Shedd Park

In 1885 businessman and philanthropist John G Shedd began developing part of South Lawndale s Millard and Decker subdivision To enhance the area and its property values he reserved 1 13 acres for what was initially called Shedd s Park Although Shedd intended to improve the private park through a local assessment his neighbors did not want to be taxed and they suggested that it should be made a public park In 1888 he sold the site to the city reserving a small lot on the park s north side for the construction of a Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad station Ten years later the city transferred the unimproved park to the West Park Commission Shortly thereafter the railroad delivered free of charge 196 carloads of soil for planted slopes to screen the train tracks Shedd helped the commissioners gain title to the train station lot in 1914 and the building was demolished Two years later probably based on the recommendation of landscape architect Jens Jensen the commission hired Prairie School architect William Drummond to design the Shedd Park fieldhouse In 1928 the firm of Michaelsen Rognstad designed a gymnasium addition well incorporated with the original Prairie style building