Berger Park facts for kids
Berger Park is a cool place in Chicago, Illinois, right next to Lake Michigan. It's a park where you can relax and have fun. This park is special because it has two old, historic houses: the Downey House and the Samuel H. Gunder House. It's officially known as Park #1255 by the Chicago Park District.
Quick facts for kids |
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Berger Park
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 Location in Chicago metropolitan area
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| Location | 6205-47 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, Illinois |
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| Area | 3.34 acres (1.35 ha) |
| Built | 1906 |
| Architect | William Carbys Zimmerman (Downey), Myron Church (Gunder) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements, American Four Square |
| MPS | Chicago Park District MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 09001225 |
| Added to NRHP | January 12, 2010 |
Contents
Park History: How Berger Park Began
The area where Berger Park is located, called Edgewater, used to be a quiet place outside Chicago. In 1885, a man named John Lewis Cochran started building homes along the lake. Four years later, Edgewater became part of Chicago. Cochran wanted to keep the area nice, so he didn't allow apartment buildings along Sheridan Road. This rule stayed until the 1940s. The two houses you see in Berger Park were built during this time.
The Downey House: A Builder's Home
The Downey House is now known as the South Mansion. It was built for Joseph Downey, who came from Ireland. He was a successful builder and businessman. Joseph Downey was important in Chicago. He worked for the Chicago Board of Education, helping with school buildings. He also helped manage public works for the city.
In 1885, Joseph Downey married Lena Kleine. They hired an architect named William Carbys Zimmerman to design their house in 1906. It cost $20,000 to build. The Downeys moved out of the house around 1920.
The Gunder House: A Cultural Center
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The Gunder House is now called the North Lakeside Cultural Center. It was built for Samuel Gunder. He was the president of a medicine company. Samuel Gunder married Nettie E. Weaver in 1884. They had their house designed in 1909 by Myron Church, and it was finished the next year. The Gunders sold their house in 1919 and moved to Los Angeles, California.
During the Great Depression, a tough time for the country, the Chicago Bureau of Parks and Recreation wanted to create more beaches on the north side of the city. People in Edgewater wanted to go to the beach but it was too far from Lincoln Park. So, the bureau bought these properties and called the area Granville Beach and Park. People lived in the two houses until the 1940s.
Later, a group called the Viatorian Fathers bought the buildings. They used the houses to teach student priests. In 1945, they even turned the old coach houses into more places for people to live. In 1965, they sold the beach land to the Chicago Park District. They moved out of the houses in 1979.
When the Viatorian Fathers left, some developers wanted to buy the houses and tear them down to build tall apartment buildings. But the Edgewater Community Council, a local group, didn't want that. They convinced the park district to buy the houses instead. The Viatorian Fathers agreed, but only if the buildings would be used for good, non-profit things. The park district bought the houses for $2.3 million, which was much less than what the developers offered.
After the park district bought the land, the park was renamed Berger Park. It was named after Albert E. Berger, who had strongly supported the idea of getting more beach property for the city. In 1982, the park district thought the Gunder House was too old and damaged to fix. But local residents worked hard to raise money to save it. By 1987, they had enough money to fix the house. Albert Berger's son, Ronald Berger, also gave a lot of money to help.
On January 12, 2010, the park was officially recognized as a historic place by the National Park Service.
Berger Park Today: What You Can Do
Over time, the shoreline of the park started to wear away. So, the Army Corps of Engineers built a special wall along the lake to protect the parkland. This meant the beach was gone, but the park itself was saved. A small playground was moved, and a new, bigger playground was built next to the Gunder House.
Today, the Downey House is called the South Mansion. It's used by the park for fun activities and programs. The Gunder House is now the North Lakeside Cultural Center. Here, you can take workshops and classes. The old coach house next to it has even been turned into a cozy café!
