Grant Park (Chicago)

On April 29, 1844, when the City of Chicago was only 11 years old, Lake Park was dedicated on landfill. On October 9, 1901, it was renamed Grant Park in honor of Galena, Illinois native, American Civil War General and US president Ulysses S. Grant. City ordinance prohibits building in Grant Park and has withstood several attempts at construction over the past century and a half. Grant Park is perhaps most famous as the scene of clashes between Chicago Police and demonstrators during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. More recently, it has been used for some of Chicago's biggest festivals, such as Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, and Venetian Night. Many of these events take place at the Petrillo Band Shell and are sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Special Events.

Located in the middle of Grant Park is Buckingham Fountain, one of the world's largest fountains. A gift to the city from Kate Sturges Buckingham in memory of her brother Clarence Buckingham, the fountain was dedicated in 1927. Its design is based on Latona Basin Fountain at Versailles. The fountain operates between May 1 and October 1 each year with water shows every two hours and light shows nightly between 9 and 11.