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CHICAGO'S HISTORIC HYDE PARK
By SUSAN O'CONNOR DAVIS THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS
Copyright © 2013 The University of Chicago
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-226-13814-5
CHAPTER 1
A Tapestry Unfolds, 1847–1870
Leaving the city pavements at Twelfth Street, we struck across the prairie, with its velvety turf roads, and following the curve of the shore of Lake Michigan came to the enchanting ground of gravel ridges with deep loam hollows between which tell of receding waters. All of the ridges were decorated with oak trees and wild fruit trees and vines, with wild roses and hazel shrubbery beneath.... All the low land had a variety of willows, and every kind of flower that loves to have its feet in water, while the grass fields that stretched between the ridges were blue with violets.
—Annie McClure Hitchcock, "Reminiscences of Kenwood in 1859"
Located just eight miles to the south of the bustling central business district of Chicago, Hyde Park and the adjacent historic district of Kenwood have a long, storied, and sometimes contentious history. Nestled along the sandy shores of Lake Michigan and along the stage route from the east, the area was relatively quiet in its earliest days. Defined topographically by sandy ridges and low-lying swamps, the shoreline was several blocks west of its current location. Then, marshes and sand gave way to prairies—filled with bluestem, switchgrass, coneflower, and blazing star—stretching westward for hundreds of miles. Home to several Potawatomie settlements, these lands passed into the control of the United States after the Black Hawk War ended in 1832. One of the earliest recorded white residents was a homesteader named Obadiah Hooper; he settled eighty acres in Lake Township when the federal government opened the land around Chicago for settlement in 1835.
That same year Nathan Watson settled his large family south of the Hooper land and opened a tavern in a small log cabin in present-day Hyde Park on 53rd Street at the lakefront, catering to travelers coming to and from the city. In 1836, Thomas Leeds Morgan spent the night at the tavern while riding by horseback from Chicago around the south end of the lake to Michigan City. When Watson explained that he intended to raise fruit in "these sand piles," Morgan regarded the terrain and politely suggested "he have his friends put him in an asylum."
Disregarding this advice, in 1844 Watson purchased a large tract of 75.4 acres adjacent to his tavern. As an ever-increasing stream of newcomers passed Watson's door, Chicago was quickly becoming a "city on the make." With origins as a small trading center, Chicago soon witnessed a period of intense real estate speculation, becoming home to over 4,000 by the time the city was incorporated in 1837. Although the real estate bubble burst and an economic downturn followed, within a decade the outlook improved and the population increased five-fold.
This was a pivotal time in Chicago's history, as developments in the city's infrastructure permitted its future growth as the "leading metropolis of the Midwest." The Illinois & Michigan Canal opened in April 1848 and the telegraph line between Chicago and Milwaukee was extended, linking the midwestern cities with the East Coast. That same year inventor Cyrus McCormick moved his reaper manufacturing plant to Chicago, the Board of Trade was founded, and the fledgling railroad lines embarked upon an expansion that would make Chicago the railroad hub of the nation within a decade.
As the scale of commerce and industry began to change dramatically, many were drawn by the promise the developing city offered, including an ambitious twenty-five-year-old lawyer named Paul Cornell. When he arrived in the city on a Frink & Walker stagecoach, his sole belongings were the suit he was wearing, a package of law cards on which was written Paul Cornell, Attorney at Law, Chicago, a package of clothing, and $1.50 in cash. When he checked into the Lake House, a three-story hotel on the southeast corner of Hubbard and Rush Streets, a thief promptly took his belongings and left him with a rather discouraging situation.
