land for the park, park district, park commission, Lincoln Park, Garfield Park, Washington Park (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

No other city in the world has a park system as great as Chicago’s, which includes over 550 parks totaling more than 7,000 acres. Each park has its own story, as well as unique characteristics and history, and yet the majority of Chicagoans are not aware of the wealth, variety, and sheer number of parks that exist, to say nothing of the ideas they

project, the history they commemorate, and the origins of their names. Chicago’s Parks: A Photographic History seeks to remedy this oversight. From Chicago’s first park, Dearborn Park, to its more famous parks of Grant and Lincoln, this book provides a wealth of information concerning the origins of the names and plans of these Chicago landmarks. A formal plan for the creation of a park system was developed in 1869, and soon Chicago had some of the greatest parks to be found anywhere in the world. When Chicago was founded in 1837, the city’s fathers adopted the motto urbs in horto, or “the city set in a garden.” Despite the numerous changes that have taken place over the past 160 years, Chicago is still a city set in a garden. Chicago’s Parks: A Photographic History captures the growth of that “garden” with its nearly 200 historic photographs.

About the Author

Through this fascinating visual journey, John Graf breathes further life into the many varied and wonderful parks that make Chicago one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the world, and a great place to live and play.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (July 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738507164
• ISBN-13: 978-0738507163
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,679,523 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Review of Chicago's Parks, March 2, 2001

By	ken suskin "sphinx711" (Libertyville, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This is a paperback book in the Images of America series. This book is a must for those interested in Chicago history, especially for one who has lived in Chicago for many years.

The book contains numerous historic photographs of Chicago's parks and boulevards, many from the 19th and early 20th centuries. I found the text interesting, especially short biographical sketches of historical figures for whom the various parks are named. It also contains little known facts about the park system for the student of Chicago history.

The book is organized by sections of Chicago--West Side, South Side and North Side parks. Although the book is not indexed, one can easily find the section of the city in which one is interested.

I was thoroughly entertained by this book.