Landscape Information
As part of the 29-mile Chicago Boulevard Park System conceived in the later part of the nineteenth century, this historic district measures 265 acres. At Logan Square, the northern terminus of the system, Logan Boulevard extends east toward North Western Avenue and Lake Michigan, and Kedzie Boulevard south. The square, boulevard, and neighborhood were named for Civil War General and Illinois Congressman John A. Logan. The oval-shaped square, diagonally bisected by Milwaukee Avenue, is home to the Illinois Centennial Monument. The soaring, round stone column sits on a square concrete terrace, raised above grade on an earthen berm on the western half of the site. The monument was designed by architect Henry Bacon (who later designed the Lincoln Memorial) and dedicated in 1918 to celebrate the centennial of the state.
Largely intact both architecturally and in plan, these roads have central two-way traffic lanes with wide medians and narrower one-way streets fronting residential properties. The medians are planted with deciduous canopy trees, lawn, and seasonal herbaceous plantings at the intersections. The neighborhood’s single-family homes and civic buildings are an eclectic mix of styles distinctive within the city.
The Logan Square Boulevards Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and is a contributing feature of the Chicago Park Boulevard System Historic District listed in 2018.
