Public Parks. 31 



ground is such that it will not admit of anything of the kind. 

 Jefferson Park containing <^^-^ acres, is situated between Monroe 

 and Adams streets, on the north and south, and Rucker and Loomis 

 streets east and west, and is surrounded by a wooden fence, and 

 has been laid out in walks, and a few trees have been planted in and 

 around it. The same may be said of the Vernon Park, which 

 contains four acres. Wicker Park, is a projected one in the extreme 

 north-western part of the city. The whole area within the city, 

 devoted to park purposes, amounts to 1 25 ^^^ acres, of which only 

 one-third has been improved, and upon the improvements about 

 $105,000 have been expended. * 



I have thus passed in review the history of parks and public 

 grounds, from the earliest period to the present time. Apart from 

 considerations of sanitary economy, of which I shall treat hereafter, 

 it will be seen that public parks may be regarded as an unerring 

 index of the advance of a people in civilization and refinement. 

 They form an attractive feature in the surroundings of an}^ great city, 

 and constitute, even, the peculiar charm of many a country village. 

 From the foregoing it will be seen how much has been accomplished 

 elsewhere, and how little here. This is owing, no doubt, to the 

 rapidity with which Chicago has sprung up. But it is singular, that 

 with all her characteristic business energy and forethought, she has 

 so far neglected to secure ample grounds for park purposes ; but 

 the time has now arrived when it becomes necessary to act, and act 

 in a manner that will not leave her behind, as compared with other 

 cities, in those arts which embellish and render cities attractive as 

 places of abode ; in other words, we want, not alone a place for 

 business, but also one in which we can live. 



* In this connection, it may not be out of place to call attention to the suburban village at 

 Riverside, located in a bend of the Aux Plaines Rivei', nine miles south-west from the business center 

 of Chicago, and six miles west of the city limits. It is a private enterprise, and is intended as a resi- 

 dent park, comprising an area of i,6oo acres, which has been laid out, and is now being improved, 

 under the direction of Olmsted and Vaux, formerly architects and landscape gardeners of the Central 

 Park, New York, and now of the Prospect Park, Brooklyn. The greater portion of the ground is 

 admirably adapted for this purpose, being about twenty feet above the river, making it easily susceptible 

 of good drainage, while the banks of the river and the more elevated portions of the ground are covered 

 with groves of thrifty trees, consisting of oaks, elms, hickories, walnuts, lindens, and ashes. Here are to 

 be combined the comforts of the city, in the way of gas, water, drainage, with all the beauties of land- 

 scape gardening ; and I have no doubt, judging trom the report of the architects to the owners, and the 

 work already accomplished, that it will be made one of the finest suburban parks in the country, and 

 one of the most pleasant and healthful places of residence in the neighborhood of this city. To facili- 

 tate access, it is also intended to connect this park with the city by a broad and well improved avenue, 

 lined with trees. If it were for nothing else, this enterprise cannot be too strongly commended, on 

 account of the trees that are to be planted along this avenue, which, in the course of time, will exercise 

 a vast influence in moderating the e.\trenies of our climate, and go far to protect the city from the inju- 

 rious effects of the south-west wind at certain seasons of the year. As the approaches to the city in 

 that direction are an open waste, and exceedingly uninterestmg, and, at times, positively dreary and 

 difficult, owing to character of the roads, Riverside and the avenue will soon cause the improvement of 

 the intervening space, and thus obviate this objection. 



