As with much of Chicago's shoreline, parts of Jackson Park were not even above Lake Michigan through much of the 19th Century. One cove cut west, north of modern 5800 at the eastmost edge of the Museum of Science and Industry, and formed part of what would become North Pond and then Columbia Basin under Frederick Law Olmsted/Calvert Vaux and Olmsted sons reshapings of the park. Bringing in fill to contain the lake straighten its edge was one of the few things Olmsted could do before work on the park was stalled after the 1871 Chicago Fire. The harbors and lagoons are also only partially by design but are additional coves that were reworked again and again. Still, there is much less lagoon in Jackson Park now, especially since the Nike base construction of the 1950s, than in the early days.

The alternating swampy swales, shoreward projections of Lake Michigan, and long sand hills/dunes with oaks and scrub (known as the "oak highlands" that are continued in South Shore as the Jackson Park Highlands) were virtually unused by Native Americans or early Chicagoans. They were also not very productive until Olmsted scraped then covered the site with manure and soil for the Columbian Exposition. Some of the scrubby oaks still there had been 50 to a few hundred years when then-distant Chicago was incorporated in 1837 and had aged still more more when Paul Cornell incorporated the "town" of Hyde Park in 1853-6 in conjunction with the coming of the Illinois Central Railroad, not by accident virtually next to the park and with one of the first "suburban" stations nearby, negotiated as part of his land deal with the railroad.

As land owner in future Jackson Park and surrounding neighborhoods, Cornell or associates put out some of those enticing land-boomer maps touting part of future Jackson Park as, among other possibilities, future home of the "Presbyterian Seminary of the Middle West" (expected to move there from the Beverly area). Cornell was a staunch Presbyterian and brought Cyrus McCormick, founder of the seminary, out to look at the land. But it was a rainy day with a bad buggy ride, and McCormick decided to site his seminary on the North Side, where it stood until moved adjacent to the University of Chicago campus in Hyde Park (!) in the 1970's. Cornell's park-creating efforts were strongly supported by the growing nearby population.

1865

Legislature creates South Park Commission to develop and manage the park and allows a bond issue. What would become Jackson Park is then a 593 acre Eastern Division.

Olmsted's original plan is adopted in May. The theme is progression from the Lake through water-based natural grandeur then through a Venetian canal and another set of lagoons then ashore through great meadows and rambles in the west park giving respite and human re-creation from the awful city. East division themes are interaction of water and land and nature's grandeur ("the sublime"). Olmsted was a land and habitat creator and tamer in the interest of human needs (he was neither "anti-modern" nor a preserver or extender of "wilderness/wildlife refuges"). His interest was not sanctuary for native wildlife, species and landscapes-- in some distinction from contemporaries like John Muir and the Kennicott's of Hyde Park neighbor Kenwood and, earlier, Audubon, although Olmsted at least appears to have known about succession and zones that would lead to the field of ecology under such end-of-the-century pioneers of a new field of Ecology as Thomas Coles (University of Chicago and investigator of Indiana Dunes).

October--disaster. The Great Fire (including a third of the city burned, 100,000 refuges, and destruction of city and South Park Commission files) puts funding for further South Park development on hold--but not entirely. The fire proves an impetus to dispersion of the population outward, including along the boulevards and to "safe" suburbs like Kenwood, Hyde Park, and Woodlawn that would eventually create constituency for the South Parks.

Land is developed only between 56th and 59th Streets. It includes North Pond, part of an existing Lake Michigan side-cove and the nucleus of Columbia Basin south of the modern Museum of Science and Industry, and "twin lakes" in the northwest corner (filled in c. 1894). The twin lakes--not polluted Lake Michigan--was intended for bathing and as the recreational heart of the park, which made sense being close to were population was at the time.

In 1875 the Eastern Division is renamed Lake Park.

Efforts are underway to check lake erosion, including using piers such as the stone pier and dock at 59th that extended 200 feet into the lake. This was later extended further and served a steamer to downtown. Most other "piers" were of brush and plank.

Lake Park (East Division) is officially named Jackson Park.for Andrew Jackson, 7th U.S. President. And was there a stink! Hyde Parkers were mostly middle class or wealthy, WASP, Protestant, and Republican and could not abide the idea of naming their great park after a Democrat and slaveholder. The sentiment was widespread in the city--but not necessarily shared by large segments. Washington Park received its name at the same time.

