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237:, and the eastern boundary of Burnham Harbor. As indicated by the color green on the original plan, the island was to be populated by trees and grass for the public enjoyment. Daniel Burnham died in 1912. By 1916, Edward H. Bennett, co-author of the Plan of Chicago, wrote that a lakefront location would be most suitable for an airport serving the central business district. By 1922, Chicago Mayor William Hale Thompson recommended locating the downtown airport at Northerly Island.
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263:" World's Fair. Taking part in the Century of Progress Exposition, 24 Italian Savoia-Marchetti S55X flying boats, under the command of General Italo Balbo, make the first transatlantic formation flight between Italy and Chicago. Only flying boats could be used because Chicago did not yet have a suitable nearby airport, except for Grant Park, which was occasionally used as a landing strip.
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In
December 2010, the Chicago Park District unveiled its framework plan for Northerly Island, to be completed over the next 20–30 years. The planned park would provide a variety of uses year-round with ecology and education central themes. A reef would be built, and the park would be designated into
481:
During the winter months, the
Chicago Park District hosts Polar Adventure Days, allowing parents to bring their children and experience nature in ways that would normally not be possible for those living in a city environment. On these Polar Adventure Days, the Park District offers free snowshoe
365:
The creation of the lagoon led to considerable weakening of the eastern shore of
Northerly Island. Stones were piled high enough to hamper the view of Lake Michigan. Erosion continued, destroying and closing most of the east side trail. The city has plans for repairs but no timetable.
270:
supported earlier recommendations for converting
Northerly Island into an airport, but construction did not begin for numerous reasons, such as lack of funds during the Great Depression and WWII. Construction did not begin until after a competing proposal to host the
361:
The park is home to many of
Illinois' natural wildlife, including monarch butterflies and herons. The park's 5-acre lagoon welcomes many kinds of animals. To make the park as inviting to these animals as possible, over 11,000 shrubs and 400 trees were planted.
168:(a semi-temporary concert venue), the Northerly Island Natural Area, the 12th Street Beach and numerous art installations. Per its name, Northerly Island was constructed as an island, but is connected to the lakefront by a causeway at the northern end carrying
305:, which owned Northerly Island, refused to renew the airport lease. The city briefly closed the airport from the expiration of the lease in October 1996 through February 1997 when pressure from the state legislature persuaded them to reopen the airport.
448:
On
September 26, 2015, the closing ceremonies of the second annual Great Chicago Fire Festival were held on Northerly Island after the festival was moved from its original location on the Chicago Riverfront in 2014. This event is put on by
354:
Northerly Island's nature preserve is meant to revitalize the environment that was originally there. The new park is now home to migratory birds and natural wildlife. To protect its new inhabitants, dogs are not allowed on the park.
233:" renewed the call for the creation of a chain of lakefront parks between Jackson Park and 12th Street. Northerly Island was the only lakefront structure to be built based on that Plan. Northerly Island forms the southern end of
334:
In 2005, an outdoor concert venue opened on the northern part of
Northerly Island. Originally named Charter One Pavilion, it was expanded in 2013 and renamed to First Merit Bank Pavilion, and as of January 2017 it is named
609:
323:
Daley defended his actions by claiming it would save the City of
Chicago the effort of further court battles before the airport could close. He claimed that safety concerns required the closure, due to the
320:
Ultimately on the night of March 30, 2003, Mayor Daley ordered city crews to make the runway unusable by bulldozing large X-shaped gouges into the runway surface in the middle of the night.
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The mile of paved paths has no lighting to create as natural of an environment as possible. The park is open until 11:00 PM, and it is advised by park security to bring a flashlight.
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In 2015, a 40-acre park opened on the southern part of the island. The park features a concrete trail for walking and bicycle riding, a lagoon, and landscaped wildlife habitats.
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465:. The closing ceremony includes a dramatic burning of the "GRIT House," food concessions, performance stages, and a dramatic fireworks finale, among other things.
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The
Chicago Park District hosts many events on Northerly Island to allow individuals and families to take advantage of all the natural area the park has to offer.
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rental (when there are 3 or more inches of snow) and cross country skiing, as well as a host of indoor activities in the
Northerly Island Visitors Center.
