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List of beaches in Chicago

The beaches in Chicago are an extensive network of waterfront recreational areas operated by the Chicago Park District. The Chicago metropolitan waterfront includes parts of the Lake Michigan shores as well as parts of the banks of the Chicago, Des Plaines, Calumet, Fox, and DuPage Rivers and their tributaries.[1] The waterfront also includes the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Sanitary and Ship Canal.[1] Historically, the waterfront has been used for commerce, industry, and leisure. Leisure, such as fishing, swimming, hunting, walking and boating, was much more prevalent throughout the river sections of the waterfront system early in the 19th century before industrial uses altered the landscape. By midcentury, much leisure shifted to Lake Michigan as a result of industrial influence. The first City of Chicago Public Beach opened in Lincoln Park in 1895.[2] Today, the entire 28 miles (45 km) Chicago lakefront shoreline is reclaimed land, and primarily used for public parks.[3] In the parks, there are 24 sand beaches along the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan.[4]

Montrose Avenue Beach (4400 N.) in Uptown
Ohio Street Beach (400 N.) in Near North
63rd Street beach house fountain (6300 S.) with beach and lake beyond in Jackson Park

History edit

 

Chicago's earliest sand beaches resulted naturally from capturing sand moved by the current south along the shoreline toward the Indiana Dunes, but these beaches were dynamic, shifted and eroded. When Chicago began building piers and other structures into the lake, large sandy beaches formed generally to the north of a pier due to sand capture.[5] Early beaches were generally funded by private entities such as hotels and private clubs, screened from the public.[6]

Late 19th century city ordinances prohibited public bathing, but popular norms created demand for public beaches.[6][7] Proponents saw public beaches as an opportunity to accommodate demand for public baths and eliminate the expenditure of enforcement resources on ordinance violations for public bathing.[6] The city responded by opening the first public bathing beach in 1895 in Lincoln Park primarily as a response to the efforts of the Free Bath and Sanitary League.[6] Spaces were designated for public use and the city accepted responsibility for maintaining the beaches. By 1900 the lakefront was divided into zones of recreational, residential, agricultural and industrial uses. Lake Michigan water quality concerns lead to the reversal of the Chicago river with deep cut of the Illinois & Michigan canal in 1871 and the construction of the Sanitary and Ship Canal at the start of the 20th century.[1] The 1909 Burnham Plan led to development of the lakefront.[1] Recreational development on the city lakefront became a priority due to the influence of Aaron Montgomery Ward. His belief that the public's access to the Lake left its impression on the development of Jackson, Burnham, Grant and Lincoln Parks.[3] Continued popular support, led to the opening of several municipal beaches in the second decade of the 20th century.[6] Modern beaches are formed from sand deposited by lake current, and occasionally inland sand excavated from nearby sand-pits left by the last ice age, or sand dredged from the lake bottom.[5]

In 2013, began Free Wi-Fi service at North Avenue Beach, and Kathy Osterman (formerly known as Hollywood Beach).[8]

Rogers Park Beaches edit

The far north Rogers Park neighborhood contains a series of small "street-end" beaches that unlike most Chicago beaches are often separated by private property and therefore, unconnected to each other by public parkland.

 
Loyola Park

Juneway Terrace Beach edit

Juneway Terrace Beach is the northernmost beach in Chicago. It is located at 7800 North and Lake Michigan.[9] It lies within Rogers Avenue Beach and Park. It is separated from Rogers Beach by a stretch of rip rap protecting three apartment buildings.

Rogers Beach edit

Rogers Beach lies in Rogers Avenue Beach and Park at 7705 North.[9] Barely one block long, the park also has tennis courts. nd a January 2020 storm further eroded the shoreline, the Chicago Department of Transportation announced that riprap would replace the beach to stabilize the shoreline.[10]

Howard Beach edit

Howard Beach lies in Howard Street Beach and Park at 7600 North,[9] which is just south of Howard Street. It is perhaps 213 feet (65 m) long. Also to be depreciated as a result of the 2019-2020 lake erosion.[10]

Marion Mahony Griffin Beach (Jarvis)/(Fargo) edit

Jarvis street is located at 7400 North and Fargo is located at 7432 North.[9] Offshore stretches of riprap act to reduce erosion of this beach, which is about three blocks long.

In 2015, the beach was named in honor of architect Marion Mahony Griffin. The Australian Consul General, Roger Price, attended the beach's dedication for the woman who was instrumental in the design the Australian capital of Canberra. When she returned to the United States in 1939, after her husband's death, she lived near the beach.[11]

 
Loyola Park breakwater and nature area

Loyola/Leone Beach edit

42°00′35″N 87°39′31″W / 42.009605°N 87.658496°W / 42.009605; -87.658496

North Sheridan Road and extending for eight blocks, Leone Beach is Chicago's largest.[12]

Tobey Prinz (Pratt) Beach edit

Contiguous with Leone/Loyola Beach located at 1050 West Pratt Boulevard. Formerly named Pratt Boulevard Beach, it was renamed for local neighborhood activist Tobey Prinz by the Chicago Park District in 2014. There is a fishing pier and during the fall it is possible to catch salmon.[9][13]

Hartigan Beach edit

Also known as Albion Beach, contiguous with North Shore Beach, located at 6600 North,[9] ends just north of Loyola Avenue. Named for former 49th Ward Alderman David L. Hartigan.

