The Surprising History of Promontory Point
Clip: Special | 1m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Promontory Point is yet another example of Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago.
A man-made peninsula on Chicago’s South Side called Promontory Point is another example of Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago in action. It has been offering a respite from busy city life since 1937. But for years it served another surprising purpose during the Cold War: It was the site of radar towers as the control center for a nearby Nike missile base – the last defense against a Soviet attack.
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Chicago Tours with Geoffrey Baer is a local public television program presented by WTTW
The Surprising History of Promontory Point
Clip: Special | 1m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
A man-made peninsula on Chicago’s South Side called Promontory Point is another example of Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago in action. It has been offering a respite from busy city life since 1937. But for years it served another surprising purpose during the Cold War: It was the site of radar towers as the control center for a nearby Nike missile base – the last defense against a Soviet attack.
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(light music) Due south from Morgan Shoal is Promontory Point.
This 40-acre park on a peninsula is a respite from big city stress and a beloved place for couples to take the plunge.
- And your love is a mutual love.
- Often people literally take the plunge, as swimmers flock here year round.
Originally conceived by Daniel Burnham in his 1909 plan, Promontory Point took more than 15 years to build at the height of the Great Depression.
In 1953, the Cold War gave the Point a new purpose that Daniel Burnham couldn't have imagined.
It bristled with radar towers as the control center for a nearby Nike missile base, the last line of defense against Soviet attack.
Neighbors protested the peninsula's militarization for years, but the towers remained, until the Nike system was decommissioned nationwide in the 1970s.
Today, whether they know it or not, south siders are fulfilling the promise of the parks designer, "Prairie School" landscape architect Alfred Caldwell.
He wanted to capture the meeting of the Great Lakes and the prairie with sea walls and council rings in his signature limestone.
Ponder that, or just enjoy your hot dog.
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Chicago Tours with Geoffrey Baer is a local public television program presented by WTTW