Chicago's Humboldt Park encompasses 207 acres of attractive architecture, a sand beach and decorative Puerto Rican flags. The park's most notable landmarks are the two bronze bison, cast for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Restaurants, gardens and housing combine to create Humboldt Park's unique atmosphere. Humboldt Park is more than a century old, with a long, interesting history.
Humboldt Park is located on Chicago's northwest side, originally named for Alexander von Humboldt in 1869. He was a famed German explorer and scientist. The park was named for him at the request of the residents who lived in Humboldt in the late 1860s, when the West Park System was created by the city of Chicago. The original park design was inspired by French architecture but slow construction eventually limited this ambition to the park's northeastern end. Within the year, the property was annexed to the city of Chicago. In the 1860s, Humboldt Park had been a rural prairie settlement. One decade later, the area began to undergo vast changes as the real estate became more valuable due to the city's promotional campaigns. A street railway was built in 1886. Branches of Chicago's famous elevated rail were built in the park in the 1890s.
Humboldt Park proved to be attractive to Chicago immigrants early in its history. German and Scandinavian immigrants began moving to Humboldt Park in 1875. During the 1880s and 90s, many Danish and Norwegian residents began to fill up housing inside the Humboldt Park area. Danish residents lived in six to eight blocks of the Humboldt area by 1900. More than 24 Norwegian churches had been established in the park by the turn of the century. By 1904, the Polish population in the area was so large that a statue of an important Polish politician was placed at the park's entrance. Italian Americans and Jews from Germany and Russia began to move to the area in the 1920s and 30s. Massive Puerto Rican immigration occurred in the 1950s, which again increased Humboldt's cultural diversity. Today, the park is home to people from all cultures, boasting a large Latino population in addition to a varied ethnic mix.
The influx of many different cultures and influences in Humboldt Park have given the area a unique look. In the early 1900s, Danish immigrant Jens Jensen was the park's superintendent and chief landscape architect. He used his prairie-style influences to create a river, hidden water sources, natural-looking brooks and two flower gardens. The boat house and refectory building designed during this time still stand in the park today. Humboldt Park's field house, one of the area's better-known landmarks, was built in 1928.
Historically, Humboldt Park has proved attractive to Chicago residents of all types. The blend of cultures makes the community diverse in design and decor. The large murals that decorate the park are among the oldest in the state of Illinois. Different styles of architecture and design are visible throughout the park, displaying the melting-pot history that gives Humboldt its character.
Humboldt Park was the site of serious rioting in 1966, an event sparked by the shooting of Aracelis Cruz, age 20, after Chicago's first Puerto Rican Day parade. After the shooting, Humboldt Park saw riots for two consecutive days. Sixteen people were injured and several businesses were completely destroyed in the melee. The event led to numerous, city-wide park reforms aimed at lessening violence in public areas.
