Riis Park

Riis Park is a 56-acre public park located in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest Side. The park was established in 1916 and is named after Jacob Riis, a famous New York City journalist and photographer who documented the plight of the poor and working class.

The park features a Georgian-revival fieldhouse designed by architect Walter W. Alschlager in 1928. The park is divided into two distinct sections by a steep glacial ridge, a remnant of the shoreline of Lake Chicago. The eastern portion contains the fieldhouse and various athletic facilities, while the western section was designed by landscape architect Alfred Caldwell in the 1930s.

Caldwell's naturalistic design, fully implemented by 1940, incorporated stone-edged lagoons, shady enclosed areas, and broad sunny meadows. The park also includes a two-acre natural area with a lagoon looped by paved and crushed gravel paths, providing scenic overlooks for visitors to observe wild birds and aquatic wildlife.

Riis Park serves as a community gathering place, offering a range of recreational facilities and programs for residents of all ages. The park district runs various activities throughout the year, including sports leagues, fitness classes, and cultural programs.

In 2014, the playground area was renovated as part of the Chicago Plays! initiative, featuring new equipment, rubberized soft surfacing, and natural pathways. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, recognizing its historical and architectural significance.