Event—Adult Education

Learning from Lake Shore Drive

North Lake Shore Drive has a fascinating history. Conceived as a pleasure drive at the Lake Michigan edge of Lincoln Park, the Drive was built in stages between the 1870s and late 1950s. As the lakefront boulevard was extended to the north and south, it attracted the development of nearby residences in the adjacent Near North, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, and Edgewater communities.

For the Fall 2021 term, we're offering a mix of virtual and in-person classes. Although we are still primarily virtual, you will find a smaller selection of in-person seminars in the schedule. For more information about the Newberry’s virtual seminars, including a Zoom tutorial, please see our Virtual Seminars FAQ page. Registration opens on September 1st at 9am (Central time). Registration will take place through our online platform, Learning Stream.

Seminar Description

North Lake Shore Drive has a fascinating history. Conceived as a pleasure drive at the Lake Michigan edge of Lincoln Park, the Drive was built in stages between the 1870s and late 1950s. As the lakefront boulevard was extended to the north and south, it attracted the development of nearby residences in the adjacent Near North, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, and Edgewater communities. Today, ambitious improvements for the historic roadway are being planned through an initiative called Redefine the Drive. As part of the environmental review processes for this project, Julia Bachrach headed a team of historians that produced a Historic Properties Identification Report. Their work involved conducting intensive research on Lincoln Park, Lake Shore Drive, and hundreds of buildings along the NLSD corridor. In this seminar, Bachrach will share her findings about the architecture, structures, landscapes, and social history of Lincoln Park and the adjacent neighborhoods.

Three sessions. Registration – $125

A consulting historic preservation planner, Julia Bachrach previously served as the Chicago Park District’s historian. Her books include The City in a Garden: A History of Chicago’s Parks. She served as lead author of the Historic Properties Identification Report for North Lake Shore Drive.

Materials List

Required:

  • Instructor-Distributed Materials.

First Reading:

  • There is no first reading assignment..