A stone bridge is built between twin lakes (later removed). Boating is popular on Twin Lakes (lagoons) and picnicking was popular in the area.

Stone paved beach (strolling promenade) and breakwater are started from 56th to 59th Streets. 1884-88 there was heavy emphasis on taming the lakeshore through such hardening. By 1888 the paving is done to 63rd, and then 67th. In 1911 this would be extended to 69th, outside the park. By that time the paved beach approach would be replaced in theory by the Burnham Plan and in practice by step-stone revetment or seawall.

North Pond Bridge (later Clarence Darrow) is done by this year.

Root dies, a disaster. Daniel H. Burnham engages Charles Atwood and a number of other eastern architects develop the fair and Atwood designs the Fine Arts Pavilion (only structure of brick walls, covered). Burnham is convinced over objections by Louis Sullivan and others of the "First Chicago School" of architecture to make the design classic Beaux-Arts, with a few exceptions such as Sullivan's Transportation Building, another, national and state pavilions, and of course the Midway.

Landscaping--or land elevation and sculpting and dredging--starts (wasn't easy). Frederick Law Olmsted, selected to landscape, quickly determined that even after scraping and filling, most of the fair would be below lake level--even though there would be much more and deeper water coverage of the fair with canals and lagoons and Courts of Honor than in the modern park. He brought in vast amounts of manure from the Stockyards and 200,000 cubic feet of dirt by railroad. He made sure the eastern part near the lake was high enough to prevent flooding. These layers made possible the later landscaping of the park where land is mostly sand. A unique palette of plants in and around the lagoons and Wooded Island. Over a million plants were brought in. His ideas of plant palette are not necessarily in accord with modern ideas.

Olmsted didn't want exhibits such as the Japanese pavilion on Wooded Island, which he saw as a resting place. However, a most generous gift from Japan for temples and gardens there was accepted.

Engineering technology, including electricity and traction, would be highlights of the fair.

The Columbian Exposition takes place May 1-October 10, with daily peak attendance of 761,000 on Chicago Day in October. In many ways it makes for the development and infill of Hyde Park and the whole near and mid South Side, including Washington Park area. Problems with inclusiveness and recognition of women and minorities is protested. Yet there were many instances where theses were present, including some high positions, conferences and symposia, and at the Haitian Pavilion (Frederick Douglass most notably).

Intellectual/cultural development and congresses and founding of key Chicago institutions, as well as a long predominance of classical and Parisian-based Beaux-Arts architecture, are furthered by the fair. (The only different buildings were Louis Sullivan's Transportation Building, possibly another, the Spanish pavilion based on La Rabida convent where Columbus had stayed, state and national pavilions including the distinctive German Building, and the Midway.(Of course, on the inside many buildings such as the Manufactures and Liberal Arts) were glorified train sheds demonstrating not just using modern technology. Statuary ranged from the mostly-plaster 165-foot Republic in the Court of Honor to Germania of then-novel portland cement to the "scandalous" metal-clad Diana atop the Agriculture building. The largest building (and the largest in volume in the world at the time) was the Industrial Arts building in the south part of the park --a monstrous train shed of a building 1,600 feet long and over 200 high, with two roads through it--many would meet at the roads' crossing. (Most think the heart of the fair was around the Palace of Fine Arts, the current Museum of Science and industry, but it was really in the center and south part of the park around current Hayes Drive 6300 south). The other main notable was actually on the Midway, the Ferris Wheel, world's largest before that built on the Thames in the 1990s and the tallest structure in the world at the time.

Midway Plaisance was the great entertainment and popular culture moneymaker--and there were other such south of the Midway and just outside the fairgrounds--Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show on Stony Island and Washington Park Race Track and amusement center south of 60th and stretching half a mile between Cottage Grove and South Parkway (now King Dr.).

Three days before the Exposition was to end, popular Mayor Carter Harrison was killed. This and a deepening world depression and growing labor tension ended the fair early and on a sad note.

Second, current golf course--18-hole course, designed by Olmsted Brothers, opens, dominating the south third of the park. The existing golf shelter building is built. 291 of 542 acres are now developed. Midway construction is in progress--revised from an impractical plan for a canal.

