The little-known story of Jackson Park's Animal Bridge
CHICAGO, September 8, 2003 - Locals know it as the Animal Bridge, if they know it at all. The overpass spanning the south lagoon on Coast Guard Drive, just north of Marquette Drive (6600 south) in Jackson Park is an often-overlooked landmark of the park's notable history. While historians pay much attention to Jackson Park's role as host of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, few peopleÑincluding the ones who drive over the Animal Bridge each dayÑknow much about its existence.
"The Animal Bridge is one of the few remaining structures that suggest the various roles the park has played in the history of Chicago, as well as the development of the South Side," said Miguel d'Escoto, Chicago Department of Transportation commissioner. "CDOT restored the Animal Bridge, stone by stone, as part of the South Lake Shore Drive reconstruction project."
Originally called the South Bridge, the granite and sandstone Animal Bridge spans the channel between the south harbor and inner lagoon in Jackson Park. Sculptured rhinoceros and hippopotamus heads, water deities and a ship's prow adorn each of the bridge's sides, reflecting the wind and water themes that were integral to American landscape visionary Frederick Law Olmsted's 1871 plan for Chicago's southern parks.
Olmsted laid out the original plan for Jackson Park in 1871, which called for a number of lagoons and a series of scenic roads, traversing the narrow waterways with picturesque bridges, including one crossing the channel to Olmsted's southernmost lagoon. The Great Fire of 1871 and the Columbian Exposition of 1893 - also landscaped by Olmsted - delayed the realization of this southern bridge for more than 30 years.
After the World's Fair, Olmsted's firm was charged with restoring Jackson Park to a place for the citizens of Chicago. The South Bridge was finally constructed in 1904 as a part of this plan. German architect Peter J. Weber, who had previously worked with Chicago titan Daniel Burnham, designed the bridge. The creator of the animal sculptures is not known, but the theme of the characters is a nod to Olmsted's desire for interesting bridges and his original nature themes. Originally envisioned as a viewing point for the park's many watery vistas, the bridge lost its two pedestrian walkways in 1947 in order to widen the roadway for automobile traffic.
Every day, nearly 50,000 motorists drive over the Animal Bridge, unaware of the architectural gem that hides beneath. Nearly a century of grime concealed the winsome gargoyles, obscuring their features beneath a coating of soot. That is now gone and a new bridge has been born for future generations to enjoy.
The bridge has been realigned and widened bridge will accommodate traffic, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The completed Animal Bridge marks a new stage for Jackson Park and pays tribute to the vast amount of history, both tangible and remembered, that permeates Olmsted's lagoons.
The South Lake Shore Drive reconstruction project is funded by the Illinois FIRST program with additional funding from the City of Chicago and the Federal Highway Administration.
For more information, please visit the CDOT Web site at:
www.cityofchicago.org/Transportation.
