Chicago Community Area #59 - McKinley Park

After cruising through South Lawndale past the Cook County Courts at 26th and California and the Correction Centers just south of there, I glided east on 31st and continued south on Western until it hit Archer Ave in McKinley Park.

McKinley Park - the park itself - is a 69 acre park that includes a swimming pool in the field house. One of the interesting things that I've seen at the field house both times I've visited is the badminton club that meets there. These guys and gals play a very serious and fast game of badminton.

The park is named for President William McKinley who was assassinated in 1901. The park was created a year later. According to the Chicago Park District web site, this park was unique in that it was created within the city itself, not at its edges. The success of the park led to other large inner city parks in Chicago and around the country. A statue of McKinley stands in the northwest corner of the park.

There's a cool review of the entire McKinley Park neighborhood on Yelp. According to entry #7, the factory that made Ron Popeil's Veg-o-matic is at 2323 W. Pershing and is now the McKinley Park Lofts.