Welcome to the Park of the Week Newsletter for July 25, 2024. This week we’re featuring the second-most-visited city park in the United States.
Lincoln Park
Location
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Claim to fame
Lincoln Park is Chicago’s largest park, spanning over 1,200 acres (489 hectares) and over seven miles (11 km) along the shores of Lake Michigan. The park is famous for its stunning views of downtown Chicago and its numerous attractions, like the Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the only free zoos in the nation..
Reason to visit
With over 20 million visitors a year, Lincoln Park is the second-most-visited city park in the United States, after only Central Park in New York. In addition to its zoo, Lincoln Park boasts beaches, sport and recreational areas, public art, two museums, and several green spaces. The park’s Lily Pond, designed by Alfred Caldwell in the 1930s, is a stunning example of Prairie School landscape architecture.
Wild Fact
Named in 1865 after the recently deceased President Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln Park was originally home to the city’s cemeteries. Health concerns in the 1860s forced the city to remove thousands of remains to cemeteries outside the city, and the land was repurposed into a public park.
Thanks for reading. Each Thursday, we send out an image and description of a unique natural or cultural treasure like the one above. Learn new things, explore special places, and find your inspiration: sign up for the free newsletter today.