Columbia Beach edit

Columbia Beach is located at 6726 North.[9]

North Shore Beach edit

North Shore Beach is located at 6700 North.[9]

Hamilton Beach edit

Hamilton Beach is currently closed due to a dredging project scheduled for completion in late 2014. Hamilton beach is actually nonexistent. [1][14]

 
Berger Park beach

Berger Park edit

41°59′44″N 87°39′17″W / 41.995545°N 87.654639°W / 41.995545; -87.654639 (Berger Park)

Berger Park Beach is a small beach at the northeast corner of Berger Park in Edgewater. The park also contains a cultural center and lakeside café housed in two large century old lake homes and their carriage houses, as well as a playground.[15]

North-Side Beaches. edit

 

Lincoln Park is Chicago's largest public park and contains the city's remaining north side lake front beaches, running for seven miles (11 km) through the communities of Edgewater, Uptown, Lake View, Lincoln Park, and Near North.

Lane Beach Park (formerly Thorndale Beach) edit

Lane Beach Park, more commonly known as Thorndale Beach, is located at 5932 North in Edgewater at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Thorndale Avenue.[9] This was once a standalone beach, as recently as the 1970s, but shifting sand and water levels later connected it to Hollywood Beach to the south. More recently, hard frozen waves that formed during the winter of 2015 carried much of the sand away, isolating the beach again.

There is a boardwalk ramp, to allow stroller or wheelchair access closer to the shoreline as well as a modern playground for children.

The park and beach was named for George A. Lane (1903-1974), a Chicago lawyer heavily involved in community development and politics. Lane also served as a faculty member at nearby Loyola University.[16]

Kathy Osterman Beach (formerly Hollywood Beach) edit

 
Foster Beach
 
Hollywood Beach looking North to Thorndale

Located at the 5800 North block where Lake Shore Drive ends at a curve that feeds into Sheridan Road (near Hollywood Avenue and North Lake Shore Drive; 41°59′11.51″N 87°39′9.38″W / 41.9865306°N 87.6526056°W / 41.9865306; -87.6526056 ) in Edgewater, this crescent-shaped beach serves two groups. The northern half is largely a family beach and the southern half is largely a gay and lesbian beach.[17] The northern half of the beach has shallow water which makes it kid-friendly and there is a long boardwalk ramp to allow closer access to the shoreline for strollers and wheelchairs near the Ardmore Avenue entrance.[18] Beach volleyball is popular here. There is a beach house and concession stand, which opened in 2010. Unique among Lincoln Park's northern beaches there is no nearby parking lot.

In the upper beach, north of Ardmore and the boardwalk, near Thorndale beach is a small park district beach grass reserve for migrating birds and butterflies.

Foster Avenue Beach edit

Foster Avenue Beach is located at 5200 North (41°58′44″N 87°38′58″W / 41.978826°N 87.649355°W / 41.978826; -87.649355).[9] It is a popular beach in the Edgewater section of the city. It was part of Lincoln Park’s final landfill extension completed in the 1950s between Foster Avenue and Ardmore Avenue. The design and planning for the extension started in 1947, with construction and fill beginning three years later. The work on the beach continued over the rest of the fifties, being concluded in 1958. The original beach house for the site, like the existing ones at Montrose and North Avenues, was designed by E.V Buchsbaum. It was constructed sometime in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A new beach house with improved amenities was constructed in the 1990s.

Montrose Avenue Beach edit

Montrose Avenue Beach
 
Beach looking south
 
The dog beach at Montrose Avenue Beach
 
New patio deck addition to the beach house
 
A panorama of the beach in May 2014

Montrose beach is Chicago's largest beach. It is located in Uptown.[19] It also houses the most parking of any beach in Chicago. It is one of few beaches where patrons may launch non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks and catamarans, into Lake Michigan. It also has one of only two dog beaches in the Chicago Park District [citation needed], making it a popular beach for dog lovers. In the fenced-off section at the north end of the beach, leashless dogs are permitted on the sand. Montrose beach hosts the Junior Guard regional championships, the annual Beach Soccer Festival, and numerous runs and walks for various charities. The beach house on the south end of the beach was designed by E.V. Buchsbaum. It was modeled after the North Avenue Beach house and looks like a lake steamer. Unfortunately, in the 1950s, the east wing of the beach house burned in a fire and was not rebuilt.[20] The beach house was remodeled with a 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) patio deck, and houses what was at the time of its construction, the third full-service restaurant on a Chicago beach, named "The Dock at Montrose Beach", following the Oak Street Beachstro and North Avenue's Castaways. It was part of the Park District's plan to add "more upscale concessions to the lakefront".[21] Due to budget constraints, Chicago eliminated the traditional July 3 fireworks in Grant Park, instead opting for a scaled-down fireworks displays in three different locations in Chicago on the 4th of July. The north side display is held annually at Montrose Beach.[22]

North Avenue Beach edit

41°55′03″N 87°37′39″W / 41.9175°N 87.6275°W / 41.9175; -87.6275 (North Avenue Beach)

North Avenue Beach
 
At night facing the beach house
 
During day facing the beach house
 
Independence Day 2008 from the beach house
 
chess players at North Ave beach in 1973

The North Avenue Beach, located at 1600 North,[9] is considered by many to be Chicago's premier beach. It has the largest lifeguard staff and is home to the most developed beachhouse. Technically running from North Avenue to Diversey Harbor in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, North Avenue Beach is characterized by its piers which hold the sand in place and create a scalloped shoreline, terminating in a Cape Cod-like hook. The beach hosts international volleyball tournaments as well as millions of sun worshippers every year. Chicago Park District lines the beach with poles for individuals and leagues to hang volleyball nets. These nets and this portion of the lakefront bike/running/blading path attract large numbers of people on weekends and weeknights. North Avenue is also center stage for the Chicago Air & Water Show, which draws over a million people a day from Ohio to Diversey along the lakefront. North Avenue Beach is the site of the annual AVP Chicago Open.

