Century old South Lake Shore Drive landmark to get new life after restoration.
CHICAGO, Jan. 24, 2002 — Locals know it as the Animal Bridge, if they know it at all. The overpass spanning the south lagoon on Coast Guard Drive, just north of Marquette Drive in Jackson Park is an often-overlooked landmark of the park's notable history. While historians pay much attention to Jackson Park's role as host of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, few people – including the ones who drive over the Animal Bridge each day – know much about its existence.
"The Animal Bridge is one of the few remaining structures that suggest the various roles the park has played in the history of Chicago, as well as the development of the South Side," said Miguel d'Escoto, Chicago Department of Transportation commissioner. "CDOT is restoring the Animal Bridge, stone by stone, as part of the complete reconstruction of South Lake Shore Drive."
Originally called the South Bridge, the granite and sandstone Animal Bridge spans the channel between the south harbor and inner lagoon in Jackson Park. Sculptured rhinoceros and hippopotamus heads, water deities and a ship's prow adorn each of the bridge's sides, reflecting the wind and water themes that were integral to American landscape visionary Frederick Law Olmsted's 1871 plan for Chicago's southern parks.
Olmsted laid out the original plan for Jackson Park in 1871, which called for a number of lagoons and a series of scenic roads, traversing the narrow waterways with picturesque bridges, including one crossing the channel to Olmsted's southernmost lagoon. The Great Fire of 1871 and the Columbian Exposition of 1893-also landscaped by Olmsted-delayed the realization of this southern bridge for more than 30 years.
After the World's Fair, Olmsted's firm was charged with restoring Jackson Park to a place for the citizens of Chicago. The South Bridge was finally constructed in 1904 as a part of this plan. German architect Peter J. Weber, who had previously worked with Chicago titan Daniel Burnham, designed the bridge. The creator of the animal sculptures is not known, but the theme of the characters is a nod to Olmsted's desire for interesting bridges and his original nature themes. Originally envisioned as a viewing point for the park's many watery vistas, the bridge lost its two pedestrian walkways in 1947 in order to widen the roadway for automobile traffic.
Every day, nearly 50,000 motorists drive over the Animal Bridge, unaware of the architectural gem that hides beneath. Nearly a century of grime has concealed the winsome gargoyles, obscuring their features beneath a coating of soot.
Now the Animal Bridge's facade is being taken apart, piece by piece, so that landmark experts can clean and restore the features of the individual animal carvings and stones. A completely restored bridge is expected in 2003. Once completed, a realigned and widened bridge will accommodate traffic, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The completion of the Animal Bridge will mark a new stage for Jackson Park and pay tribute to the vast amount of history, both tangible and remembered, that permeates Olmsted's lagoons.
The City of Chicago, Illinois Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration are investing $162 million in the South Lake Shore Drive Reconstruction Project, with much of the funding coming from the Illinois FIRST program.
For more project information, please call 311 in Chicago or visit the project website at www.cityofchicago.org/Transportation. For CTA or Metra information, call the RTA at 836-7000 from any Chicagoland area code.
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Editor's Note: Historical drawings and photos of the bridge are available upon request. Please call Louis G. Pukelis at KemperLesnik Communication at 312/755-3582 or e-mail at louis.pukelis@kemperlesnik.com.
