Warren (Laurence) Park

Warren Park was created in the 1970s, born of both conflict and cooperation.  The controversy began in 1965 when real estate developers purchased the former Edgewater Golf Club.  Shortly thereafter, a coalition of community groups started a campaign to save the land as open space.  Despite the strong community objection, however, the site was re-zoned to allow development of high-rise apartments and a large shopping center. 

The State of Illinois forcefully intervened in 1970, acquiring a portion of the property to create the first-ever state park within the boundaries of Chicago.  Plans to develop the remaining acreage continued, and community opposition stayed strong.  In 1976, the State of Illinois transferred this park property to the Park District.  By that time, the park had been named in honor of Laurence C. Warren, an attorney and leading community activist who helped save the open space as parkland. In 1980, Warren Park's nine-hole golf course was officially dedicated in honor of Robert A. Black, Chief Engineer to the Chicago Park District for more than thirty years.