In 1904 the Animal Bridge across the Coast Guard neck between the harbors is completed. Designer Peter J. Weber uses a newly popular structural type. Germania is demolished at or by this time, parts buried nearby and rediscovered during Drive reconstruction c. 2002 when reconstruction and restoration of the bridge starts.

The 1905 state of the park as mapped in that year plus features added in 1906 is often considered the historic template for Jackson Park.

1/3 scale replica of The Republic, in gilt bronze, is erected at Hayes and Richards, approximate site of WCE Administration bldg. Honors silver anniversary of the fair and centennial of Illinois' admission to the Union. Daniel Chester French and Henry Bacon. La Rabida closed due to war need for nurses.

The WPA goes to town in the park. WPA builds comfort stations at golf driving range, near 'Iowa' building (torn down for a Lake Shore Drive (Leif Erikson and Christopher Columbus), children's playground, also a maintenance building and an overpass at 63rd Street. WPA shortened lagoon shoreline and did other rehabilitation work on Wooded Island and at the Japanese Garden.The 1888 ladies comfort station was rehabilitated. Golf Course inlet bridges are installed. The Perennial Garden is installed, designed by CPD designer Betty McAdam.

As part of the WPA work, E.V. Buchsman designs a new shelter ('Iowa') buildings southwest of the former--smaller, oriented north-south, open, and made of Wisconsin lannon limestone. (See Iowa.) Opened in 1937, it will house concessions.

Santa Maria burns in the yacht harbor.

Remaining section of the Wooded Island Ho-o-den burns in 1942, burning start just after Pearl Harbor; a major cultural loss. Period of park neglect underway.

Nike base (Some sources say 1951 or 2) is constructed from East Lagoon to the Drive, eliminating playing fields and a track. grounds. April 21 a Hyde Park group protests at the site, particularly against intent to build on Wooded Island and more of Promontory Point--which intent is scrubbed..

Museum of Science and Industry acquires and moves from New Hampshire to the Museum the U-505 German U-boat. This is largely through efforts of the Chicago-based commander of the squadron which captured the sub June 4, 1944. Boat is towed across Lake Shore Drive--one of the caution signs is still in Jimmy's Woodlawn Tap.

North Pond Bridge is dedicated to Clarence Darrow (1857-1938). Plaque dates to 1963. The Jackson Park Field House is built at 6401 S. Stony, reflecting changing public recreational demand.

Nike base rendered obsolete, but final removals not until 1972.

Museum of Science and Industry proposes to pave over more parkland for parking (south of Columbia Basin or the panel between Cornell and Stony?). After protests the plans are dropped.

As protests mount against highway construction plans, Johnson, Johnson, & Roy is hired to draw up a framework plan for the park, including for design and management of Lake Shore Drive. Recommendations include170 acres of landfill for four peninsulas including at 63rd for a new harbor and putting Lake Shore Drive below grade and with fewer lanes. JJ&R is remembered as working well with the community. The plan is ignored by the city and overtaken by plans to widen the drive and 57th-Cornell Drives rights of way and with a fly-over south of the Museum and over the Darrow Bridge. Although the latter was dropped, lots of trees were lost despite strong civil disobedience by residents organized under the Burnham Committee, which included Kay Clement, Marian Despres, Bill and Norah Erickson, Nancy Hays, and many others.

The penultimate of protest was from August 24 when protesters banded trees with ribbons through September15 when the city started cutting trees. Ribbons were gen. applied on Sundays and removed by the city on Monday, claiming they damaged trees . Lawyer Marshall Patner would show that the the ribbons were applied to SAVE trees--which is what the ordinance was intended to do It was also free speech, he asserted. October 13 the city arrested Kay Clement and 6 other Hyde Parkers banding trees and chaining themselves to trees. (The city was canny about fines and appearances so the cases were "dismissed" without ability to successfully sue.The case took a year to work its way through the courts.)

Much concrete debris is placed on the edge of the Columbia Basin about this time. Whether this is to stabilize the edge of a widened Cornell Drive is undetermined by this site.

Neglect and public safety problems accelerate in the park. High water levels in the 1960s lead to need to dredge the harbors deeper and first thought of rebuilding and raising the shoreline.

A park budget hearing is scheduled for December 24 and local advocates protest--but it was a slow news day, so the hearing was front page news the next day!

Former local yachtsman and 1964 silver medalist Dick Stearns makes presentation at Jackson Park Yacht Club.