Endowed with a "serviceable quality which the Yankee calls pluck," Cornell was undeterred and joined the law office of Wilson & Freer. Although he soon won his first case, he earned the sum of only one dollar. In a letter written to his uncle, Heman K. Hopkins, in 1848, Cornell betrayed a lack of confidence in his abilities as a lawyer, yet was optimistic about Chicago's future:
Dear Uncle, ... I have been in this place since the 1st of June/47 endeavoring to work my way into the practice of Law and tho not wholly without success, yet, I find I lack a considerable of being a good Lawyer or eaven one that mite pass readily in our own back woods.... I am now a little more than paying my way and our young City offends tolerable fair opportunities for learning and I am in hopes before long to be able to do something for myself—Our Garden City (as it is termed) is quite a thrifty place,—it contains about 20,000 inhabitants and the canal which is now in full opperation together with the Plank Roads and the Rail Road which is now being constructed from it, seems to attract the attention of many Capitalist and tradesmen and this year it appears to be improving more rapidly than usual.
Cornell moved to the firm of Skinner & Hoyne, and through Judge Mark Skinner he met Stephen A. Douglas, whose advice inspired his future. Douglas, a powerful Democratic senator from Illinois, purchased seventy acres of land along Lake Michigan in 1852 that extended from what is now 31st Street south to 35th Street. He envisioned a southward expansion of the city and encouraged Cornell to put all the money he could save into the land "between the Chicago River and the Calumet."
Lake Calumet was far outside the city, the limits of which stretched south only as far as 12th Street. From there further transportation required crossing the prairie along a "single buggy track" running south from the corner of State and 12th Streets toward the "oak woods," as the area near 35th Street was then called. Along the way the stage road passed a beautiful grove south of 28th Street on the lake, the site of a resort house called "the cottage," and at 31st Street, the property of Stephen Douglas.
Heeding Douglas's advice, as well as the recommendation of his physician, Cornell further familiarized himself with the area. The clean air found outside the crowded city was thought a common remedy for various ailments, and when Cornell's doctor advised the slender, dark-haired young man to "take exercise and fresh air" during a spell of poor health, he purchased a horse and rode out past the Douglas property to the farm owned by the widow of Nathan Watson. Although she had remarried, Electa Watson Garnsey continued to run the tavern as a boardinghouse on the lakeshore, where Cornell would rest and drink a glass of milk before riding back to the city.
Through a new partnership with William T. Barron, Cornell accumulated sufficient funds to follow Douglas's counsel, and hired John Boyd to make a topographical survey made of the Watson/Garnsey farm and surrounding area. His initial purchase of sixty acres from Electa and Chester Garnsey in August 1853 became the center of the community he intended to develop. On May 26, 1855, Cornell added another piece of the Watson property, paying $11,750 for the section between 52nd and 53rd Streets. Through a series of subsequent purchases, Paul Cornell eventually accumulated three hundred acres along the lakeshore.
Cornell's land was defined by a series of sandy ridges that ran diagonally across the prairie, and the lower ground between was often covered with muddy water. In dry weather the most efficient route for travel to the south and east from the growing city was the Stage Road (later Lake and Stony Island Avenues) that ran through his property, around the lake, and on to Detroit. During inclement weather, travelers were forced to venture further westward to a ridge on Vincennes Avenue, a road predominantly used by farmers transporting livestock and grain. However, improvements in transportation beyond the stage line were progressing steadily as the development of the nation's railway system was underway.
Understanding that transportation was key to the success of his development, Cornell negotiated a strategic alliance with the Illinois Central Railroad in order to guarantee convenient transportation and attract future residents. In 1851 the railroad was chartered to build a line from Cairo in southern Illinois to Galena, with a branch from Centralia to Chicago. Initially, the Chicago Branch Line route was planned to pass west of Hyde Park along Halsted Street and near the Chicago River. The Chicago City Council, however, insisted the right of way be near the lakefront and that the railway absorb the cost of building a breakwater from 51st Street north in order to protect the shoreline from erosion. The surveyors then ran the line through the "virgin prairie and woodland" to the site of Watson's tavern northward to the city. The Illinois Central needed to make a deal with Cornell, and he was no doubt elated at the prospect—the railroad would greatly increase the value of his land. In return for his deeding sixty acres to the railroad, the Illinois Central agreed to open a station at 53rd Street and run daily passenger trains between the city and his holdings. The inaugural train ran on June 1, 1856, reportedly without a single paying passenger. "The Hyde Park train made its first trip today," telegraphed railroad agent John B. Calhoun; "nary a passenger up or down." Regular service on the new suburban service began on July 21, 1856, with four trains running daily (except Sunday) at a fare of seven and a half cents.
