.gif)
Jefferson Park (Chicago park)
Encyclopedia
Jefferson Park is a 7 acres (28,328 m²) park in the Jefferson Park
community area
of Chicago, Illinois on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Thomas Jefferson
. The park was long referred to as simply Jefferson Park until the park received the memorial park designation in 1999 to distinguish it from a second park of the same name. This Jefferson Park was the creation of the Jefferson Park District, one of 22 park commissions consolidated into the Chicago Park District
in 1934. The Jefferson Park District was established in 1920 to provide neighborhood parks for the rapidly developing northwest side of Chicago. Located on the site of the former Esdohr farm, land acquisition for the park began in 1921 and continued through 1929 when most of the park had been landscaped.
In 1930, the park district constructed an athletic field and a fieldhouse designed by Clarence Hatzfeld whose architectural firm of Hatzfeld and Knox would later design many of the Prairie and Craftsman-style
bungalows in the nearby Villa District
by historic St Wenceslaus
. The brick fieldhouse is graced with several historic paintings, including an anonymous portrait of Thomas Jefferson
, a depiction of a Viking ship
replica by artist Emil Biorn
, and Columbus
Sighting Land by L. Caracciolo.
Jefferson Park, Chicago
Jefferson Park is one of Chicago's 77 well-defined community areas located on the city's Northwest Side. The neighborhood of Jefferson Park occupies a larger swath of territory than the community area by including within it land of adjacent community areas...
community area
Community areas of Chicago
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago into 77 community areas. These areas are well-defined and static...
of Chicago, Illinois on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Park features
The park is equipped with two baseball fields, one combination football/soccer field, three tennis courts, one playground and a spray pool and a full outdoor swimming pool with dressing facility. Each summer, hundreds of residents stroll the park grounds for “Jeff Fest,” a Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce-sponsored outdoor community festival featuring local food, vendors and bands. The all-volunteer Citywide Orchestra practices at Jefferson Park and performs seasonal concerts for the community.History
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Park is named in honor of the drafter of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. The park was long referred to as simply Jefferson Park until the park received the memorial park designation in 1999 to distinguish it from a second park of the same name. This Jefferson Park was the creation of the Jefferson Park District, one of 22 park commissions consolidated into the Chicago Park District
Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
in 1934. The Jefferson Park District was established in 1920 to provide neighborhood parks for the rapidly developing northwest side of Chicago. Located on the site of the former Esdohr farm, land acquisition for the park began in 1921 and continued through 1929 when most of the park had been landscaped.
In 1930, the park district constructed an athletic field and a fieldhouse designed by Clarence Hatzfeld whose architectural firm of Hatzfeld and Knox would later design many of the Prairie and Craftsman-style
American Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
bungalows in the nearby Villa District
Villa District
The Villa District, also known as Villa Historic District, is a historic district in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is located on Chicago's Northwest Side within the community area of Irving Park. Its borders are along Pulaski Road to the west, the Union Pacific/Northwest rail line to the north, Hamlin...
by historic St Wenceslaus
St. Wenceslaus in Chicago
St. Wenceslaus - historic church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago located in, Chicago, Illinois.One of the many Polish churches visible from the Kennedy Expressway, it is, along with St. Hyacinth Basilica, one of two monumental religious edifices that dominates the Avondale skyline...
. The brick fieldhouse is graced with several historic paintings, including an anonymous portrait of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, a depiction of a Viking ship
Viking ship
Viking ships were vessels used during the Viking Age in Northern Europe. Scandinavian tradition of shipbuilding during the Viking Age was characterized by slender and flexible boats, with symmetrical ends with true keel. They were clinker built, which is the overlapping of planks riveted together...
replica by artist Emil Biorn
Emil Biorn
Emil Biorn was an Norwegian-born, American sculptor, painter and composer.-Background:Emil Bjørn was born in Christiania, Norway. He was trained at both the Royal Norwegian School of Drawing and at Lindeman's School of Music in Oslo...
, and Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
Sighting Land by L. Caracciolo.