May 4, 1966, the "Jackson Park Seven" arrested in the previous year's tree cutting protest were fined $50 each and were to appeal.

Congressman Mikva reveals 4 Nike-Hercules missiles at Jackson are nuclear, speculates warheads are stored nearby.

City proposes new road plan for outer drive and Jackson Park.

At suggestion of Alderman Leon Despres, Doug Anderson starts Wooded Island Bird Tours, which have continued for 30 years. People in/eyes on the park was needed to reclaim the park from gangs, provide visitors with safety in numbers, and focus attention on park and especially lagoon neglect. As part of a Sister City relationship with Osaka Japan (1956), efforts begin to reestablish the Japanese Garden, which is renamed Osaka Japanese Garden. 1973-78 is remembered as a period of environmental and cultural rebirth in the park despite continuing maintenance neglect.

In 1973-44 Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference and the Hyde Park Herald conduct investigations about the parks. In an article reporting on 57th St. Beach, strong complaints are reported and sent (by Ann Fennessy) to Supt. O'Malley about solid litter of un removed broken glass, dead fish and general filth, about no lights, muggings, no barrier between the Drive and the beach. Letters from the Conference went unanswered .Alderman Despres sent three letters in the summer of 1974 that received no reply. HPKCC asked for weekly cleanup, lamps be installed, lifeguards have a public address system, and and emergency phone line be installed (Bell saying this is doable). Also barriers, new sand on the bech, a bike rack. The lack of answers was used in a Sun-Times series on the parks that was a first volley in what led to a federal lawsuit and establishment of Friends of the Parks.

Open Lands and CPD start 'People in the Park' to encourage environmental education and public ecological participation. During these years, Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference and the Hyde Park Co-op hold picnics in the park, also in part to bring people and eyes into the park. Doug Anderson starts his famous birding walks.

September 28, HPKCC holds its 4th annual Wooded Island Festival.

October, the HPKCC Environmental Committee learns that the Park District "hid" $268,709.68 from the Army Corps for post-NIKE base restoration in Promontory and Jackson parks.

November 9 the new Friends of the Parks holds a clean-up of Jackson Park. Among items found by divers: a telephone booth with coins as far back as 1968.

November 26, Park District loses patience with highway plans, announces a traffic light at 57th and Lake Shore Drive as insisted upon by HPKCC stalwarts Ann Fennessy and Fran Vandervoort.

May 25, 1977, the Herald reports, the Park District announces designation of the Wooded Island as the Paul H. Douglas Nature Sanctuary. See 1978.

Other sources say that in 1978 Wooded Island is dedicated as the Paul H. Douglas Nature Sanctuary at behest of Doug Anderson, to honor Jackson Park lover, former independent alderman and U.S. Senator Paul Douglas, responsible for Indiana Dunes National Park.

June 1, 1977, a state biologist says the big problem in Jackson Park is litter.

Despite public outcry, including from church picnic groups, the Park District turned a large part of the former Nike base into the Golf Driving Range. (When the old 9-hole course was closed and where the former driving range was located are unknown to this writer.) Parking lot and drives and lawn parking problems developed with the driving range and soccer fields.

September 26, 1979, the city finally installs a traffic signal at 57th and Hyde Park Blvd. after ongoing community pressure.

The Japanese Garden is extensively rebuilt and rededicated, with apparently more work in 1983. Design: Kaneji Domoto. Grant including from Japan, secured by CPD staff, including local resident and JPAC leader George Cooley. Major features include Torii Gate, waterfall and lower pool, wandering gravel path, step over water, moon bridge, lanterns, stones, et al. traditional plantings and trees, and a tea house. One lantern remains from the WCE.

However, 5 wild dogs terrorize birders. Animal control officers capture dogs using tranquilizer guns.

After a consent decree in federal court regarding alleged park district discrimination against and neglect of South Side parks, the District agreed to set up advisory councils. Jackson Park had one of the first, in 1983. The Park District attempted to preempt and appoint the leadership, but the first president, Robert Harper, and members (mostly previous Jackson Park activists), would not let that happen. One of the first fights was over district efforts to remove the Lawn Bowling facility. Racism was alleged, but the bowlers received support from minority persons and the threat was dropped.

