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East Village Playlot Named 'Bertha Honore Palmer Park' After Philanthropist

By Alisa Hauser | July 17, 2014 4:25pm
 Park District's "Park 520," informally called the Honore Playlot at 914 N. Honore St., is being renamed to the Bertha Honore Palmer Park to honor an influential Chicago woman who was married to millionaire Potter Palmer, founder of the Palmer House hotel.
Bertha Honore Palmer Park in East Village
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EAST VILLAGE —  A small "pocket park" in East Village being renovated as part of a plan to upgrade several Chicago playgrounds will be renamed to Bertha Honore Palmer Park to recognize a turn-of-the century philanthropist and inspiration to women.

On Wednesday, the Park District Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to rename "Park 520" at 916 N. Honore St. to Bertha Honore Palmer Park.

"She was an important person in Chicago history and it's very important for us to remember our heritage," said Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd), who spoke in support of the renaming, which coincides with the completion of the playground renovations and pays homage to Palmer's family.

"It is only fitting that this park be renamed after this important Chicago woman especially since it is located on a street named after her family," wrote Cassandra Francis, president of Friends of the Park in a letter of support for the renaming.

Francis described Palmer as "a philanthropist and cultural and civic leader" and "an inspiration to women and girls in Chicago." She was a tireless fund raiser for needy women and encouraged education for females.

At age 21, Bertha Honore Palmer married the founder of the Palmer House Hotel, Potter Palmer, who built the lodging as a wedding present to his young bride, according to the Chicago History Museum.

Bertha's father, Henry Honore, was "a real estate man" and worked closely with Potter Palmer, according to "Love Under Fire: The Story of Bertha and Palmer Potter," a short film about the power couple.

Bertha Honore Palmer played a leading role in women’s clubs, cultural organizations, and civic groups that influenced the development of Chicago in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Bertha Palmer died in 1918 and is buried in Graceland Cemetery. Potter Palmer died in 1902 and has a park named for him in the Roseland neighborhood, at 201 E. 111th St.

Ronda Locke, president of the Commercial Park Advisory Council, which oversees three East Village parks including the newly renamed playlot, said she feels "awesome" about the change. 

"We have a lot of active younger girls at the park and are very prolific in turning out city champions in girls soccer and floor hockey. The renaming will allow us to talk about strong contributing women and what it means to the city of Chicago and neighborhoods," Locke said.

Locke said that a dedication ceremony is being planned for September and Potter Palmer IV and Bertha Palmer's great-great granddaughter will be among the guests.

An impersonator dressed as Bertha Honore Palmer will also be at the dedication, Locke said.

Maria Dmyterko Stone, a spokeswoman for Friends of the Park, said in recent years there has been more of an effort to name playgrounds after Chicago women, such as Humboldt Park's Julia de Burgos Park.

The new Bertha Honore Palmer Park is the 61st park named for a women out of 580 Chicago Park District parks, according to Julia Bachrach, the city's Park District historian.

Bertha Honore Palmer Park, which closed in May for renovations, is not yet open to the public and there is a sign on the fence warning people to keep out due to it still being a construction zone. However, several parents and children could be seen enjoying the park on Thursday.

"I know they are tempted to go in there because it is awesome but it is not open yet," said Stone, adding that there is still a final construction inspection that needs to take place.

Stone said the park will not officially open to the public for at least another week.

Locke said that prior to the renovations, the park had "unsafe and disintegrating" equipment.

"Out of all three pocket parks that was the one of most concern," Locke said.

In addition to the new Bertha Honore Palmer Park, two other East Village neighborhood parks are being renovated this summer as part of Chicago Plays, a Chicago Park District initiative that aims to replace 50 playgrounds a year over the next five years,

Makeovers at Snowberry Playlot Park, 1851-55 W. Huron St. and Superior Playlot Park at 2101 W. Superior St. are expected to be complete before the end of the summer, Locke said.

Contributing: Lizzie Schiffman

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