 
Looking north, Oak Street Beach (bottom right) and North Ave Beach viewed from above

The beach house resembles an ocean liner[23] and contains bike and sports equipment rental, a bar and restaurant (Castaways), concession stand, a lifeguard station, and restrooms.

Oak Street Beach edit

 
Oak Street Beach Chicago

Oak Street Beach, located at 1000 North,[9] covers the area from the North Avenue 'Hook' Pier south to Ohio Street Beach (Illinois St. Beach, Olive Beach), about 1.5 mi (2 km). Oak Street is home to the largest area of deep water swimming in the city (1/2 mile (800 m) over 10 ft (3 m)). Until 2006 Oak Street Beach was also the only place in the city where SCUBA divers could dive close to the shore. The north ledge was once a hot spot for the city's gay community, and still is a second home to thousands of sunbathers, runners, skaters and bikers. At one point Oak Street was the city's most popular beach with its proximity to downtown and boasted tens of thousands of visitors each day. Oak Street Beach is also home to Chicago's only chess pavilion and an outdoor restaurant called the Oak Street Beachstro that is assembled every summer and dismantled at the end of the season.

Ohio Street Beach edit

41°53′37″N 87°36′45″W / 41.8936°N 87.6125°W / 41.8936; -87.6125 (North Avenue Beach)

This beach, located in Lincoln Park adjacent to Addams Memorial Park and Olive Park, is just north of Ohio Street (600 N)[9] east of Lake Shore Drive. It faces north, rather than the usual east, because it formed on its own in a bay created by the Jardine Water Purification Plant which juts out into the Lake. Due to its unusual orientation, Ohio Street Beach serves as an ideal training site for open water swimming. One can swim north 0.5 miles (800 m) to the Oak Street curve without ever being more than a few feet from the seawall and shallow water.

Humboldt Park Beach edit

 
Humboldt Park Lagoon and Fieldhouse

This is not a lakefront beach. It is located in a former lagoon of Humboldt Park which was dredged and given a sand bottom. At 41°54′24″N 87°42′11″W / 41.9066°N 87.7031°W / 41.9066; -87.7031 (Humboldt Park Beach), this "beach" is mostly used by small children as a shallow wading pond. It is guarded in the summer and drained when not guarded.

Burnham Park Beaches edit

Burnham Park runs for 6 miles (9.7 km) along Chicago's lakefront from Grant Park in the north to Jackson Park in the south, through the neighborhoods of Near South, Douglas, Oakland, Kenwood and Hyde Park.

12th Street Beach edit

41°51′48.53″N 87°36′26.97″W / 41.8634806°N 87.6074917°W / 41.8634806; -87.6074917

 
A woman enjoying herself on the lawn just off 12th Street Beach in 1973

The 12th Street Beach is just south of the Adler Planetarium on Northerly Island (formerly the site of Meigs Field). The beach runs from about 1300 S to about 1450 S, but was named 12th Street Beach rather than (unlucky) 13th Street Beach. When 12th Street was renamed Roosevelt Road the beach retained its name, but now is sometimes called 14th Street Beach. There is also open water swimming that is great for triathletes or avid open water swimmers. The beach has bathrooms, a concession stand, and a lifeguard station.

25th/26th Street Beaches edit

No longer extant, of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919.

Margaret Taylor Burroughs (31st Street) Beach edit

41°50′20.75″N 87°36′22.49″W / 41.8390972°N 87.6062472°W / 41.8390972; -87.6062472

The Margaret Taylor Burroughs Beach is located in Burnham Park near 31st Street. The beach is host every year to the Junior Lifeguard Chicago Area Tug-o-War. Near the beachouse is a large modern playground.[24]

In 2015, it was named in honor of artist, educator and museum founder, Margaret Taylor-Burroughs. Burroughs was a founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History and the Southside Community Art Center[25]

Oakwood / 41st Street Beach edit

4100 S. Lake Shore Drive (41st St. and Lake Michigan, parking at Oakwood Blvd.)

49th Street Beach edit

49th Street Beach is a small stone beach in Burnham Park. It is not guarded, so swimming is not allowed.

57th Street Beach edit

41°47′29.88″N 87°34′46.16″W / 41.7916333°N 87.5794889°W / 41.7916333; -87.5794889

The 57th Street Beach is in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood, across Lake Shore Drive from the Museum of Science and Industry. Two large pedestrian underpasses at the intersection of 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive give access. 57th Street Beach provides an area of deep swimming south of Promontory Point.

63rd Street Beach edit

41°46′55.43″N 87°34′22.83″W / 41.7820639°N 87.5730083°W / 41.7820639; -87.5730083

The 63rd Street Beach is in Jackson Park. It is home to the largest and oldest beach house in the City. In July 1913, Jackson Park Beach was the site of a clash over required bathing attire when Dr. Rosalie Ladova was arrested for disorderly conduct for swimming in her bloomers after removing her bathing skirt.[26] The establishment of the landmark beach house came about due to the residents of the area complaining to the city to extend the beach. Thus in 1914, the city ordered a 10-acre (40,000 m2) expansion to 63rd St. The South Park Commission architects came up with the plan to build the 63rd Street Pavilion. The construction was completed in 1919. The building historically provided showers, medical rooms, and bathrooms. Due to the building's age, it was restored in 2000. Today the pavilion is used by boaters, beach goers, and can be used for special events.[27]

South Shore Beaches edit

There are three beach areas in the South Shore, Chicago community.

