Doesn’t Blackwelder Park sound like a prominent figure should be associated with it? Blackwelder Park is a recreational space. It is located in Chicago’s Morgan Park Community Area. The park spans 5.18 acres. It provides a valuable space for recreation.
This park offers a soft-surface playground. A basketball court is also here. There is even a softball field. Blackwelder Park encourages outdoor fun. The park’s history reflects community advocacy.
Back in 1969, Mary A. Riggins voiced her concerns. She wrote to the Chicago Park District about local children playing in the streets. Riggins suggested turning an underused Little League field into a park. This was the last large vacant land in the area. In 1972, the Park District acquired the property. They used funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A few years later, the Park District started improving the site. They graded and resodded the land. Playground equipment was installed. Athletic fields were created.
In 1979, the park was named for Gertrude Blackwelder. She was a former resident of Morgan Park. Thomas Leeds Morgan, an Englishman, began buying land south of Chicago in 1844. After the Civil War, his homestead became Morgan Park. It became a new residential suburb incorporated in 1882.
Isaac S. and Gertrude B. Blackwelder were early residents. Their home at 10910 Prospect Avenue became a social hub. Isaac Blackwelder served as president of Morgan Park before it joined Chicago. Gertrude Blackwelder co-founded the Morgan Park Women’s Club. She was also on the community’s school board.
Gertrude is said to have been the first woman to cast a ballot in Illinois. Morgan Park’s annexation to Chicago led to improvements. It spurred residential development after 1900. The community’s population more than doubled between 1930 and 1960. Growth continued as more African-Americans moved into the integrated neighborhood.
Today, Blackwelder Park stands as a testament. It honors Gertrude Blackwelder’s legacy. It also represents community efforts to create recreational space. As you enjoy the park’s amenities remember its origins. Think about Gertrude Blackwelder’s contributions and Mary A. Riggins’s vision. Blackwelder Park has been an important recreational destination in Chicago since 1979.