After reading Heather's post on Neighborhood Parks, we were inspired to walk a little west of our own neighborhood into Humboldt Park. Designed by a team including famed Danish landscaper Jens Jensen and architect William Le Baron Jenney, the park is a huge resource on the west side of the city, filled with structures commissioned by Prairie School architects. Click below for a few photos...
We shot this photo of a rolling hill with a lone sitter (looking very tiny) at the crest.
These wetlands are filled with birds and bugs.
solar panel and wind turbine on display
the boathouse
Jens Jensen designed the main lagoon to connect to a system of prairie rivers.
For more information about Humboldt Park, visit the Chicago Park District online here.
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Comments (7)
Its a shame that the park is still ruff and that most the city isn't willing to visit it. Its amazing.
I had no idea that Humbolt Park was so pretty. I have had a couple of friends that have had their wallets stolen or their car broken into in that neighborhood, and I've been harassed there myself, even in broad daylight, so whenever I'm there, I try and get in and out as soon as possible, and I've never had a chance to really stop and appreciate the beauty of the neighborhood.
It's Humboldt. with a "d"
And it's awesome
Yeah, knars, thanks for pointing out the absence of the "d" in HUMBOLDT. And I'm a little tired of hearing all the crap about the neighborhood being so sketchy and rough... it's a tremendously huge neighborhood, and to simply give the whole neighborhood (it stretches from Western all the way to Pulaski!) a pass because of a few incidents is ridiculous. Obviously I don't want to completely dismiss stolen wallets and car break-ins, but seriously, I've had countless friends who've encountered similar situations in other supposedly safe neighborhoods (let's not forget that rash of rapes in Lakeview a few years ago, yikes). Besides, much of the east side of Humboldt is pretty much an extended Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village, with awesome joints like Humboldt Pie and The Flying Saucer, to only name a few...
As for the park, it's a gorgeous place to hang out on a summer day. The phenomenon of the Chicago boathouse is at least worth one sight-seeing trip. And the kickball! Seriously! C'mon!
if humboldt park had a train running through it, it would be one of the most gentrified neighborhoods in the city and those houses near the park would be commanding millions and millions of dollars.
agreed on the perceived roughness of humboldt park. it is a large neighborhood and there are some sketchy elements, but there are some less sketchy parts as well. i think much of it's reputation lies in it's past as the epicenter for the bloody latin disciples gang wars that raged there a decade ago.
let's not forget that 15 years ago wicker park was very rough and north avenue was prostitute central.
Hey fans of Humboldt Park!
We're in the process of making a movie about Jens Jensen called: Jens Jensen Harmonious World - and it includes beautiful footage of that great man's parks.
Here is the link to the trailer and rough cut of a scene from the film: www.jensjensenharmoniousworld.org
I hope you'll tune in in the fall when it's finished to PBS and CONTRIBUTE to helping us finish it - we have more to raise than our meager grants allow!
Best
Carey
I used to live in Humboldt Park. How I miss it so!
And while I lived there, I actually felt very safe. Never assaulted once.