South Shore Beach edit

 
South Shore Cultural Center

South Shore Beach is the beach connected with the Chicago Park District's South Shore Cultural Center (formerly South Shore Country Club), which is located at the intersection of 71st Street and South Shore Drive. The Country Club is a magnificent old building and it is home to a ballroom, restaurant, golf course and tennis courts. The Beach also runs up against 67th Street beach and Jackson Park

Ashe Beach edit

Ashe Beach Park is a newer addition to the Chicago Park District's beaches, bought in 1979 and named for the late tennis great Arthur Ashe, after he died of AIDS in 1993. In addition to the beach, the park features two tennis courts. It is located between 74th and 75th Streets in the South Shore community.[28]

Rainbow Beach edit

 
Rainbow Park Beach Chicago

Rainbow Beach is officially located at 3111 E. 77th St.,[29] is a beach in the Chicago Park District's Rainbow Beach & Park that stretches from 75th Street to 78th Street on the Lake Michigan shoreline.[30] Rainbow Beach was named such in 1918.

Starting with the 1919 Race Riot, Chicago had a history of race related disturbances in the 20th century related to use of public resources, such as parks and beaches. Rainbow Beach was an area of controversy for black and white youth. Black families that were economically dependent on the nearby South Chicago steel mills had avoided the public hostility of the lifeguards and white bathers. Demographic shifts and racial climate change of the 1960s led to a July 7 and 8, 1961 “freedom wade-in” at Rainbow Beach staged by an interracial coalition of demonstrators, including members of the NAACP Youth Council.[31]

Calumet Park Beaches edit

41°43′04″N 87°31′46″W / 41.7179°N 87.5294°W / 41.7179; -87.5294

The park district's Calumet Park,[32] which is not to be confused with the nearby city of Calumet Park, IL, has a mile of lakefront and contains three beaches located at the 9600, 9800 and 9900 South blocks along Lake Michigan (what would be 96th, 98th and 99th streets). The main beach has a Beach House with a concessions stand. The park is in the East Side neighborhood. Forming part of Chicago's city limit, the park reaches to the border between Illinois and Indiana.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Cremin, Dennis H., Waterfront , pp. 864-6, Eds. Grossman, James R., Keating, Ann Durkin, and Reiff, Janice L., 2004 The Encyclopedia of Chicago. The University of Chicago Press, ISBN 0-226-31015-9
  2. ^ Sullivan, Timothy E., Sporting Goods Manufacturing , p. 776, Eds. Grossman, James R., Keating, Ann Durkin, and Reiff, Janice L., 2004 The Encyclopedia of Chicago. The University of Chicago Press, ISBN 0-226-31015-9
  3. ^ a b Rodriguez, Karen M (2005). "Shoreline Erosion". The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved March 24, 2007.
  4. ^ Fulton, Jeff. "Public Beaches in Chicago". USA Today. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Pavin, Laura (September 4, 2016). "How Chicago Beaches Get and Keep That Nice Fine Sand". WBEZ. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Shoreline Development". The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. 2005. Retrieved March 25, 2007.
  7. ^ "Baths, Public". The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. 2005. Retrieved March 26, 2007.
  8. ^ "Mayor Emanuel Announces Free Wi-Fi at Five Chicago Beaches". City of Chicago. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m . Chicago Park District. Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  10. ^ a b Ward, Joe (January 16, 2020). "2 Rogers Park Beaches Devastated During Weekend Storm Will Be Replaced With Rocks, City Says". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  11. ^ Woodard, Ben (May 22, 2015). "Aussie Beach". Edgewater News. A2. DNAinfo.com.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  12. ^ Citysearch Editors (2006). "Chicago Beaches". Citysearch.com. Retrieved March 22, 2007. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  13. ^ Chicago Park District. . chicagoparkdistrict.com. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  14. ^ "edit wikipedia articles - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
  15. ^ "Chicago Park District: Berger Park & Cultural Center". Archived from the original on July 3, 2008. Retrieved July 11, 2010. |Berger Park
  16. ^ Chicago Park District. "Lane Beach Park". chicagoparkdistrict.com. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  17. ^ Citysearch Editors. "Kathy Osterman Beach". Citysearch.com. Retrieved March 23, 2007. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  18. ^ "Kathy Osterman Beach". AOL, LLC. Retrieved March 23, 2007.[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ . Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
  20. ^ . Chicago Park District. Archived from the original on March 17, 2009. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  21. ^ "More liquor could flow at lakefront parks". Chicago Tribune. April 14, 2010.
  22. ^ "Chicago Activities". About.com Travel. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  23. ^ Chicago Park District: North Avenue Beach
  24. ^ "31st Street Beach". Time Out Chicago. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
  25. ^ . The Chicago Sun-Times. August 12, 2015. Archived from the original on August 16, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  26. ^ "Jackson Park Beach, 1920". Chicago Historical Society. 2005. Retrieved March 25, 2007.
  27. ^ "63rd Street Beach House". Chicago Park District. 2009. Archived from the original on December 1, 2005. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
  28. ^ "Ashe Beach Park". Chicago Park District. 2006. Archived from the original on March 20, 2006. Retrieved May 10, 2007.
  29. ^ . Chicago Park District. Archived from the original on April 5, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
  30. ^ (PDF). Chicago Park District. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 14, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
  31. ^ Clifton, Charles E. (2005). "Rainbow Beach". Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved March 25, 2007.
  32. ^ "Calumet Park". Chicago Park District. 2006. Retrieved March 23, 2007.

