I didn’t grow up with parks like this.
Being born and raised in the desert, I think I appreciate Elmhurst’s green space in a way that maybe only a transplant can. All these mature trees (some from before the Civil War 🤯), manicured gardens, and sprawling lawns still feel a little magical to me.
And the other day, while I was sitting in the Wilder Park Formal Gardens (ok, technically the gardens, but they’re in a park), I started wondering: what are the actual oldest parks in town? Why were they created, and when?
So I did some digging, and what I found surprised me.
First, a Little Background: Why Does Elmhurst Have So Many Parks?
Here’s something interesting I stumbled on while researching. A huge portion of Elmhurst’s parks were developed in the 1960s and 1970s.
In the 1960s alone, the Park District opened seven new parks, including the York Commons Pool, dedicated in 1967. So what was going on?
It turns out Elmhurst was riding a nationwide wave.
After World War II, the baby boom and the explosion of suburban living created massive demand for recreation space. And Elmhurst grew fast. Like really fast.
The population jumped from 21,273 in 1950 to 36,991 in 1960, and then all the way to 50,547 by 1970. That’s more than double in just twenty years!
All those new families needed places for their kids to play, and the town had to keep up.
The real game-changer, though, was federal money. There was a wave of federal support for parks around this time.
In 1964, Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which gave state and local governments matching grants to buy and develop parkland.
Then in 1972, the Nixon administration’s “Legacy of Parks” program poured even more funding into local recreation, with priority given to developing land communities already owned.
Elmhurst’s own building boom lined up with this national push to create green space, and our community ended up with the wonderful network of parks we still enjoy today!
But while a lot of our parks came from that mid-century wave, the oldest three go back much further, to the very beginning of the Elmhurst Park District itself.
Elmhurst’s 3 Oldest Parks
These 3 parks are the original blueprint for everything that came later. Each one dates back to the early decades of the Elmhurst Park District, and each has its own distinct personality and story.
From a former cow pasture turned cultural hub to a swimming hole that drew crowds by the thousands, here’s a look at where it all began!
#3: East End Park
Established: Land purchased 1929, developed 1936
Location: 463 Schiller St., Elmhurst
Coming in at number three is East End Park! The land was originally part of the Albert Bucholz farm, and 18 acres were purchased back in 1929.
The property was developed in 1936, when the Park Board voted to issue $60,300 in bonds to build a pool, a bathhouse, a caretaker’s residence, and tennis courts.
The community pool had its grand opening on June 26, 1937, with a “Grand Splash” of 750 kids lined up along the edge, ready to jump in. It was an instant hit, drawing 1,200 people on just its second day!
After 70 years of summers, the original pool closed in 2006 with one final “last splash,” and a brand-new East End Pool reopened on June 2, 2007. It’s still a summer favorite today!
#2: Salt Creek Park
Established: Land purchased 1927, dedicated 1928
Location: 574 W. 2nd St.
Number two is Salt Creek Park. The original 9.5 acres was purchased in 1927 for $20,000 and officially dedicated on September 22, 1928.
In its early years, this was THE place to be. The park offered access to Salt Creek for fishing, plus a swimming hole and an ice rink for those cold Illinois winters, and over time a warming house and picnic shelter were added!
The park has changed quite a bit over the decades, including losing some land to the expansion of Route 83, but a generous donation from the Elmhurst Chicago Stone Company in 1991 brought it back up to a full 10 acres.
Today, it’s even home to a college softball complex, and the park was most recently redeveloped in 2019.
#1: Wilder Park
Established: Purchased in 1920 for $45,000
Location: 175 S. Prospect Ave
And the oldest park in Elmhurst is also our very first public park, Wilder Park!
When the Elmhurst Park District was created in the spring of 1920, one of its first moves was to acquire the entire Wilder estate, which it purchased for $45,000.
And fun fact: the land was originally a cow pasture! When the park first opened, two bricks and a beautiful cathedral of elm trees flanked the entrance. The District added a lily pond, landscaped walkways, and playground equipment, and even added the conservatory to the greenhouse in 1924.
In fact, a 1936 publication described Wilder Park as “Elmhurst’s Prettiest Garden Spot” and “a garden spot as beautiful as any in the Middle West.”
But my favorite piece of trivia is that near the formal gardens sits a finial that once adorned the Cook County Courthouse and survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871!
Today, Wilder Park is the cultural heart of Elmhurst, home to the Elmhurst Public Library, the Elmhurst Art Museum, Wilder Mansion, and the Wilder Park Conservatory and Formal Gardens (which, full disclosure, is where you’ll often find me!).
A Living Piece of Elmhurst
Some of our parks have been part of this community for over 100 years, witnessing generations of kids learning to swim, families picnicking (and yes, the occasional desert transplant marveling at all the trees).
So next time you’re enjoying one of our parks, take a second to appreciate it. Some of these spots have been bringing the community together for more than a century, and they’re still going strong!
