By Judy Carmack Bross
Do you remember riding your bike to the lakefront, taking a walk to the zoo, playing with your dog, reading on a park bench, or the many other moments in the gardens and meadows of the south section of Lincoln Park? A public/private partnership is re-imagining this gateway area to Lincoln Park, with refurbishment of one of our country’s most notable statues, new pathways, larger flower gardens, more blooming trees, and new spaces for reading and quiet contemplation in green and serene surroundings, with lots of room in the meadows for children, adults, and dogs to play.
A renewal action plan for the Lincoln Gardens and Meadows, led by a three-way partnership among the Gold Coast Neighbors Association, the Chicago Park District, and the Lincoln Park Conservancy, is moving swiftly forward. Initial public funding from State Senator Sara Feigenholtz and 43rd Ward Alder Timmy Knudsen was followed by feasibility studies, resident surveys, and neighborhood meetings. With responses from more than nine hundred individuals and proposals from design firm experts in hand, the campaign is beginning its private investment funding stage.
Speaking recently with Francee Harrington and Vern Broders, longtime Gold Coast civic leaders who are leading the three-year $5 million+ project, they told us:
“This southern park area between North Avenue, Clark Street, La Salle Drive, and the Inner Drive, is the backyard to the Gold Coast and the front yard to Old Town and the Lincoln Park neighborhoods. It offers park space and colorful meadows for the neighborhood and schoolchildren, as well as play areas for the area’s nursery schools. It is a busy pathway for volleyball, softball, and soccer teams to and from the playing fields.
Importantly, this area is home to a world-famous statue of Abraham Lincoln. Created by the renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1887, it was funded by a bequest from Chicago lumber merchant Eli Bates. As a young man, Saint-Gaudens had seen Lincoln during his journey to Washington to be inaugurated as the sixteenth president. Several years later, the sculptor was deeply moved by the sight of Lincoln’s body lying in state. When installed, the New York Evening Post described Abraham Lincoln: The Man as “the most important achievement American sculpture has yet produced.”
The Lincoln Gardens and Meadows share the neighborhood with institutions such as the Graham Foundation, the Racquet Club, the Junior League of Chicago, the Catholic Cardinal’s residence, St. Chrysostom’s Church, Latin School of Chicago, Moody Church, Society of Architectural Historians, and, of course, the Chicago History Museum. The statue of Greene Vardiman Black facing Astor Street honors one of the founders of modern dentistry.
Recently, the Chicago History Museum built the beautiful History Trail around its building that welcomes visitors to the park. The design of the new revitalization project echoes the History Trail and will restore the Lincoln statue, gardens, and meadows as a haven from the busy streets surrounding it.
The park was disrupted in the 1930s when LaSalle Drive was extended to the Outer Drive, and two tunnels were added to connect to the rest of the park. The road construction isolated this part of Lincoln Park, and a bare minimum of landscaping has been done in recent years beyond mowing the lawns, so it needs a major refresh.
Broders explained: “Our first steps will be taking care of the beautification basics: removing the old, deteriorated asphalt pathways, installing new long-lasting concrete pathways, improving drainage, and restoring worn grassy meadows in the park. The Park District is very committed to this project and has contributed significantly, but it also has responsibilities for all the parks in Chicago. After several years of planning, the project is now in its fundraising stage. We think our private donors can make the difference between an average park and making this a park we can be proud of.”
Francee Harrington told us:
“There will be colorful natural areas on the north and south sides of this area, expanded floral gardens around the statue of the Fountain Girl, low-level safe pathway lighting, and more benches for people to sit, read, and enjoy the green space or the Lincoln statue. Having completed the recent refurbishment of Lincoln Park’s North Pond and the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, we have confidence that the Lincoln Park Conservancy will do excellent work leading this project. The Chicago Park District has already contributed construction drawings and professional project management to advance the project. The estimated donation goal will fund $3 million in capital improvements and $2 million to be held in reserve as an endowment for ongoing landscape and garden maintenance and repairs.”
Broders explained: “In 2026, we plan to use the monies raised now to prep the site, then repair and add new, wider concrete pathways. In 2026 and 2027, we will add features, including new trees, plantings, seating, lighting, and wayfinding signage. We are working closely with Lauren Robinson, Executive Director of the Lincoln Park Conservancy, the non-profit partner organization that will receive and manage all contributions.”
“Our neighborhood loves the statues and green spaces. On a recent weekend, a whole team volunteered to mulch the trees in the area so that they would bloom beautifully in the spring,” Harrington said. “This renewal project is a chance for the Gold Coast community to make a big difference in the condition of our most visited park.”
She continued, “The park has been a sentimental favorite among families for decades. Many neighbors speak of special family memories: pushing strollers, waiting for the school bus, enjoying recess outside, posing for family pictures, riding bikes, walking dogs, or heading to the lakefront. It is memorable for its beauty in all four seasons – snowy winter days, spring blossoms, summer shady trees, and the spectacular autumns with vibrant golden, red, and orange hues. Whether you have children, family, friends, visitors, or dogs, or if you just need a personal place for peace and relaxation, the Lincoln Gardens and Meadows deserve your support.”
The project steering committee is organizing communications by building. For larger buildings in the neighborhood, they are asking for volunteers to serve as “building ambassadors” to assist with their building’s communications and donor coordination among building residents. As plans proceed, the project will offer “naming opportunities” to recognize donors’ generosity for posterity.
Vern and Francee added, “We have lived in the Gold Coast for over 30 years and love the park. We want to invest in this special green space for the present and for the future. We hope our neighbors will join us!”
For more information or to invest in preserving and revitalizing this beloved neighborhood park, please visit: lincolnparkconservancy.org.