At just over 550 acres, Jackson Park serves as an outdoor sanctuary for Woodlawn and Southside residents alike. Its notable green features include the Wooded island (wherein exists the popular and must-see Japanese Garden), the Columbian Basin, and the Bobolink Meadows. The park is also home to the Jackson Park Community Garden, an accessible urban garden.
Jackson Park’s inception occurred in 1869 after the establishment of Chicago’s South Park Commission. To design the grand park’s layout, the famous designers of New York City’s central park--Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux--were brought on board. The park spans such a wide swath of land that its eastern and western portions are connected by the Midway Plaisance, which was designed by Lorado Taft and Frederick Law Olmsted and constructed in 1871. Prior to settling into its current name, Jackson Park was called South Park. At one point, the eastern portion of the park was called Lake Park. In 1881, the park (as a whole) was renamed Jackson Park, to Honor the seventh United States president Andrew Jackson.