2045 Lincoln Park West
Chicago, IL 60610
Phone: (312) 742-7726

Prior to becoming one of the North Side’s most popular parks, Lincoln Park was a small cemetery. In 1860, the city allocated 60 acres of the cemetery to be converted into parkland. Residents wanted the cemetery removed entirely, because it had been the burial site for cholera and smallpox victims. After the creation of the Lincoln Park Commission, the cemetery was removed and Lincoln Park expanded from Diversey Parkway to North Avenue. In 1934, the Chicago Park District extended Lincoln Park to Foster Avenue and in the 1950s the park was expanded again to its current 1208 acres.

Lincoln Park is home to many of Chicago’s most popular attractions. The Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest and most distinguished zoos in the United States. Established in 1868 with a single pair of swans from New York’s Central Park, the Lincoln Park Zoo now has one of the most significant zoo-based conservation and science programs in the country. The zoo is open 365 days a year and admission is free.

The Lincoln Park Conservatory was constructed between 1890 and 1895. In contrast to the indigenous Midwestern gardens of the Garfield Park Conservatory, the Lincoln Park Conservatory was designed to showcase exotic plants. Admission to the Lincoln Park Conservatory continues to be free.

The Lincoln Park Cultural Center provides the community with a large number of year-round recreational and cultural programs. The center houses a ceramics studio, a full service woodshop, a dance studio, and an auditorium. Each September, the Lincoln Park Cultural Center holds it’s annual Art Faire, featuring more than 100 art vendors, an open art studio, entertainment, and local food vendors.