A 1915 photo of Chicago's oldest park revealed
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Image of people sitting on benches along a pathway through Washington Square Park on the Near North Side in 1915. Photo: Chicago Sun-Times/Chicago Daily News collection/Chicago History Museum/Getty Images
This week's History Mystery revealed: The 1915 photo captures Chicagoans of all ages (look at the buggies!) enjoying a brisk day at Washington Square Park, also known as Bughouse Square, on the Near North Side.
Context: This Getty archival photo of the oldest park in Chicago, first built in 1842, reveals few visual clues.
Zoom in: You'd think the former Unity Church, now the Chicago Cathedral at 935 N. Dearborn Street, would be the obvious landmark.
Yes, but: The church in the photo is its sister church, which burned to the ground in 1936.
- The two churches were referred to as the "New England" churches.
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Zoom out: The area surrounding the park includes some impressive Chicago architecture, including homes designed during the post-Fire rebuilding period right before the turn of the 19th century.
- The homes were mainly designed for Chicago's wealthiest.
- It was also around this time that the Newberry Library was built just north of the park.
The intrigue: Around 1890, the park started hosting public debates, giving it the nickname "Bughouse Square."
- The soapbox speeches continued throughout the 20th century, featuring famous speakers like Studs Terkel, whose ashes were spread at the park after he died in 2008.
The latest: Residents recently pushed back on the Chicago Park District's plan to close portions of the park for summer replanting. Instead, the city will refurbish the park in phases.