Lincoln Park's Portrait Statues

“Giants in the Park” honors the memory of Lincoln Park’s bronze heroes with biographical sketches and watercolor-rendered illustrations. It features the histories behind the monuments — stories about the artists, the benefactors, and the unveiling ceremonies.  ”Lost” statues and the park’s cemetery years are documented as well.

To learn more visit Giants in the Park on Facebook or email Krista August at august.kb@lincolnparkstatues.com.

Paperback: 118 pages

Publisher: Lincoln Park Press (February 1, 2011)

Dimensions: 5.75 x 7.75″

Events for 2013

• IL Reading Council Conference/ Literacy for Life/ Krista August and Leslie Pruitt (of Everett Elementary, Lake Forest) will present “Discovering the Giants in YOUR Park”: Create an interdisciplinary lesson based upon one or more local monuments. Combine art, history, language arts, math, and music into one active project. An interdisciplinary curriculum supports fluency, comprehension, and engagement in the content areas.  Springfield, IL, Friday, March 15, 8:00 – 9:00
• April 12, Book talk/slide show with 3rd graders from Everett Elementary in Lake Forest
• May 6th, Slide show presentation for Mather’s Cafe
• May 7th, Slide show presentation for Masonic Relations Committee
  
• May 9th, Slide show presentation for Des Plaines History Center
• June 8th and 9th, Printers Row Lit Fest, at the Illinois Women’s Press Association tent
  
• August 13th, Slide show presentation at the Glenview Public Library
  

More photos on Events Page and School Connections page.

Greg Borzo, author of The Chicago “L” and “Where to Bike Chicago: Best Biking in City and Suburbs”  reviews Giants in the Park:

Little book, big story

Giants in the Park brings the statues of Lincoln Park to life.  It includes a collection of crisp, clear and well-researched stories about the people depicted by these bronze figures as well as the people who funded and sculpted these historical treasurers.

Who knew that the park is home to 16 portrait statues, depicting giants from LaSalle to Lincoln and Shakespeare to Sheridan? With this book in hand, one could visit them all over a day or two – as well as the sites of seven statues that have gone missing!

But Giants in the Park is more than a guidebook. It’s an important contribution to our understanding of the times and events, donors and artists, social movements and political forces that not only account for these precious works of public art but also contributed to Chicago’s growth and development. As these statues tell their stories through Krista August, we learn more about our remarkable city.

As a docent for the Chicago History Museum who used to give tours of Lincoln Park, I wish this book had been published long ago.

This lovely book, which is accented by the author’s watercolors of the statues, belongs on everyone’s Chicago-history bookshelf.

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Stores Carrying Giants in the Park

To purchase Giants in the Park online, select “Add to Cart”or email august.kb@lincolnparkstatues.com to initiate a purchase. To purchase at an event, see “Events” listed at top of the page.

Book stores and select local shops carry Giants in the Park, including but not limited to the following:

Art de Triumph, located at 2938 N. Clark Street

Climate Gift Shop, 2462 N. Clark Street

Shop at the Blackstone Hotel at 636 S. Michigan Avenue

The Newberry Library Bookstore at 60 W. Walton Street

The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square, 4736-38 North Lincoln Avenue

Chicago Architecture Foundation Shop at 224 S. Michigan

Dutch Bike Co. at 2010 W. Pierce Ave

Heritage Gallery at 1915 W. 103rd Street.

TWOSIDED – cards, gifts, antiques and artful things at 2958 N. Clark

Poison Cup Wine Shop at 1128 W. Armitage

Persona at 1347 W. Waveland Ave.

The Field Museum gift shop

The Shop at the Art Institute

Rogers Park/ West Ridge Historical Society