Washington Square Chicago: A Guide to the Park

Washington Square Park sits at 901 N. Clark St. in Chicago’s Near North community, across the street from the Newberry Library. At 2.85 acres, it’s a compact park that fits naturally into a walk around the neighborhood. From FOUND Hotels Chicago Series by Marriott, it’s about a 4-minute drive.

Washington Square began as a public park in 1842, when James Fitch, Orasmus Bushnell and Charles Butler of the American Land Company donated an approximately three-acre parcel to Chicago. The park was improved beginning in 1869 with a lawn, trees, diagonal walks, limestone coping and picket fencing.

By the 1910s, the square had earned the name “Bughouse Square.” Artists, writers, political radicals and others gathered there for soapbox speeches, and some regulars formed the Dill Pickle Club. The City transferred the park to the Chicago Park District in 1957.

The park is part of the Washington Square District, designated a Chicago Landmark on May 16, 1990. The district also includes the Newberry Library, the former Unity Church—now the Scottish Rite Cathedral—and nearby historic residences.

In the late 1990s, the Park District, City and neighborhood organizations agreed on a restoration plan that included a reconstructed fountain, period lighting, fencing and new plantings.

Start with a loop along the park’s paths, then pause at the McCormick Fountain in its center. The Chicago Park District says Jens Jensen designed improvements that included shrubs, flower beds, walkways and a concrete-and-limestone fountain as the centerpiece. The current McCormick Fountain was recreated in 1999, after the earlier fountain was removed in the 1970s.

The Chicago Park District describes Washington Square as a small community park with a floral garden and fountain. There’s no structured programming listed, though the square is a popular spot for wedding ceremonies. There is no general admission fee.

Washington Square Park is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. In parks without gates, the Park District code prohibits remaining between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., subject to listed exceptions.

Dogs may be in parks when kept on a leash no longer than six feet, except in designated dog-friendly areas and places where signs or the code prohibit them.

Before you go: Check the official site before you go for current park information and any service notices. The Chicago Park District manages the park; the CTA posts transit service alerts.

The Newberry Library is directly across from the park at 60 West Walton Street. Its exhibition galleries are free to enter. Gallery hours are Tuesday–Thursday, 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m., and Friday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; the galleries are closed Sunday and Monday.

If you’re planning to use the reading room, it’s open Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., with collection items available to request until 3:00 p.m.

For the library and park, the Newberry says Clark/Division on the CTA Red Line is four blocks north of the library. From the Chicago Red Line station, its directions go west to Dearborn Street, then north to Walton Street. The CTA lists Clark/Division as accessible, with an accessible entrance at LaSalle Street and Division Street.

Bus connections there include routes 22, 36, 70 and 156. The southbound #22 Clark bus stops at the library’s front door on Walton Street; northbound service stops near Oak and Clark streets. Routes #70, #66, #36 and #156 also serve the area.

To add another nearby cultural stop, pair the park with a visit to the Richard H. Driehaus Museum. For a fuller route through the city, use this one-day Chicago itinerary to plan what else to fit into your day.