July 20 Museum of Science and Industry holds a lavish outdoors science fair to celebrate its 50th birthday. Ultra-light aircraft perform stunts.

Coast Guard Station is turned over to the Park District, suffers fire in 1988, and is in 1992 restored and adapted as a restaurant (1998-2003 as The Jackson Park Grill).

About this time, Museum of Science and Industry proposes to build a parking structure in the park between Cornell and Stony Island. After community opposition, the plan was dropped. In May 1985 the Museum does start construction of the Crown Space Center and Omnimax.

High lake levels lead to a succession of plans to restabilize the shoreline and protect Lake Shore Drive. In Jackson Park, this would mainly by at the north end of the 57th beach and north of the 63rd beach. After much wrangling in the early 1990's, the city and park groups thought the Army Corps approved repair essentially as is, in a multi-agency agreement signed in 1993 and remaining in contention 10 years later.

October 14, 1987, promoting Omnimax, MSIO has biplanes taxi onto the lawn from the Drive.

The 59th Inlet Bridge is restored. A few years later it is named Clark Bridge in memory of a young person who died in a terrible auto accident in the park. As a result of this and other accidents, "temporary" "jersey barriers" were placed in medians and edges of the Drive throughout the park until the Drive could be reconstructed. The first study for such reconstruction is undertaken about this time.

The Museum of Science and Industry submitted a concept plan for two new wings, an underground parking garage with potentially an east exit, a new covered structure on the northeast side for the U-505 submarine (to be restored), and rehabilitation of the Music Court parking lot. The Chicago Plan Commission approved the plan in stages. Plans to aerate the Columbia Basin (if submitted with this) were dropped with preservationists pitted against environmentalists. The garage was approved, with many park people conceding this as necessary and providing reclamation of the north lawn.The rest of the plan was also approved, although details escaped most activists and were bitterly contested later.

The Museum's Santa Fe Engine 2903, long outdoors, goes to the Railway Museum in Union, IL via temporary tracks to 48th and the IC.

Park District ends Lakeside Lawn Bowling exclusive 70 years contract at the Bowling Green when the club cannot pay for lawn maintenance.

July 26, city/park district compromise on Lake Shore Drive safety, installing "temporary" Jersey barricades in the median or along the edges from 53d to 66th. About this time, CDOT commissions a preliminary study of the Lake Shore Drive-Stony Island Corridor that will lead to the complete reconstruction of the Drive.

A new beach house is built at 57th beach. The community had substantial input but there still were problems, especially with small size. South Lake Shore Drive Advisory Study Group is established by Chicago Department of Transportation; the four year effort is considered by most to have been a great success. Major changes will be 5 ped-bike access underpasses, new bike trails, other circulation improvements, new park-themed medians, traffic reconfigurations especially at the beach house, lots of themed plantings, drainage improvement, and loss of many mature trees. MSI underground garage finished?

Opposition to personal-agenda management of the natural areas leads to a new era of planned and phased reconstruction and replanting and management with both lay expert and professional involvement.

Beaver incursions begin and reach crisis stage the next year.

A trend toward more beach closures at 63rd spiked this year, leading to commissioning of remediation and survey studies. Sewer lines especially were surveyed and leaky ones replaced. Ongoing concerns would lead to a new plan to manage runoff from the Drive. More care would be taken with dredging debris, especially not to pile it up by the beach. Dredging was necessary because of historic low water levels, nice for sunbathers but not swimmers or boaters and inimical to lagoon water quality (which had high bacteria levels and blooms--helping spark the lagoon restoration project.

Concerns in recent years about inappropriate nighttime behavior at Osaka Garden and Wooded Island led to serious consideration of night-locked fences across accesses to the Island. JPAC opposition contributed to the idea being dropped. Sporadic problems in later years were addressed by policing (same at the Hayes Dr. parking lots), although policing could not be consistently heavy.

63rd Street Beach House is restored and reopened and, with public planning and giving, the Max Schiff Legacy Interactive Play Fountain and Serenity Garden installed. It is highly popular. JPAC president Eric Hatchett dies before the beach house is reopened. An effort is undertaken to name the beach house for Hatchett. JPAC and the Park District have been unable to reach agreement.

Many find city and Army Corps plans for shore reconstruction unacceptable, initiating a prolonged battle still continuing. The part in Jackson Park at 57th beach is under construction in conjunction with Drive and new underpasses. The remnant of the 1884 paved promenade beach north of 63rd beach will be restored in conjunction with a new ADA Lakefront Bike Trail, with historic plaques.

