Lincoln Park neighborhood guide
Development
The U.S. Army built a small post near present-day Clybourn and Armitage Avenues in 1824, and the federal government ceded the land to Illinois in 1828. Chicago incorporated in 1837, and the state authorized a cemetery north of North Avenue; in 1860, residents petitioned to convert the burial grounds into a public park. The park was renamed from “Lake Park” to “Lincoln Park” in 1865 following Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, and the surrounding Lake View Township was annexed by Chicago in 1889.
Parks & Recreation
The neighborhood’s namesake, Lincoln Park, runs along the lakefront and contains the Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory, the Chicago History Museum, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, North Pond Nature Sanctuary, and North Avenue Beach. Smaller neighborhood parks include Oz Park, Bauler Park, Wiggly Field, and Jonquil Park.
Transit
The CTA Red, Brown, and Purple Lines stop at Fullerton, while the Purple and Brown Lines also stop at Armitage and Diversey. Metra’s Union Pacific North and Union Pacific Northwest lines serve the Clybourn station.
Community Area
Lincoln Park is also one of the 77 official Chicago community areas (number 7). See its entry in the Chicago neighborhoods guide.
