Calumet Park

Located in the Eastside community, Calumet Park totals 181.70 acres and features two gymnasiums, a fitness center, a Lake Shore Model Train exhibit, a gymnastic center, sewing and upholstery studios, a woodshop, and multi-purpose rooms. Outside, the park offers a beach, boat launch, artificial soccer turf, picnic groves, playground, softball, football, and soccer fields. Many of these spaces are available for rental including the gymnasium, fields, and multi-purpose rooms.

Envisioned in 1903 as part of the South Park Commission's revolutionary neighborhood park system, Calumet Park developed slowly. The South Park Commissioners began acquiring land in 1880 and continued to acquire more property for the park until 1943 when streets and alleys were vacated to expand the park. The park became part of the Chicago Park District’s portfolio in 1934 when the 22 park districts were consolidated.

The Commission conceived the innovative parks to provide social services and breathing spaces to overcrowded immigrant neighborhoods. Landscape architects the Olmsted Brothers created plans for 14 new parks; however, four were delayed, including Calumet Park. Opened in 1905, the first ten included Russell, Mark White, Davis, Armour, and Cornell Squares, and Bessemer, Ogden, Sherman, Palmer, and Hamilton Parks.