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While aviation interests and commentators decried the move, supporters of the park believe it was in the city's best interest for the land to be a park.
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at 12th Street in 1938. During this period Northerly Island was full of paths and walkways as well as a beach at 12th Street.
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Meigs Field Runway a few days after demolition ordered by Mayor Daley. The large X marks were cut into the runway by
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that led to an 1896 plan to connect the two parks with a new outer belt of parks enclosing a shoreline lagoon.
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voters approved a $ 20 million bond issue to create Northerly Island, with construction completed by 1925.
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765:"10 years after Daley's Meigs Field raid, the makeover of Northerly Island is slow to take shape"
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714:"Daley cites security in closing of Meigs, Pilots' group blasts overnight demolition of runway"
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The initial plans that led to the construction of Northerly Island were inspired by the 1893
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risk of terrorist-controlled aircraft attacking the downtown waterfront near Meigs Field.
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airport and, since Meigs Field's closure, has been a recreational area part of Chicago's
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lakefront. Originally constructed in 1925, Northerly Island was the former site of the
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928:"Fire actually burns at this year's Great Chicago Fire Festival | Chicago Sun-Times"
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announced plans to close the airport and build a park in its place. In 1996, the
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was built; and in 1933–34 the island was at the center of festivities at the "
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862:"Northerly Island Park: Beguiling Lakefront Landscape Justifies Daley Raid"
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zones of "passive" and "active" relating to the amount of human activity.
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946:"Polar Adventure Days at Northerly Island, Saturday, Feb. 21 - YouTube"
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Burnham's Plan of Chicago showing proposed lakefront park and lagoons
27:
Human-made peninsula and park along Chicago's Lake Michigan lakefront
879:"Northerly Island Park, Touted As 'Urban Oasis', Officially Opens"
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Northerly Island Natural Area on south half of Northerly Island
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proposed improvements to the lakefront from Jackson Park to
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reporters, Jon Hilkevitch and Kim Geiger, Chicago Tribune.
689:"Illinois Legislature votes to take over Meigs Airport"
820:"Chicago's 'New' Arena; Location, Location, Location"
735:"abc7chicago.com – ABC7 WLS Chicago and Chicago News"
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316:to prevent aircraft from taking off or landing.
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8:
787:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
1277:Beaver Islands State Wildlife Research Area
279:connected the island to the mainland via a
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287:Transformation from an airport into a park
29:
1498:Works Progress Administration in Illinois
211:, which saw the significant expansion of
642:. The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago
640:"United Nations on Northerly Isle, 1945"
562:Chicago's Parks - A Photographic History
110:
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215:. Following that success, in 1894 the
49:Aerial view of Northerly Island in 2021
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693:Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
248:Work on the island began in 1920 when
7:
510:from the original on 27 October 2022
275:on the island was lost in 1946. The
540:from the original on 4 January 2023
1508:Landforms of Cook County, Illinois
860:Kamin, Blair (September 2, 2015).
687:Staff writers (December 5, 1996).
25:
837:"Northerly Island Framework Plan"
175:Solidarity Drive is dominated by
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461:and is meant to commemorate the
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255:A short time later in 1930, the
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43:
1518:1925 establishments in Illinois
956:from the original on 2021-12-22
444:The Great Chicago Fire Festival
72:
868:. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
826:. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
809:. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
662:"Meigs Field – one year later"
1:
818:Lee, Sophia (June 27, 2013).
277:Works Progress Administration
126:) is a 119-acre (48 ha)
903:www.chicagofirefestival.com
801:Kot, Greg (June 27, 2005).