list, beaches, chicago, beaches, chicago, extensive, network, waterfront, recreational, areas, operated, chicago, park, district, chicago, metropolitan, waterfront, includes, parts, lake, michigan, shores, well, parts, banks, chicago, plaines, calumet, dupage,. The beaches in Chicago are an extensive network of waterfront recreational areas operated by the Chicago Park District The Chicago metropolitan waterfront includes parts of the Lake Michigan shores as well as parts of the banks of the Chicago Des Plaines Calumet Fox and DuPage Rivers and their tributaries 1 The waterfront also includes the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Sanitary and Ship Canal 1 Historically the waterfront has been used for commerce industry and leisure Leisure such as fishing swimming hunting walking and boating was much more prevalent throughout the river sections of the waterfront system early in the 19th century before industrial uses altered the landscape By midcentury much leisure shifted to Lake Michigan as a result of industrial influence The first City of Chicago Public Beach opened in Lincoln Park in 1895 2 Today the entire 28 miles 45 km Chicago lakefront shoreline is reclaimed land and primarily used for public parks 3 In the parks there are 24 sand beaches along the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan 4 Montrose Avenue Beach 4400 N in UptownOhio Street Beach 400 N in Near North63rd Street beach house fountain 6300 S with beach and lake beyond in Jackson Park Contents 1 History 2 Rogers Park Beaches 2 1 Juneway Terrace Beach 2 2 Rogers Beach 2 3 Howard Beach 2 4 Marion Mahony Griffin Beach Jarvis Fargo 2 5 Loyola Leone Beach 2 6 Tobey Prinz Pratt Beach 2 7 Hartigan Beach 2 8 Columbia Beach 2 9 North Shore Beach 2 10 Hamilton Beach 3 Berger Park 4 North Side Beaches 4 1 Lane Beach Park formerly Thorndale Beach 4 2 Kathy Osterman Beach formerly Hollywood Beach 4 3 Foster Avenue Beach 4 4 Montrose Avenue Beach 4 5 North Avenue Beach 4 6 Oak Street Beach 4 7 Ohio Street Beach 5 Humboldt Park Beach 6 Burnham Park Beaches 6 1 12th Street Beach 6 2 25th 26th Street Beaches 6 3 Margaret Taylor Burroughs 31st Street Beach 6 4 Oakwood 41st Street Beach 6 5 49th Street Beach 6 6 57th Street Beach 7 63rd Street Beach 8 South Shore Beaches 8 1 South Shore Beach 8 2 Ashe Beach 8 3 Rainbow Beach 9 Calumet Park Beaches 10 See also 11 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp Chicago s earliest sand beaches resulted naturally from capturing sand moved by the current south along the shoreline toward the Indiana Dunes but these beaches were dynamic shifted and eroded When Chicago began building piers and other structures into the lake large sandy beaches formed generally to the north of a pier due to sand capture 5 Early beaches were generally funded by private entities such as hotels and private clubs screened from the public 6 Late 19th century city ordinances prohibited public bathing but popular norms created demand for public beaches 6 7 Proponents saw public beaches as an opportunity to accommodate demand for public baths and eliminate the expenditure of enforcement resources on ordinance violations for public bathing 6 The city responded by opening the first public bathing beach in 1895 in Lincoln Park primarily as a response to the efforts of the Free Bath and Sanitary League 6 Spaces were designated for public use and the city accepted responsibility for maintaining the beaches By 1900 the lakefront was divided into zones of recreational residential agricultural and industrial uses Lake Michigan water quality concerns lead to the reversal of the Chicago river with deep cut of the Illinois amp Michigan canal in 1871 and the construction of the Sanitary and Ship Canal at the start of the 20th century 1 The 1909 Burnham Plan led to development of the lakefront 1 Recreational development on the city lakefront became a priority due to the influence of Aaron Montgomery Ward His belief that the public s access to the Lake left its impression on the development of Jackson Burnham Grant and Lincoln Parks 3 Continued popular support led to the opening of several municipal beaches in the second decade of the 20th century 6 Modern beaches are formed from sand deposited by lake current and occasionally inland sand excavated from nearby sand pits left by the last ice age or sand dredged from the lake bottom 5 In 2013 began Free Wi Fi service at North Avenue Beach and Kathy Osterman formerly known as Hollywood Beach 8 Rogers Park Beaches editThe far north Rogers Park neighborhood contains a series of small street end beaches that unlike most Chicago beaches are often separated by private property and therefore unconnected to each other by public parkland nbsp Loyola ParkJuneway Terrace Beach edit Juneway Terrace Beach is the northernmost beach in Chicago It is located at 7800 North and Lake Michigan 9 It lies within Rogers Avenue Beach and Park It is separated from Rogers Beach by a stretch of rip rap protecting three apartment buildings Rogers Beach edit Rogers Beach lies in Rogers Avenue Beach and Park at 7705 North 9 Barely one block long the park also has tennis courts nd a January 2020 storm further eroded the shoreline the Chicago Department of Transportation announced that riprap would replace the beach to stabilize the shoreline 10 Howard Beach edit Howard Beach lies in Howard Street Beach and Park at 7600 North 9 which is just south of Howard Street It is perhaps 213 feet 65 m long Also to be depreciated as a result of the 2019 2020 lake erosion 10 Marion Mahony Griffin Beach Jarvis Fargo edit Jarvis street is located at 7400 North and Fargo is located at 7432 North 9 Offshore stretches of riprap act to reduce erosion of this beach which is about three blocks long In 2015 the beach was named in honor of architect Marion Mahony Griffin The Australian Consul General Roger Price attended the beach s dedication for the woman who was instrumental in the design the Australian capital of Canberra When she returned to the United States in 1939 after her husband s death she lived near the beach 11 nbsp Loyola Park breakwater and nature areaLoyola Leone Beach edit 42 00 35 N 87 39 31 W 42 009605 N 87 658496 W 42 009605 87 658496North Sheridan Road and extending for eight blocks