Paul Cornell's plan for his lakeside holdings mimicked other developments of the time, for suburbia was not a new concept. In fact, a form of the suburb came into being almost as early as the city itself, for the life-sustaining elements of farming and gardening were found in the surrounding countryside. Recreation and health retreats were also located in suburbia, according to urban historian Lewis Mumford; it was believed the further away from the congested city, the better for one's health. A haven away from the industrialized city offered other advantages, and was often considered a symbol of success. For those with the financial means, the suburb offered the opportunity to pursue life "on one's own terms." Situated near the railroad lines that permitted development at ever-increasing distances, a number of suburbs rose on the outskirts of the young city at approximately the same time, including Oak Park, Hinsdale, Evanston, and Cornell's enclave of Hyde Park.
Cornell christened his holdings "Hyde Park," a name presumably chosen because it called to mind images of the sophisticated city of London or the verdant banks of New York's Hudson River and conferred a sense of elegance and gracious living to a relatively swampy site. In the spring of 1856 Cornell platted his tract of land, and although he intended the suburban development to reflect a pastoral setting, he subdivided the property according to the regular rectangular street pattern of the larger city. However, individual lots were large by city standards, laid out with only eighteen per block, a minimum 50' frontage with a standard depth of 125' and no service alleys. Cornell maintained a suburban feel through a required 20' setback from the street for residences. Open green areas provided a sharp contrast to the more densely packed streets and houses of the city.
Cornell's relatives and business associates were the initial purchasers of property within the fledgling community, building houses near the Illinois Central station. Sensing opportunity, several buyers purchased large tracts of land with the intention of opening their own suburban developments. Cornell's uncle, Hassan Artez Hopkins, and his wife Sarah arrived in the area during the winter of 1856 to support his nephew's real estate undertaking. He purchased eighty acres of the original Obadiah Hooper land for development and built a house near the station at 5211 South Cornell. Brother-in-law George Kimbark bought a large tract between what are today 51st and 55th Streets, stretching from Dorchester and Woodlawn. Cornell later purchased both the Hopkins and Kimbark additions and subdivided the properties for development. For his own family, Cornell erected a handsome country house at what is today the southwest corner of 51st and Harper Streets.
Naturally, these initial purchasers found little in the way of improvements—no water, no gas, and only a few streets were laid out—however they were inspired to invest in Cornell's vision. The original settlement consisted of eight houses and grew slowly—the residents valued not only the country atmosphere, but also the "congenial company" fostered by Cornell's enclave. From the beginning, Hyde Park was intended to be a residential community; the busier commercial and dirtier industrial enterprises were to be kept at a safe distance. The only businesses permitted were those that, as described by Jean Block, provided "amenities and necessities" for the residents, clustered west of the intersection of the railroad tracks and Oak (53rd) Street. Hassan Hopkins opened a small store for the sale of groceries and general merchandise in a one-story structure that also housed the post office. Here men congregated at the wood stove "debating the issues of the day," most important among them was the subject of slavery.
Before the Civil War "cast a pall over everything" within the growing community, Cornell built a summer resort to provide Chicagoans with a retreat from the hectic pace of city life. On July 4, 1859, the Hyde Park House opened near the Oak (53rd) Street train depot. The barn-like, five-story, clapboard-covered hotel, measuring 62' × 160' with eighty "neatly furnished" chambers, was designed by one of the city's earliest architects, Gurdon P. Randall. Cornell's selection of a widely known architect set the precedent for his community; well-designed buildings became a hallmark of Hyde Park from the earliest days, reflecting the aspirations of the residents.