A major framework plan process was undertaken by the District and Johnson, Johnson & Roy with plentiful community input. This was to develop a concept plan to govern park development over the next 10 years. Similar programs were undertaken for Lincoln, Grant, Burnham, Midway, Washington, South Shore Cultural Center and several other parks.

A state grant sparks rehabilitation and replanting in Wooded Island. Despite problems and disagreements, the work continues and holds great promise. JPAC nature committee becomes and remains heavily involved in planning and organized volunteer work days.

A class A Running Track is built along Stony Island at 61st/62nd Streets as a cooperative spending and using agreement. The track is finished the next year. The nearby comfort station was later restored.

Efforts to control beaver activity finally leads to a solid but humane management program of ongoing protection of trees, elimination of dens at appropriate times of the year, and relocation of beavers out of the park. Loss of trees had been heavy and did not always coincide with human-preferred replacement of species. Incursions included even into mainly lawn areas. Meanwhile, the population of Canada geese became very large.

The four-year Lake Shore Drive reconstruction commences. MSI agrees not to build an east exit from the underground garage. Planning starts for reconstruction of the Music Court lot and Science Drive, with JPAC opposition to parts of the plans. Work is delayed until after the U-505 submarine move.

The Framework Plan is approved by the Plan Commission in June. JPAC praises commitment to public involvement, promise of a forestry management plan, endorsement of stewardship principles and natural area and hydrological management, and adherence to the International Migratory Bird Treaty of March, 2001. JPAC did not take positions at that time on major changes recommended, including moving the Golf Driving Range south of Hayes Drive.

La Rabida undertook an even larger expansion including a new story, despite opposition or at least regret by JPAC.

Jackson Park Lagoon Restoration Project begins. Problems and disagreements sometimes plagued the project but major improvement was made to lagoon circulation, biodiversity, and public and fisherman access to the shore. New water control features are installed, especially at the Music Court bridge and Darrow Bridge.

Steps are taken in this and the next year to ameliorate geometric contributors to the pollution and closures at 63rd Street beach.

Plans are discussed for a new bike trail along Marquette from the new underpass at Coast Guard to Stony Island.

Lake Shore Drive and underpass work go into full gear, with several detours, more tree removals than had been anticipated (partly for utility, intersection and trail overhaul and to remove sickly, unwanted or in-harm's-way trees. A compromise was reached on restoring the granite beach north of 63rd. the project came as a surprise strongly resisted and ended as a win-win with stakeholder involvement.

Lagoon Phase I main work and replanting is done and dedicated and the water level restored and stabilized. Some complain of over-clearing. A compromise is reached on accessible, minimally disturbing nature paths at the lagoons. A separate but related project rehabilitated Osaka Garden with new landform, landscaping and features and more lasting hydrologic features including new sheet wall and a much larger waterfall.

Lagoon Phase II involves mainly reconstruction of the southeast lobe of the East Lagoon. New signage for the natural areas was reviewed and approved.

The Army Corps undertook partial haz-mat reconnaissance and remediation at the former Nike base; the next year said its work was complete.

The District did major repairs to the Lawn Bowling clubhouse and the nearby ladies comfort station. Repairs and rehabs were done at the field house.

Lake Shore Drive was in its major-phase work in the park.

The channel wall along Marquette was being rehabilitated. Permits were neglected and delayed so the harbor channels were not dredged timely for a fifth year but finished six weeks into boating season- and 4 boats still could not get out of 59th Marina. A City Council committee hearing was held. The park district in mid-year obtained 10-year dredging permits and will either buy/lease equipment for Westrec or have an ironclad contract with schedule.

Major ground planting was done in the heart of Wooded Island. The lagoon project was completed including aquatic plants and the modified boardwalks.

Remnants of the WCE Germania monument were found buried in Lake Shore Drive. Concepts were made to display them in the 'Iowa' building but not funded.JPAC continued to study where the material should be displayed.

Plans proceed to revitalize community and school involvement in ecological learning and work in the park. Animal Bridge being restored and underpasses built as part of LSD work. 63rd beach parking lot being was planned for reconfiguration.