Leone Beach is Chicago s largest 12 Tobey Prinz Pratt Beach edit Contiguous with Leone Loyola Beach located at 1050 West Pratt Boulevard Formerly named Pratt Boulevard Beach it was renamed for local neighborhood activist Tobey Prinz by the Chicago Park District in 2014 There is a fishing pier and during the fall it is possible to catch salmon 9 13 Hartigan Beach edit Also known as Albion Beach contiguous with North Shore Beach located at 6600 North 9 ends just north of Loyola Avenue Named for former 49th Ward Alderman David L Hartigan Columbia Beach edit Columbia Beach is located at 6726 North 9 North Shore Beach edit North Shore Beach is located at 6700 North 9 Hamilton Beach edit Hamilton Beach is currently closed due to a dredging project scheduled for completion in late 2014 Hamilton beach is actually nonexistent 1 14 nbsp Berger Park beachBerger Park edit41 59 44 N 87 39 17 W 41 995545 N 87 654639 W 41 995545 87 654639 Berger Park Berger Park Beach is a small beach at the northeast corner of Berger Park in Edgewater The park also contains a cultural center and lakeside cafe housed in two large century old lake homes and their carriage houses as well as a playground 15 North Side Beaches edit nbsp Lincoln Park is Chicago s largest public park and contains the city s remaining north side lake front beaches running for seven miles 11 km through the communities of Edgewater Uptown Lake View Lincoln Park and Near North Lane Beach Park formerly Thorndale Beach edit Lane Beach Park more commonly known as Thorndale Beach is located at 5932 North in Edgewater at the intersection of Sheridan Road and Thorndale Avenue 9 This was once a standalone beach as recently as the 1970s but shifting sand and water levels later connected it to Hollywood Beach to the south More recently hard frozen waves that formed during the winter of 2015 carried much of the sand away isolating the beach again There is a boardwalk ramp to allow stroller or wheelchair access closer to the shoreline as well as a modern playground for children The park and beach was named for George A Lane 1903 1974 a Chicago lawyer heavily involved in community development and politics Lane also served as a faculty member at nearby Loyola University 16 Kathy Osterman Beach formerly Hollywood Beach edit nbsp Foster Beach nbsp Hollywood Beach looking North to Thorndale Located at the 5800 North block where Lake Shore Drive ends at a curve that feeds into Sheridan Road near Hollywood Avenue and North Lake Shore Drive 41 59 11 51 N 87 39 9 38 W 41 9865306 N 87 6526056 W 41 9865306 87 6526056 in Edgewater this crescent shaped beach serves two groups The northern half is largely a family beach and the southern half is largely a gay and lesbian beach 17 The northern half of the beach has shallow water which makes it kid friendly and there is a long boardwalk ramp to allow closer access to the shoreline for strollers and wheelchairs near the Ardmore Avenue entrance 18 Beach volleyball is popular here There is a beach house and concession stand which opened in 2010 Unique among Lincoln Park s northern beaches there is no nearby parking lot In the upper beach north of Ardmore and the boardwalk near Thorndale beach is a small park district beach grass reserve for migrating birds and butterflies Foster Avenue Beach edit Foster Avenue Beach is located at 5200 North 41 58 44 N 87 38 58 W 41 978826 N 87 649355 W 41 978826 87 649355 9 It is a popular beach in the Edgewater section of the city It was part of Lincoln Park s final landfill extension completed in the 1950s between Foster Avenue and Ardmore Avenue The design and planning for the extension started in 1947 with construction and fill beginning three years later The work on the beach continued over the rest of the fifties being concluded in 1958 The original beach house for the site like the existing ones at Montrose and North Avenues was designed by E V Buchsbaum It was constructed sometime in the late 1950s and early 1960s A new beach house with improved amenities was constructed in the 1990s Montrose Avenue Beach edit Montrose Avenue Beach nbsp Beach looking south nbsp The dog beach at Montrose Avenue Beach nbsp New patio deck addition to the beach house nbsp A panorama of the beach in May 2014 Montrose beach is Chicago s largest beach It is located in Uptown 19 It also houses the most parking of any beach in Chicago It is one of few beaches where patrons may launch non motorized watercraft such as kayaks and catamarans into Lake Michigan It also has one of only two dog beaches in the Chicago Park District citation needed making it a popular beach for dog lovers In the fenced off section at the north end of the beach leashless dogs are permitted on the sand Montrose beach hosts the Junior Guard regional championships the annual Beach Soccer Festival and numerous runs and walks for various charities The beach house on the south end of the beach was designed by E V Buchsbaum It was modeled after the North Avenue Beach house and looks like a lake steamer Unfortunately in the 1950s the east wing of the beach house burned in a fire and was not rebuilt 20 The beach house was remodeled with a 3 000 square foot 280 m2 patio deck and houses what was at the time of its construction the third full service restaurant on a Chicago beach named The Dock at Montrose Beach following the Oak Street Beachstro and North Avenue s Castaways It was part of the Park District s plan to add more upscale concessions to the lakefront 21 Due to budget constraints Chicago eliminated the traditional July 3 fireworks in Grant Park instead opting for a scaled down fireworks displays in three different locations in Chicago on the 4th of July The north side display is held annually at Montrose Beach 22 North Avenue Beach edit 41 55 03 N 87 37 39 W 41 9175 N 87 6275 W 41 9175 87 6275 North Avenue Beach North Avenue Beach nbsp At night facing the beach house nbsp During day facing the beach house nbsp Independence Day 2008 from the beach house nbsp chess players at North Ave beach in 1973 The North Avenue Beach located at 1600 North 9 is considered by many to be Chicago s premier beach It has the largest lifeguard staff and is home to the most developed beachhouse Technically running from North Avenue to Diversey Harbor in