The Garfield Park Conservatory in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
is one of the largest and most impressive
conservatoriesConservatory may refer to the following:*College or university school of music or a school devoted to other arts such as film *Conservatory, a smaller glass enclosure attached to a house, also called a Sunroom....
in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Often referred to as "landscape art under glass," the Garfield Park Conservatory occupies approximately 4.5 acres (18,000 m²) inside and out and contains a number of permanent plant exhibits incorporating specimens from around the world (including some ferns that are over 300 years old).
The Garfield Park Conservatory in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and with more than 2.8 million people, the 3rd largest city in the United States...
,
IllinoisIllinois , the 21st state admitted to the United States of America, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the nation...
is one of the largest and most impressive
conservatoriesConservatory may refer to the following:*College or university school of music or a school devoted to other arts such as film *Conservatory, a smaller glass enclosure attached to a house, also called a Sunroom....
in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Often referred to as "landscape art under glass," the Garfield Park Conservatory occupies approximately 4.5 acres (18,000 m²) inside and out and contains a number of permanent plant exhibits incorporating specimens from around the world (including some ferns that are over 300 years old). Additionally, thousands of plants are grown there each year for displays in Chicago parks and public spaces.
Garfield Park Conservatory is located in Garfield Park, a site located in the
East Garfield ParkEast Garfield Park is a community area located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is part of the Chicago West Side area. Located directly in the path of gentrification heading westward from the Loop, East Garfield Park has been named one of America's most "up and coming neighborhoods"...
neighborhood on Chicago's West Side. It was designed as a pleasure ground by William LeBaron Jenney and is the oldest of the three great original Chicago West Side parks (
Humboldt ParkHumboldt Park is a park located on the north side of Chicago, Illinois. It is a prominent part of the Humboldt Park community area.The park was named for Alexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist. William Le Baron Jenney began developing the park in the 1870s, molding a flat prairie landscape...
, Garfield, and
Douglas ParkDouglas Park is a large Chicago Park District park that also serves as a cultural and community center in Chicago, Illinois. It is named after the U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas, who died in 1861. Originally named South Park, its are in the North Lawndale community area of Chicago in Cook County,...
).
Park history
The first 40 acre (160,000 m²) segment of Garfield Park was formally opened to the public in August 1874. Originally known as Central Park, it was conceived as the centerpiece of the West Park System.
Jenney, now best known as the father of
skyscraperA skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building. There is no official definition or height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper...
s, was influenced by the French parks and boulevards he had seen and studied while living in
ParisParis is the capital of France and the country's most populous city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. That influence is reflected in his design of these Westside parks and the connecting boulevards. The park was renamed in 1881 in honor of slain
President of the United StatesThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
James A. Garfield.
In 1905,
Jens JensenJens Jensen was a Danish born American landscape architect.-Early life:Jens Jensen was born near Dybbøl in Slesvig, Denmark in 1860, to a wealthy farming family. For the first nineteen years of his life he lived on his family's farm, which cultivated his love for the natural environment...
, now known as the Dean of Prairie-style landscape architecture, was appointed as the superintendent of the West Park System where he experimented with design ideas and improvements to the deteriorated and unfinished sections of Garfield Park. Some of the most notable areas are the existing lawns which became the setting for development of the Prairie style of landscape architecture. His most notable work in Garfield Park can be seen in the formal flower garden south of
Madison StreetMadison Street is a major east-west thoroughfare in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to human intervention, the Chicago River emptied into Lake Michigan at the present day intersection of Madison Street and Michigan Avenue....
where he combined Prairie style elements with traditional formal elements and in the Conservatory.
Garfield Park was initially intended to be used for passive recreation such as strolling and picnicking. Jensen's expertise as an engineer led him to design a large lagoon as a means of draining the park site while creating the requisite water features. The lagoon was used for boating in summer and ice skating in winter.
Jensen's gardenesque approach to his parks endeared itself to those early park users as one of the first significant attempts at landscape art in Chicago. Throughout its history, Garfield Park has successfully responded to the changing demands placed on a highly used urban open space.
