Oz Park

Oz Park is a public park in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of North Side, Chicago. It is located at 2021 North Burling Street, at the corner of Lincoln and Webster, just south of the Lincoln, Halsted, and Fullerton intersection.

The park borders Lincoln Park High School and features many statues fashioned after characters in The Wizard of Oz, which book was authored by Chicago reporter Frank L. Baum. It is open from 6 AM to 11 PM, and pets are allowed.

History

During the 1950s, the area surrounding what is now called Oz Park was in need of improvement. The City of Chicago gave the Lincoln Park Conservation Association permission to improve the community in the 1960s. In 1974, the Chicago Park District acquired the land and began constructing a park.Lyman Frank Baum, a children's author and the creator of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was a resident of the Lincoln Park area in the 1890s. Remembering its former resident, fans of The Wizard of Oz would gather in the park for an Oz Festival to honor the famous book, movie, and author every year. The park was officially named Oz Park in 1976, and the park district has added statues of the main characters throughout the past 20 years to honor its namesake.