Jefferson Park (Chicago park) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Jefferson Park
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Jefferson Park with a view of the fieldhouse designed by Clarence Hatzfeld
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 Location in Chicago metropolitan area
Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4822 N. Long Avenue Chicago, Illinois |
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| Area | 7.2 acres (2.9 ha) |
| Built | 1921 |
| MPS | Chicago Park District MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000679 |
| Added to NRHP | August 8, 2006 |
Jefferson Park is a fun, 7-acre (2.8 ha) park located in the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. This park is so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site in the United States!
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What Can You Do at Jefferson Park?
Jefferson Park has lots of cool things to do! You can play sports on its two baseball fields or the big field used for both football and soccer. There are also three tennis courts if you like to play racket sports.
If you're looking for fun, there's a playground and a spray pool where you can cool off. The park also has a full outdoor swimming pool with changing rooms, perfect for a swim on a hot day.
Events and Music at the Park
Every summer, many people visit the park for "Jeff Fest." This is a community festival with local food, different sellers, and live bands. It's a great way to enjoy the park and meet people! The Citywide Orchestra, made up of volunteers, practices at Jefferson Park. They also put on concerts for everyone in the community during different seasons.
The History of Jefferson Park
This park is named after Thomas Jefferson, who was a very important person in American history. He helped write the Declaration of Independence and was the third president of the United States. For a long time, the park was just called Jefferson Park. But in 1999, it was officially named Thomas Jefferson Memorial Park. This was done to make sure people didn't confuse it with another park that had the same name.
How the Park Was Created
Jefferson Park was first created by the Jefferson Park District. This was one of 22 smaller park groups that joined together to form the Chicago Park District in 1934. The Jefferson Park District started in 1920. Its goal was to create parks for the quickly growing northwest side of Chicago.
The land for the park used to be a farm called Esdohr farm. Buying the land for the park started in 1921 and continued until 1929. By then, most of the park's landscaping was finished.
The Park's Buildings and Art
In 1930, the park district built an athletic field and a special building called a fieldhouse. This fieldhouse was designed by Clarence Hatzfeld, a famous architect. His company also designed many beautiful homes called bungalows in the nearby Villa District. These homes were built in the Prairie and American Craftsman styles.
The brick fieldhouse has several historic paintings inside. One painting is a portrait of Thomas Jefferson. Another painting by Emil Biorn shows a replica of a Viking ship. There's also a painting called Columbus Sighting Land by L. Caracciolo.