During the 1920s, a major addition was incorporated into Garfield Park: a grand, golden domed administration building for the West Park Commission designed by
MichaelsenMichaelsen is a Danish patronymic surname meaning "son of Michael". The prefix Michael- comes from , meaning "Who is like God?". A common Danish surname, there are other English language and Scandinavian spellings. It is rare as a given name. People with the name Michaelsen include:-People:*...
and Rognstad.
Following the 1934 consolidation of the separate Chicago parks commissions into the
Chicago Park DistrictThe Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
, the "Golden Dome" became the park's fieldhouse and center of recreational programs and activities.
Despite additions and modifications in both landscape and buildings in Garfield Park, essential character-defining features such as historic roads and paths, buildings, structures, landforms, water features, and some plant materials still exist. Garfield Park remains as one of the best examples of William LeBaron Jenney's landscape architectural efforts in Chicago, and is a rich tapestry of the contributions of several nationally important designers, architects and artists.
Historic features of Garfield Park include architectural landscaping (flower gardens, water court, bridges, lagoons, and the Conservatory); notable architecture (the Golden Dome fieldhouse); the bandshell (or "gazebo" as it is locally known), designed in 1896 by J. L. Silsbee; and the golf shelter building, attributable to prairie school architect Hugh Gardner and built in 1907. There are also a number of historic sculptures and statues within the park.
Recreational features include baseball and soccer fields, tennis and basketball courts, a swimming pool, playgrounds and an ice skating rink. The Golden Dome houses an Olympic-sized gymnasium, gymnastic and fitness centers, boxing ring, and theater. Park patrons can participate in programs for everyone from senior citizens to pre-schoolers, including picnicking, outdoor concerts, and community festivals.
The Conservatory is easily accessible by public transportation through the
Conservatory-Central Park Drive stationConservatory-Central Park Drive is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Green Line. It opened on June 30, 2001, making it the newest 'L' station. It is named for the Garfield Park Conservatory just outside the station....
on the
Chicago Transit AuthorityChicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of the suburbs. It is the second largest transit system in the United States and fourth largest in North America...
's
Green LineThe Green Line is part of the CTA rapid transit system known as the Chicago 'L'. It is the only completely elevated route in the 'L' system...
elevated train lineThe
'L' is a rapid transit system that serves the city of Chicago in the United States...
.
Conservatory history
In the late 19th century, each of the three large Westside parks had its own small conservatory and propagation greenhouses. After 20 years of use, these conservatories fell into a state of disrepair and became obsolete.
In 1905, Chicago's West Park Commission's general superintendent and chief landscape architect, Jens Jensen, demolished the three smaller greenhouses in Humboldt, Douglas and Garfield Parks to create what was intended as "the largest publicly owned conservatory under one roof in the world" in Garfield Park. Many of the original plantings came from the three smaller Westside conservatories.
Constructed between 1906 and 1907, the Garfield Park Conservatory was designed by Jensen in collaboration with Prairie School architects Schmidt, Garden and Martin and the New York engineering firm of Hitchings and Company. It represents a unique collaboration of architects, engineers, landscape architects, sculptors and artisans.
Jensen conceived the Conservatory as a series of naturalistic landscapes under glass, a revolutionary idea at the time. The simple yet strong shape of the structure, which is meant to emulate the haystacks of the Midwest, complements the collection of plants and foliage that it houses.
Today, the Conservatory still follows the original tenets of Jensen. One of the most popular rooms is the first presented to visitors, the Palm Room. In it over 7 dozen (84) different varieties of Palm trees can be found from the over 2,700 known to exist today. Of particular importance is the Double Coconut Palm first grown by employees of the Conservatory in 1959. The Double Coconut Palm is only found off the coast of South Africa in its native environment and produces what is believed to be the largest seed of any plant in the world weighing up to 50 pounds (25 kg).
See also
- Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens
The Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens are a conservatory and outdoor gardens located at 2450 Shelby Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. Both the Conservatory and Gardens are open seven days a week, during business hours. The grounds are rolling fields, with limestone bridges.Formed in the...
(Indianapolis, IndianaIndiana is a U.S. state, the 19
th admitted to the Union. It is located in the Great Lakes region, and with approximately 6.3 million residents, is ranked 16
th in population and 17
th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38
th in land area, and is the...
)
- List of botanical gardens in the United States
External links