Our Sites
Improving Lincoln Park One Site at a Time
Lincoln Park is Chicago’s largest and most visited park and the third most visited city park in the U.S. with over 20 million visitors annually. The Lincoln Park Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and enhance Lincoln Park’s inspiring beauty for current and future generations. Established in 1984, the Conservancy works to enhance Chicago’s largest park through volunteer power, fundraising, and park improvements.
Through its master agreement with the Chicago Park District, the Conservancy manages treasured Park sites including the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, Abraham Lincoln Monument and Gardens, Lincoln Park Conservatory, and North Pond Nature Sanctuary, in addition to general stewardship activities across Lincoln Park’s 1,200 acres. Our volunteer docents offer free tours of the park’s natural, historic, and cultural elements to build visitor connections to these special places.
One unique aspect of the Conservancy’s approach is that when the Conservancy commits to a site, it embarks on the site’s long-term care and if needed, restoration. As the Conservancy’s managed sites are free of admission, the private funding we raise to support these park assets is of central importance. That’s where you come in; please visit our Support Us page to see how you can help.
Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool
The $2.4 million restoration of the Lily Pool to Alfred Caldwell’s original 1936 design earned this hidden gem National Historic Landmark status. We led the 1999 restoration with the Chicago Park District, and have maintained this “hidden garden for the people of Megalopolis” ever since.
North Pond
Nature Sanctuary
The Lincoln Park Conservancy has maintained the North Pond Nature Sanctuary in partnership with the Chicago Park District for more than 20 years. Over 2019-2022, the Conservancy completed the major work in the $7.3M restoration of North Pond, funded with the generous support of over 550 individual donors.
Lincoln Park Conservatory & Gardens
Our comprehensive Master Plan will restore the rusty, leaking Victorian Style Glass House conservatory to its original 19th century glory while adding green technologies, additional displays, and education spaces – all within the site’s existing footprint while retaining its existing charm.
Lincoln Monument
& Gardens
Revisiting a past project from 1989, new benches have been installed and we will soon refurbish the once award-winning garden beds that grace the parkway leading to the Standing Lincoln statue.
Adopt A
Monument
Begun in 1984, our Adopt-a-Monument Program matches individual donors, foundations and corporations with public art pieces located within Lincoln Park that require conservation.
Past
Projects
See the past examples of the park treasures we have worked to restore and preserve. These are some of the most important pieces of public art in Lincoln Park.