the Lincoln Park neighborhood North Avenue Beach is characterized by its piers which hold the sand in place and create a scalloped shoreline terminating in a Cape Cod like hook The beach hosts international volleyball tournaments as well as millions of sun worshippers every year Chicago Park District lines the beach with poles for individuals and leagues to hang volleyball nets These nets and this portion of the lakefront bike running blading path attract large numbers of people on weekends and weeknights North Avenue is also center stage for the Chicago Air amp Water Show which draws over a million people a day from Ohio to Diversey along the lakefront North Avenue Beach is the site of the annual AVP Chicago Open nbsp Looking north Oak Street Beach bottom right and North Ave Beach viewed from aboveThe beach house resembles an ocean liner 23 and contains bike and sports equipment rental a bar and restaurant Castaways concession stand a lifeguard station and restrooms Oak Street Beach edit nbsp Oak Street Beach ChicagoMain article Oak Street Beach Oak Street Beach located at 1000 North 9 covers the area from the North Avenue Hook Pier south to Ohio Street Beach Illinois St Beach Olive Beach about 1 5 mi 2 km Oak Street is home to the largest area of deep water swimming in the city 1 2 mile 800 m over 10 ft 3 m Until 2006 Oak Street Beach was also the only place in the city where SCUBA divers could dive close to the shore The north ledge was once a hot spot for the city s gay community and still is a second home to thousands of sunbathers runners skaters and bikers At one point Oak Street was the city s most popular beach with its proximity to downtown and boasted tens of thousands of visitors each day Oak Street Beach is also home to Chicago s only chess pavilion and an outdoor restaurant called the Oak Street Beachstro that is assembled every summer and dismantled at the end of the season Ohio Street Beach edit 41 53 37 N 87 36 45 W 41 8936 N 87 6125 W 41 8936 87 6125 North Avenue Beach This beach located in Lincoln Park adjacent to Addams Memorial Park and Olive Park is just north of Ohio Street 600 N 9 east of Lake Shore Drive It faces north rather than the usual east because it formed on its own in a bay created by the Jardine Water Purification Plant which juts out into the Lake Due to its unusual orientation Ohio Street Beach serves as an ideal training site for open water swimming One can swim north 0 5 miles 800 m to the Oak Street curve without ever being more than a few feet from the seawall and shallow water nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Humboldt Park Beach edit nbsp Humboldt Park Lagoon and FieldhouseThis is not a lakefront beach It is located in a former lagoon of Humboldt Park which was dredged and given a sand bottom At 41 54 24 N 87 42 11 W 41 9066 N 87 7031 W 41 9066 87 7031 Humboldt Park Beach this beach is mostly used by small children as a shallow wading pond It is guarded in the summer and drained when not guarded Burnham Park Beaches editBurnham Park runs for 6 miles 9 7 km along Chicago s lakefront from Grant Park in the north to Jackson Park in the south through the neighborhoods of Near South Douglas Oakland Kenwood and Hyde Park 12th Street Beach edit 41 51 48 53 N 87 36 26 97 W 41 8634806 N 87 6074917 W 41 8634806 87 6074917 nbsp A woman enjoying herself on the lawn just off 12th Street Beach in 1973The 12th Street Beach is just south of the Adler Planetarium on Northerly Island formerly the site of Meigs Field The beach runs from about 1300 S to about 1450 S but was named 12th Street Beach rather than unlucky 13th Street Beach When 12th Street was renamed Roosevelt Road the beach retained its name but now is sometimes called 14th Street Beach There is also open water swimming that is great for triathletes or avid open water swimmers The beach has bathrooms a concession stand and a lifeguard station 25th 26th Street Beaches edit No longer extant of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Margaret Taylor Burroughs 31st Street Beach edit 41 50 20 75 N 87 36 22 49 W 41 8390972 N 87 6062472 W 41 8390972 87 6062472The Margaret Taylor Burroughs Beach is located in Burnham Park near 31st Street The beach is host every year to the Junior Lifeguard Chicago Area Tug o War Near the beachouse is a large modern playground 24 In 2015 it was named in honor of artist educator and museum founder Margaret Taylor Burroughs Burroughs was a founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History and the Southside Community Art Center 25 Oakwood 41st Street Beach edit 4100 S Lake Shore Drive 41st St and Lake Michigan parking at Oakwood Blvd 49th Street Beach edit 49th Street Beach is a small stone beach in Burnham Park It is not guarded so swimming is not allowed 57th Street Beach edit 41 47 29 88 N 87 34 46 16 W 41 7916333 N 87 5794889 W 41 7916333 87 5794889The 57th Street Beach is in the city s Hyde Park neighborhood across Lake Shore Drive from the Museum of Science and Industry Two large pedestrian underpasses at the intersection of 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive give access 57th Street Beach provides an area of deep swimming south of Promontory Point 63rd Street Beach edit41 46 55 43 N 87 34 22 83 W 41 7820639 N 87 5730083 W 41 7820639 87 5730083The 63rd Street Beach is in Jackson Park It is home to the largest and oldest beach house in the City In July 1913 Jackson Park Beach was the site of a clash over required bathing attire when Dr Rosalie Ladova was arrested for disorderly conduct for swimming in her bloomers after removing her bathing skirt 26 The establishment of the landmark beach house came about due to the residents of the area complaining to the city to extend the beach Thus in 1914 the city ordered a 10 acre 40 000 m2 expansion to 63rd St The South Park Commission architects came up with the plan to build the 63rd Street Pavilion The construction was completed in 1919 The building historically provided showers medical rooms and bathrooms Due to the building s age it was restored in 2000 Today the pavilion is used by boaters beach goers and can be used for special events 27 nbsp 63rd Street Bathing Pavilion nbsp nbsp Dr Rosalie M LadovaSouth Shore Beaches editThere are three beach areas in the South