Steelworkers Park

Steelworkers Park, a former site of industry, is now managed by the Chicago Park District.

NPS Photo/Stephanie Schneider.

Quick Facts

Location:

87th at S. Lake Shore Dr. Chicago, IL 60617

MANAGED BY:

Chicago Park District

This 16.56-acre Chicago Park district site was previously part of the U.S. Steel Complex known as South Works. The establishment of the steel works attracted and met the demands of industries such as the Pullman Palace Car Company. The site was recently converted into an attractive landscape with natural areas, walking paths, views of Lake Michigan and a community rock climbing wall, built on the historic ore wall.

History of the South Works:

“…Right here on the southwest shore of Lake Michigan, and in what is often termed as the Calumet region, is the seat of the new world’s industrial power. …The calumet region already has a hundred manufacturing establishments. Pullman is centrally situated in the new London, which is rapidly growing up under the name of Chicago.” - Mrs. Duane Doty

By the early 1900s, the Pullman company started to use more steel in the construction of its railcars. This contrasted with the original Pullman cars, which were made primarily of wood. Steel mills like South Works were able to meet Pullman’s demand for steel. Industries benefited from the Calumet Region’s prime location along water routes and its connectivity to rail lines. These industries in turn attracted a diverse workforce, including many immigrants. At its height, South Works employed 20,000 people.