JPAC 2nd Saturday (and more) volunteer workdays in the natural areas were highly successful and drew in large outside groups including JETS, Chicago Cares, Wooster College alumni, and U of C Community Service Center.

A Gunderboom sieve for 63rd beach waters was rejected. New means of pollution testing/modeling and notification of swimmers, including a quick-test molecular scintilator, underwent systematic trials, but no new solutions were introduced. A City Council committee hearing was held on the matter and numerous articles appeared in local and city press. JPAC passed resolutions and sent letters to the Department of Environment.

The old sea scout building south of the 59th Marina was torn down due to dilapidation and inappropriate break ins and usage.

The Republic statue was granted landmark status by Chicago City Council.

July 5, 2003, the Old Burr Oak, dating from possibly 1730, was uprooted by a wind storm. Oldest tree in the park system and maybe the city. Wood to be kept, possibly part used as a memorial and/or for scientific study, and the stump left to re-sprout. Parts of the Island were nearly stripped of trees in the microburst; there was serious tree loss in other parts of Jackson and other south parks.

The Animal Bridge, reopened in May, was rededicated September 15?, 2003.

ADA changes to the railing at the 'handicapped' fishing/observation pier raised concerns that a wheelchair losing control on the ramp could go into the water.

Asian milfoil seaweed invaded Jackson Park lagoons and posed as serious threat. Attempted treatment was applied.

Plans for landscaping the proposed revamped Music Court parking lot were again under review and disagreement between JPAC and the park district. The project was delayed until fall because of delays with the Submarine move. The lot was built in late fall, with landscape plans expected to be presented in early 2005.

April 3, Doug Anderson and a large following celebrated 30 years of bird walks in the natural areas.

In spring, the U-505 was moved around the east side of the Museum of Science and Industry and lowered into its new 47 foot deep future exhibition hall. Restoration was done to the WWII sub.

All but a few Lake Shore Drive projects were finished by late May. All the new underpasses were opened except that under 57th and the whole project dedicated in a fine celebration led by Mayor Daley. The 57th St. Beach boardwalk was completed.

New birding and other signage came to the natural areas.

A community vegetable garden was added to the attractions of the park- and disappeared due to lack of volunteers just as quickly.

The basketball courts were restored in a redesigned parking lot northeast of Hayes and the Drive. A drummers circle east of the 63rd Bathing Pavilion stalled out over a number of issues.

Disagreement appeared between CDOT and JPAC over a traffic roundabout vs. signal lights at the Golden Lady triangle.

The roof was restored on the old Coast Guard Station.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was again considering piping inside the Bob-o-link outfalls and was interviewing past base personnel to ascertain that there were no spills or burials of radioactive or other toxic materials.

In June 2004 the 63rd Beach Pavilion was granted preliminary landmark status by the City of Chicago Commission on Chicago Landmarks and is expected to be designated by City Council in December.

A group representing Korean Americans presented on the Korean exhibit at the World's Columbian Exhibit, one of many tours and other attention to WCE and aspects of history and geography/geology of the park.

Work was slated to begin on a reconstructed bike trail on the north side of Marquette Drive with plans for trails and signage in the center of the park. .

December 8 the 63rd Bathing Pavilion was granted final Chicago Landmark designation by City Council

In December a new weight room and equipment were dedicated. The Music Court parking lot was finished except for landscaping.

The Upper Pavilion of the 63rd St. Bathing Pavilion was dedicated to Eric Hatchett, JPAC president 1991-99 and advocate for the Pavilion's restoration.

Progress was made with approvals and design for a drumming/sitting circle east of the 63rd Bathing Pavilion parking lot.

A new harbor near La Rabida was discussed as part of planning for a general harbor expansion.

Momentum was temporarily lost in the natural areas due to lapses in contracts and staffing, but programming momentum continued to build with exciting new initiatives and strong outreach. Plans were being made for improvements at the fieldhouse. There were concerns as a big backlog developed in accomplishing work orders.

Science Drive and the Columbia parking lot were rebuilt except for final landscaping. Tennis courts were resurfaced and plans made to fix basketball courts.

Redmoon Theater held a "spectacle" in the Columbia Basin, causing concerns and leading to new procedures. An exhibit of photos from the before the Columbian Exposition to today was held at DePaul Art Museum and later Hyde Park Historical Society. Marina Cafe opened in the old Coast Guard station.