Harold Washington Park

Harold Washington Park
Harold Washington Park and Hampton House, October 2006
Map
TypeMunicipal
LocationChicago, Cook County, Illinois
Operated byChicago Park District
StatusOpen all year

Harold Washington Park is a small (10 acre)[1] park in the Chicago Park District located in the Hyde Park community area on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, US. In 1992, it was named for Harold Washington (1922–1987), the first African-American Chicago Mayor. The Park District officially calls the park Harold Washington Playlot Park with a designated address of 5200 S. Hyde Park Blvd Chicago, IL 60615.[1] It is one of 4 Chicago Park District parks named after persons surnamed Washington (Washington Park, Washington Square Park, Dinah Washington Park). It is one of 40 Chicago Park District parks named after influential African Americans.[2] The Park is bounded by East 53rd Street on the south, South Hyde Park Boulevard on the west, and Lake Shore Drive to the east.[3] Architecturally, it is flanked to the north by Regents Park and The Hampton House to the south. Its southwest corner opposes two National Register of Historic Places Properties: Hotel Del Prado and East Park Towers.

  1. ^ a b Duo Consulting (2006). "Harold Washington Playlot Park". Chicago Park District. Archived from the original on March 20, 2006. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  2. ^ "Chicago Parks Commemorate Influential African Americans Impacting the City's History". Chicago Park District. January 19, 2007. Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2007.
  3. ^ The northern boundary of the park is difficult to determine as it is unclear whether the park includes the area between South Chicago Beach Drive and Lake Shore Drive north of East Hyde Park Boulevard (51st Street)