Humboldt Park

Humboldt Park sprawls across the center of the community named for it.  Originally called North Park, the area was renamed in honor of Baron Freidrich Heinrich Alexander Von Humboldt - a famous German naturalist - at the urgining of neighborhood residents.

The park's vision and design came from a number of landscape architects: the lagoons and gardens of William Le Baron Jenney in the 1870s and Oscar F. Dubuis in the 1880s and 1890s, followed by the peaceful prarie gardens and rivers of Jens Jensen at the turn of the century.  Later, the park would add the boat landing, music court, statues, and stables that help define the park today.

In 1992, Humboldt Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places.  In 1996, the boathouse pavilion was named a Chicago Landmark, with the Stables and Receptory being added in 2008.

Today, the Park is home to the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, two annual car shows, public movies, one of Chicago's largest Earth Day cleanups, countless sports leagues, the Puerto Rican Day festival, and more.