273:United Nations Headquarters
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463:Great Chicago Fire of 1871
414:Twelfth Street Beach House
290:
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54:
42:
37:
716:. Friends of Meigs Field
453:in conjunction with the
402:FirstMerit Bank Pavilion
337:Huntington Bank Pavilion
166:Huntington Bank Pavilion
160:. It is the site of the
899:"Chicago Fire Festival"
842:. Chicago Park District
500:"Northerly Island Park"
266:Local publishing mogul
185:Karel Havlíček Borovský
177:Neoclassical sculptures
1503:Peninsulas of Illinois
378:Northerly Island Beach
317:
245:
204:
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1202:(Bay de Noc Township)
1196:(Ford River Township)
504:Chicago Park District
459:Chicago Park District
439:Events and activities
430:on Northerly Island,
311:
303:Chicago Park District
291:Further information:
243:
217:South Park Commission
202:
124:Northerly Island Park
114:
96:Chicago Park District
77:119-acre (48 ha)
38:Northerly Island Park
18:Northerly Island Park
1396:(Town of Washington)
1390:(Town of Nasewaupee)
995:at Wikimedia Commons
477:Polar Adventure Days
244:Construction in 1921
209:Columbian Exposition
172:to the planetarium.
1464:41.8604°N 87.6083°W
1460: /
1104:(Charlevoix County)
619:The Commercial Club
559:Graf, John (2000).
530:"The Museum Campus"
261:Century of Progress
147:Century of Progress
1431:Strawberry Islands
1421:Potawatomi Islands
1287:Potawatomi Islands
769:chicagotribune.com
668:. 11 November 2009
598:Burnham, Daniel H.
567:Arcadia Publishing
428:Tadeusz Kościuszko
318:
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181:Tadeusz Kościuszko
117:
1469:41.8604; -87.6083
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991:Media related to
803:"Stunning Skyine"
602:Edward H. Bennett
257:Adler Planetarium
162:Adler Planetarium
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16:(Redirected from
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1493:Land reclamation
1488:Parks in Chicago
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980:Official website
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299:Richard M. Daley
268:Merrill C. Meigs
170:Solidarity Drive
120:Northerly Island
105:6:00 am-11:00 pm
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69:, United States
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390:Looking North
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1368:Little Susie
958:. Retrieved
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932:the original
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907:the original
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772:. Retrieved
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747:. Retrieved
743:the original
739:ABC7 Chicago
738:
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326:September 11
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213:Jackson Park
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150:world's fair
123:
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1467: /
1282:Fox Islands
1256:Waugoshance
1139:Little Gull
698:18 February
617:. Chicago:
293:Meigs Field
154:Meigs Field
137:located on
86:Studio Gang
1482:Categories
1455:87°36′30″W
1452:41°51′37″N
1405:Washington
1246:Temperance
1231:St. Martin
1226:St. Helena
1144:Little Hog
960:2020-08-01
913:2020-08-01
884:2015-10-08
774:2020-12-27
749:2007-06-20
720:2008-06-05
646:2 February
624:3 February
544:2 February
514:2 February
486:References
426:Statue of
314:bulldozers
221:Grant Park
189:Copernicus
152:and later
128:human-made
1363:Horseshoe
1318:Big Susie
1310:Wisconsin
1236:St. Vital
1159:Naubinway
1129:Horseshoe
1072:Fisherman
1067:Epoufette
229:'s 1909 "
131:peninsula
1328:Chambers
1092:Gravelly
1039:Michigan
954:Archived
846:July 15,
783:cite web
666:aopa.org
538:Archived
508:Archived
281:causeway
82:Designer
67:Illinois
59:Location
1333:Detroit
1261:Whiskey
1179:Poverty
1174:Pismire
1062:Butlers
1047:Bassett
1032:Islands
608:(ed.).
582:8 March
432:Chicago
250:Chicago
195:History
139:Chicago
63:Chicago
1400:Spider
1343:Gravel
1241:Summer
1169:Ojibwa
1149:Little
1087:Gravel
1077:Garden
1057:Bellow
1052:Beaver
672:23 May
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1394:Snake
1388:Snake
1373:Pilot
1348:Green
1251:Trout
1216:Snake
1200:Round
1194:Round
1189:Rocky
1184:Power
1097:Green
1082:Grape
840:(PDF)
615:(PDF)
350:Today
324:post-
1383:Rock
1378:Plum
1338:Fish
1323:Cana
1211:Shoe
1206:Sand
1119:High
1108:Gull
1102:Gull
848:2011
789:link
700:2013
674:2015
648:2023
626:2023
584:2023
571:ISBN
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516:2023
457:and
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135:park
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