About this episode

The episode explores the legacy of Aaron Montgomery Ward and his fight to keep Grant Park free from development.

The name Aaron Montgomery Ward might sound familiar, either from the chain of now-defunct department stores that once bore his name or as the catalog guy who revolutionized mail-order shopping over 150 years ago. His lesser-known legacy, perhaps, is his drawn out fight over Grant Park. Ward spent 22 years and upwards of $1 million in today’s dollars fighting to keep Chicago’s premier downtown park “forever open, clear and free” from buildings. But why did he do it? And why isn’t he celebrated more for his crusade?

People in this episode

Host: WBEZ Chicago

Topics covered

• Chicago history
• Grant Park
• urban development
• environmental advocacy
• civic engagement

Keywords

• Aaron Montgomery Ward
• Grant Park
• Chicago
• lakefront
• urban planning
• history
• advocacy

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