Aug 13, 1981
Pulaski Park and Fieldhouse - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: Pulaski Park Fieldhouse is significant as a fin e example of recreation architecture, and as an example of community planning for open space. This park complex designed in 1912 by William Carbys Zimmerman was an outcome of the progressive movement.,. It was created out of legislation n passed by the Illinoi s General Assembly on 10 June 1909 entitle d "An Act to Enable Park Commissioners to Issue Bonds to Raise Funds for the Acquisition and Improvement of Small Parks and Pleasure Grounds and to Provide a Tax Payment for the Same. Parks and open space in both urban and industrial areas were viewed by the West Chicago Park Commissioners as sources of "...openness of the rural environment to the cities ' congested neighborhoods", providing "...relief from the noise and bustle of city life..." In April 1910, the commissioners voted to create as many new small parks as possible. Discussions, considering alternative park locations, took into account population density, the number of children in the neighborhood, and the ethnic mix. The commission desired to establish these parks in communities inhabited predominantly by recent immigrants. On 7 February 1910, the West Chicago Parks Commissioners selected a number of park site s including Pulaski which was then known as Park #5. Pulaski Park fulfilled the criteria selection well. It was located in a predominantly Polis h community with 1200 children in one of the most densely populated district s in the city (1200 people were housed in ninety buildings on this 3.8-acre site.) ^ The park was named Pulaski after Casimir Pulaski, Polish general who lost his life while serving as a Brigadier-General at the Battle of Savannah on 29 December 1778. On November 8th of the following year, the park commissioners passed ordinance calling for acquisition by condemnation. Between February 24 and July 22, 1912, the commissioners purchased 43 sites, involving 4 condemnation cases, for the park. Prior to construction of the Pulaski Fieldhouse in 1912, two individuals , Klimek and Zagrzebski, file d suit in the Superior Court( Superior Court No. 296272 ) to prevent construction. The injunction was refused and construction began on December 12, 1912 and was completed i n 1914. Architecturally, this building is significant being an example of the "Chicago Type" of recreation centers. it was the largest of such facilities which offered year round indoor and outdoor recreation, library, lectures , and social halls . These centers were each to be unique in design, yet offer similar activities. For example: most of these recreational facilities show Prairie style influences in such elements as their strong horizontality and banded windows. However, two exceptions to this trend may be noted in both the Pulaski and Humboldt Park Fieldhouses, which employ Tudor elements. Of these, Pualski Park is a stronger example of the Tudor style. Pulask i Park Fieldhouse offered many activities including training in English, Americanization, and citizenship. Offering the many services, Pulaski Park soon became a center for the Polis h community in the neighborhood. William Carbys Zimmerman W. Carbys Zimmerman was licensed to practice architecture on September 24, 1897. From 1905 until 1913, Zimmerman served as state supervising architect, during which he was responsible for the design of the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville , the Illinoi s Supreme Court Building i n Springfield , and the Physics Building in Urbana. W. C. Zimmerman was Y^*"^ fir m of Flanders and Zimmerman, and later, Zimmerman, Saxe, and Zimmerman. His works were numerous and diverse, and included such residential, educational, commercial and recreational designs. These included: the Illinoi s State Penitentiary in Joliet; Advertising Building at 119 W. Madison, Chicago, and the Inter Ocean Building at 57 W. Monroe, Chicago.
Pulaski Park and Fieldhouse - National Register of Historic Places
Statement of Significance: Pulaski Park Fieldhouse is significant as a fin e example of recreation architecture, and as an example of community planning for open space. This park complex designed in 1912 by William Carbys Zimmerman was an outcome of the progressive movement.,. It was created out of legislation n passed by the Illinoi s General Assembly on 10 June 1909 entitle d "An Act to Enable Park Commissioners to Issue Bonds to Raise Funds for the Acquisition and Improvement of Small Parks and Pleasure Grounds and to Provide a Tax Payment for the Same. Parks and open space in both urban and industrial areas were viewed by the West Chicago Park Commissioners as sources of "...openness of the rural environment to the cities ' congested neighborhoods", providing "...relief from the noise and bustle of city life..." In April 1910, the commissioners voted to create as many new small parks as possible. Discussions, considering alternative park locations, took into account population density, the number of children in the neighborhood, and the ethnic mix. The commission desired to establish these parks in communities inhabited predominantly by recent immigrants. On 7 February 1910, the West Chicago Parks Commissioners selected a number of park site s including Pulaski which was then known as Park #5. Pulaski Park fulfilled the criteria selection well. It was located in a predominantly Polis h community with 1200 children in one of the most densely populated district s in the city (1200 people were housed in ninety buildings on this 3.8-acre site.) ^ The park was named Pulaski after Casimir Pulaski, Polish general who lost his life while serving as a Brigadier-General at the Battle of Savannah on 29 December 1778. On November 8th of the following year, the park commissioners passed ordinance calling for acquisition by condemnation. Between February 24 and July 22, 1912, the commissioners purchased 43 sites, involving 4 condemnation cases, for the park. Prior to construction of the Pulaski Fieldhouse in 1912, two individuals , Klimek and Zagrzebski, file d suit in the Superior Court( Superior Court No. 296272 ) to prevent construction. The injunction was refused and construction began on December 12, 1912 and was completed i n 1914. Architecturally, this building is significant being an example of the "Chicago Type" of recreation centers. it was the largest of such facilities which offered year round indoor and outdoor recreation, library, lectures , and social halls . These centers were each to be unique in design, yet offer similar activities. For example: most of these recreational facilities show Prairie style influences in such elements as their strong horizontality and banded windows. However, two exceptions to this trend may be noted in both the Pulaski and Humboldt Park Fieldhouses, which employ Tudor elements. Of these, Pualski Park is a stronger example of the Tudor style. Pulask i Park Fieldhouse offered many activities including training in English, Americanization, and citizenship. Offering the many services, Pulaski Park soon became a center for the Polis h community in the neighborhood. William Carbys Zimmerman W. Carbys Zimmerman was licensed to practice architecture on September 24, 1897. From 1905 until 1913, Zimmerman served as state supervising architect, during which he was responsible for the design of the Peoria State Hospital in Bartonville , the Illinoi s Supreme Court Building i n Springfield , and the Physics Building in Urbana. W. C. Zimmerman was Y^*"^ fir m of Flanders and Zimmerman, and later, Zimmerman, Saxe, and Zimmerman. His works were numerous and diverse, and included such residential, educational, commercial and recreational designs. These included: the Illinoi s State Penitentiary in Joliet; Advertising Building at 119 W. Madison, Chicago, and the Inter Ocean Building at 57 W. Monroe, Chicago.
Aug 13, 1981
Posted Date
Apr 05, 2022
Historical Record Date
Aug 13, 1981
Source Name
United States Department of Interior - National Park Service
