Midway Plaisance

Midway Plaisance is a roughly one mile long and 220 yard wide green strip in Chicago that connects Washington Park on the west end to Jackson Park on the east end. The park features broad lawns with rows of trees along the edges and a sunken central area that serves as an ice rink in winter.

Frederick Law Olmsted designed this park in the 1870s as part of a connected boulevard system for Chicago, transforming swampy ground into recreational space. The 1893 world fair used the site as an entertainment zone with the first Ferris wheel in the world and numerous country pavilions.

The name Midway refers to the strip that served as the entertainment zone during the 1893 world fair, where visitors explored international pavilions and technological marvels. Today neighbors use the open green space for jogging, picnicking, and ball games, especially on spring and summer weekends.

The area lies between Hyde Park and Woodlawn neighborhoods and is easily reached by foot or public transit. In winter the ice rink opens for skating, while summer often brings free outdoor concerts.

The nickname Monsters of the Midway originally came from the University of Chicago football teams that played here in the early decades of the 20th century. The Chicago Bears later adopted this label, though the team never trained or played at this location.

Location: Chicago

Architects: Frederick Law Olmsted

Part of: Jackson Park Historic Landscape District and Midway Plaisance

GPS coordinates: 41.78690,-87.59620

Latest update: December 6, 2025 11:00