Although Cornell's enclave began to grow, and the hotel offered Chicagoans an attractive respite, his development did not proceed without problems. Initial ridership was so low on the Illinois Central that the railroad raised the fare, ran only three trains a day, and threatened to discontinue the local service. During the winter of 1861 Cornell wrote a confidential, impassioned plea to William H. Osborn, the president of the Illinois Central, giving reasons why the railroad was "duty bound" to keep running the trains. Cornell wrote that at the time he "exhibited the plans of the Hyde Park House" he would not "build it unless you would agree that the train should be permanent + should afford all the accommodations that it then did + at the same rate of fair.... You said you had no doubt the train would be permanent and that you would agree if the House was built as per plans, the Hyde Park train should run full as often as it then did + probably oftener." Cornell offered a subsidy to cover a portion of the losses, and continued: "I have not a doubt that by adopting the enclosed plan [not found in the archives] it would double the value of the Co. land at Hyde Park and excite an increasing demand for actual use." Cornell proved persuasive and succeeded in saving the link to the city center. Over the years transportation offered to Hyde Parkers grew astonishingly to a high of 542 daily trains in 1929.
Meanwhile Hyde Park's residents were displeased with representation by the township of Lake and demanded the right to govern themselves. They organized and petitioned the Illinois General Assembly to create a separate township, and on February 20, 1861, the township of Hyde Park was incorporated. The breakaway township encompassed a huge forty-eight-square-mile area, stretching from 39th Street south to 138th Street. The first town meeting was held in the depot with seventy-one voters casting ballots for town officers. Hopkins was unanimously elected the town clerk, and all but one vote was cast in favor of Cornell as supervisor, the most important of the offices. Officials of the new town quickly made plans to improve the infrastructure—special assessments and taxes provided the revenue for streets and sidewalks, sewers and drains.
Paul Cornell's settlement was but one of several that took shape along the Illinois Central tracks, providing Chicagoans seeking to leave the city with several South Side alternatives. Included within the boundary lines of the newly incorporated township of Hyde Park were a variety of enclaves that grew as other stations were added; Cleaverville (Oakwood) and Kenwood developed just north Cornell's Hyde Park, while Woodville (South Park), Woodlawn Park and Oak Woods developed to the south.
While Cornell was occupied with plans for his development, during the spring of 1856 another settler arrived on the scene. Dr. Jonathan Asa Kennicott moved out of Chicago, as it was in his view, becoming "too citified." Kennicott, a graduate of Rush Medical College and practicing dentist, and his wife Marie Antoinette Fiske, a well-known painter and educator, purchased eight acres south of the city. He christened the land "Kenwood" after his mother's birthplace near Edinburgh, Scotland, and the family lived in a house on Cornell near 53rd Street while constructing their residence at 4802 Madison (Dorchester) Avenue. The new, solidly constructed house had one of the most magnificent gardens and vineyards in the area, set above the surrounding wooded pastures on a high ridge that is visible to this day.
For the first few years, there were few neighbors near the Kennicotts, and not surprisingly, the next settlers to appear were two representatives of the Illinois Central Railroad, William Waters and John Remmer. Kennicott made no secret of his displeasure at having to walk the several blocks to the Hyde Park station, especially in inclement weather, to get to his downtown office. Cornell, however, vigorously objected to any establishment of stations between the city and Hyde Park. The vice president of the railroad, General George B. McClellan, paid a visit to the Kennicott home in the summer of 1859 during a downpour. There were no sidewalks, and mud filled the roads. McClellan ordered the train to stop opposite Dr. Kennicott's property so the guests could forgo the trek from the Hyde Park station. The following day McClellan issued an order establishing a station at Mason Street (47th Street), calling it Kenwood Station, and eventually the name extended to the entire vicinity.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from CHICAGO'S HISTORIC HYDE PARK by SUSAN O'CONNOR DAVIS. Copyright © 2013 The University of Chicago. Excerpted by permission of THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS.
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