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synopsis

From 1871-1904 the Lower Division of Chicago’s South Park, also known as Jackson Park, experienced several transformations under the direction of the Olmsted Firm. The original proposal of Jackson Park, presented by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, separated the 590-acre property into two sections - the Lake Open Ground and the Lagoon Plaisance.

From 1871-1904 the Lower Division of Chicago’s South Park, also known as Jackson Park, experienced several transformations under the direction of the Olmsted Firm. The original proposal of Jackson Park, presented by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, separated the 590-acre property into two sections - the Lake Open Ground and the Lagoon Plaisance. With the park situated along the edge of Lake Michigan, the pair noted that “one-third of all the surface is below the high-water level of the lake” and thus planned a mile-long beach shore and extended pier to provide access to the water. [Report Accompanying Plan for Laying out the South Park _1881-03_Papers of FLO-v.1-p.212] When the Great Chicago Fire destroyed much of the city in 1871, construction of Jackson Park slowed significantly.

In 1890, after extensive lobbying efforts from the city of Chicago and Olmsted himself, the undeveloped Jackson Park was chosen as the site of the World’s Columbian Exposition (00274). Under the leadership of fair director Daniel Burnham, Frederick Law Olmsted was hired again to create a new layout with new structures large enough to accommodate the international event. Contrasting the white Beaux Arts buildings being constructed, Olmsted focused on emphasizing the park’s naturalistic features and called for extensive dredging to design a series of interconnected lagoons. The resulting central island, known as Wooded Island, was heavily planted and served as a peaceful get-away from the liveliness of the exposition. After the success of the fair, Olmsted, Olmsted & Eliot prepared the 1895 plan to transition the site back into a park. Most of the structures were removed, allowing space for Olmsted’s original 1871 boat-focused plan to be reimagined with both passive and recreational spaces. Initially envisioning waterways to connect the east and west lagoons, issues surrounding currents and water heights stopped Olmsted from seeing out his full aquatic vision.

By 1905, 475 acres of the park had been redeveloped. In the same year plans were submitted for two golf courses on Jackson Park.

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