Shore Chicago community South Shore Beach edit nbsp South Shore Cultural CenterSouth Shore Beach is the beach connected with the Chicago Park District s South Shore Cultural Center formerly South Shore Country Club which is located at the intersection of 71st Street and South Shore Drive The Country Club is a magnificent old building and it is home to a ballroom restaurant golf course and tennis courts The Beach also runs up against 67th Street beach and Jackson Park Ashe Beach edit Ashe Beach Park is a newer addition to the Chicago Park District s beaches bought in 1979 and named for the late tennis great Arthur Ashe after he died of AIDS in 1993 In addition to the beach the park features two tennis courts It is located between 74th and 75th Streets in the South Shore community 28 Rainbow Beach edit nbsp Rainbow Park Beach ChicagoRainbow Beach is officially located at 3111 E 77th St 29 is a beach in the Chicago Park District s Rainbow Beach amp Park that stretches from 75th Street to 78th Street on the Lake Michigan shoreline 30 Rainbow Beach was named such in 1918 Starting with the 1919 Race Riot Chicago had a history of race related disturbances in the 20th century related to use of public resources such as parks and beaches Rainbow Beach was an area of controversy for black and white youth Black families that were economically dependent on the nearby South Chicago steel mills had avoided the public hostility of the lifeguards and white bathers Demographic shifts and racial climate change of the 1960s led to a July 7 and 8 1961 freedom wade in at Rainbow Beach staged by an interracial coalition of demonstrators including members of the NAACP Youth Council 31 Calumet Park Beaches edit41 43 04 N 87 31 46 W 41 7179 N 87 5294 W 41 7179 87 5294The park district s Calumet Park 32 which is not to be confused with the nearby city of Calumet Park IL has a mile of lakefront and contains three beaches located at the 9600 9800 and 9900 South blocks along Lake Michigan what would be 96th 98th and 99th streets The main beach has a Beach House with a concessions stand The park is in the East Side neighborhood Forming part of Chicago s city limit the park reaches to the border between Illinois and Indiana See also edit nbsp Chicago portalList of beaches List of beaches in the United StatesReferences editMap all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates a b c d Cremin Dennis H Waterfront pp 864 6 Eds Grossman James R Keating Ann Durkin and Reiff Janice L 2004 The Encyclopedia of Chicago The University of Chicago Press ISBN 0 226 31015 9 Sullivan Timothy E Sporting Goods Manufacturing p 776 Eds Grossman James R Keating Ann Durkin and Reiff Janice L 2004 The Encyclopedia of Chicago The University of Chicago Press ISBN 0 226 31015 9 a b Rodriguez Karen M 2005 Shoreline Erosion The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago Chicago Historical Society Retrieved March 24 2007 Fulton Jeff Public Beaches in Chicago USA Today Retrieved August 28 2013 a b Pavin Laura September 4 2016 How Chicago Beaches Get and Keep That Nice Fine Sand WBEZ Retrieved October 24 2016 a b c d e Shoreline Development The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago Chicago Historical Society 2005 Retrieved March 25 2007 Baths Public The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago Chicago Historical Society 2005 Retrieved March 26 2007 Mayor Emanuel Announces Free Wi Fi at Five Chicago Beaches City of Chicago Retrieved July 19 2013 a b c d e f g h i j k l m Beach amp Lakefront Amenities Chicago Park District Archived from the original on January 7 2010 Retrieved July 6 2010 a b Ward Joe January 16 2020 2 Rogers Park Beaches Devastated During Weekend Storm Will Be Replaced With Rocks City Says Block Club Chicago Retrieved January 16 2020 Woodard Ben May 22 2015 Aussie Beach Edgewater News A2 DNAinfo com a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint location link Citysearch Editors 2006 Chicago Beaches Citysearch com Retrieved March 22 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a author has generic name help Chicago Park District Prinz Tobey Beach Park chicagoparkdistrict com Archived from the original on December 22 2015 Retrieved December 19 2015 edit wikipedia articles Google Search www google com Retrieved November 21 2023 Chicago Park District Berger Park amp Cultural Center Archived from the original on July 3 2008 Retrieved July 11 2010 Berger Park Chicago Park District Lane Beach Park chicagoparkdistrict com Retrieved December 19 2015 Citysearch Editors Kathy Osterman Beach Citysearch com Retrieved March 23 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a author has generic name help Kathy Osterman Beach AOL LLC Retrieved March 23 2007 permanent dead link Montrose Beach Dunes In Lincoln Park Archived from the original on July 18 2011 Retrieved March 7 2011 Montrose Beach Chicago Park District Archived from the original on March 17 2009 Retrieved November 28 2017 More liquor could flow at lakefront parks Chicago Tribune April 14 2010 Chicago Activities About com Travel Retrieved December 19 2015 Chicago Park District North Avenue Beach 31st Street Beach Time Out Chicago Retrieved December 19 2015 Editorial Remembering and honoring Margaret Burroughs The Chicago Sun Times August 12 2015 Archived from the original on August 16 2015 Retrieved August 13 2015 Jackson Park Beach 1920 Chicago Historical Society 2005 Retrieved March 25 2007 63rd Street Beach House Chicago Park District 2009 Archived from the original on December 1 2005 Retrieved October 22 2009 Ashe Beach Park Chicago Park District 2006 Archived from the original on March 20 2006 Retrieved May 10 2007 Rainbow Beach amp Park Chicago Park District Archived from the original on April 5 2007 Retrieved March 21 2007 Rainbow Beach Park PDF Chicago Park District Archived from the original PDF on August 14 2007 Retrieved March 21 2007 Clifton Charles E 2005 Rainbow Beach Chicago Historical Society Retrieved March 25 2007 Calumet Park Chicago Park District 2006 Retrieved March 23 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of beaches in Chicago amp oldid 1217548701 North Avenue Beach, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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