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| Gage Park District in Chicago |
When prominent businessman, attorney, and South Park Commissioner George W. Gage (--1875) died in office in 1875, his fellow board members decided to name a newly-developing park in his honor. In 1873, the commission had begun acquiring land for an elegant green square at the intersection of Western Avenue and what is now known as Garfield Boulevard. This property occupied a prominent location at the turning-point of the South Park Commission's boulevard system. Despite this, little had been done to complete Gage Park by the late 1890s. Frustrated by the park's unfinished condition, surrounding residents repeatedly asked for improvements. Finally, in 1903, the commission added ball fields, tennis courts, a wading pool, and a beautiful sunken garden with a formal reflecting pool and colonnade. In 1918, several small land purchases were made to extend the park's southern boundary. The following year, the commission constructed a swimming pool, separate men's and women's outdoor gymnasiums, and a children's playground in this area.
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