Uptown Community Guide 2007 - Pioneer Press Communities Online

parks & beaches
Uptown features two public beaches: Foster
Beach and Montrose Beach. There is also a dog
beach at the southern edge of Montrose Beach.
Montrose Harbor, just near Montrose Beach, is a
marina for local and transient boaters and is
home to the Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club. Small
craft boat rental is available at Montrose Beach.
Uptown also has an extensive park system. The main park for the Uptown area is
Lincoln Park, which has soccer and athletic fields, a segment of the Chicago lakefront
bicycle/running path, Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary ("The Magic Hedge"), a sledding
hill, Puptown Dog Park, Wilson Skatepark and Waveland (Marovitz) Golf Course to the
south.Two separate parks, which may be considered inland extensions of the lakefront
Lincoln Park, are located just west of Lake Shore Drive. Named Clarendon Park and
Margate Park, each feature athletic fields, children's playgrounds and indoor sports
facilities. Both parks in turn give its name to the surrounding neighborhood. Chase
Park, located on the west side of Clark Street at Leland Avenue, has indoor and outdoor
athletic facilities, as well as an outdoor pool and tennis courts.
Montrose beach and Margate parks both have dog friendly areas.
A unique park in Uptown is the Wilson Skatepark. It is 21,647 sq. ft. of concrete
designed for use by skateboarders. It is a lighted facility and there is no admission
fee.
Broncho Billy Playlot Park
History
The Chicago Park District established this small
park in 1991 on .2 acres obtained from the
Board of Education. Until the park's creation, its
densely-populated Uptown neighborhood was
lacking in recreational space, especially when
compared to neighborhoods to the east, with
easy access to the lakefront. The park now
includes a playground, a spray pool, and basketball
courts.The park district officially designated
the property Broncho Billy Park in 1999.
Broncho Billy was the screen name of silent film
star Gilbert M. Anderson (1882-1971), who
founded Essanay Studios,located at 1333 Argyle
in Uptown, near what is now the park site.
Anderson (formerly Max Aronson), had his start
in the 1903 Western, The Great Train Robbery.In
1907, Anderson, together with Chicagoan
George Spoor, formed Essanay Studios. The following
year, Anderson made The Life of Jesse
James. In search of more realistic backdrops,
Anderson took his film crews west to shoot further
cowboy adventures, establishing the
Essanay Western Company at Niles Canyon,
California. Anderson created the much-loved
Broncho Billy character in 1911, and went on to
star in 376 Broncho Billy films. Essanay Studios
closed its doors in 1917.
“Hos geldiniz” Uptown speaks your language
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