Fernwood Park

Can you imagine a time when Chicago was bursting with Dutch immigrants who settled on the land that is now Fernwood Park? Fernwood Park is a small park in Chicago, Illinois, and the neighbourhood around it is one of the largest in the entire city. Today, it is primarily a residential area that is considered to be part of the Roseland community. The park is situated on a former farmland that was once owned by farmers of Dutch descent. It was later annexed into the city in 1892 and gained popularity as a multicultural hub. The park also played an unfortunate part in one of the worst race riots in Chicago history. It was in the mid-1940s that the Chicago Housing Authority initiated the construction of Fernwood Park Homes, a one-story housing project for veterans and their families. The CHA intended to welcome black and white veterans into the project, but the white residents of the area saw this promise of integration as a threat to their homogeneous environment. The situation escalated on August 13, 1947, when black families began moving into the project. A mob of over 1,000 white rioters attacked the families, and the violence lasted for three days. As the rioters smashed windows and set fire to the project, they threw stones at the residents and damaged property belongings to the African Americans in the project. In response to this riot, Chicago increased the police protection around the project. The riot left a scar on the neighbourhood and served as a stark reminder of the pervasive racial intolerance that plagued Chicago at the time. Today, Fernwood Park serves as a tranquil oasis in the heart of a complex and diverse neighborhood, a place where residents can come to relax and enjoy the outdoors.