12th Street Beach

History
Located on Northerly Island, along the shoreline of Burnham Park, the 12th Street Beach dates to the 1920’s. In 1909, renowned architect Daniel Burnham envisioned a new park composed of several man-made islands between Jackson Park and Grant Park. Northerly Island was the only island that was actually built. The South Park Commission began creating Northerly Island in 1920. The island is completely made from landfill, and later it was converted into a peninsula. By 1927, nearly the entire island was filled in. The Commercial Air Craft Association requested permission to use the island as a temporary landing strip. Shortly thereafter, a group of women’s organizations suggested the creation of a public bathing beach instead of a landing field. The commissioners agreed, and created 12th Street Beach.

In 1933 and 1934, Northerly Island and Burnham Park served as the site of Chicago’s second World’s Fair entitled A Century of Progress. In preparation for the fair, the commissioners greatly increased the size of the island. The Alder Planetarium opened on the island in time for the fair. It is one of the few structures that remained open after the fair. By the 1940’s, in addition to the public beach, Northerly Island also offered paths, walkways, scattered trees, and grassy open spaces. In 1948, a small airport called Meigs Field opened, but this site was eventually closed in 2003. The following year, after a new initiative called for the replacement of outdated facilities on the lakefront, a new beach house was constructed at 12th Street. Other improvements have been made to Northerly Island in recent years. Today, the island is an excellent place to explore nature with its nature center and bird sanctuary and hospital.