OpenTube

Why Isn't Chicago’s Lakefront Owned By Billionaires?

Hidden Chicagoland

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Chicago's lakefront runs almost 30 miles, yet you'll find almost no private beaches along it, and it comes down to five words written in 1836.

This video traces the full history of Chicago's lakefront, from the 1892 Supreme Court case against the Illinois Central Railroad, to Montgomery Ward's four lawsuits protecting Grant Park, to the Lakefront Protection Ordinance that still governs the shoreline. You'll also see rare exceptions like the Coastland co-op and Lake Point Tower. If you've searched why doesn't Chicago have private beaches, this is the legal fight behind it.

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:45 The 1836 Law
2:30 The Illinois Central Case
6:00 Montgomery Ward vs. Chicago
11:30 Chicago's Rare Exceptions

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SOURCES
1. Illinois Central Railroad Co. v. Illinois - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinoi...

2. Last Four Miles - Friends of the Parks
https://www.fotp.org/last-four-miles

3. These Super Rare Chicago Properties Are Underwater - DNAinfo
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170...

4. Windsor Beach Apartments - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor...

5. Lake Point Tower - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Po...

6. Chicago's Lakefront Park System Comes Up Short at Both Ends - WTTW
https://news.wttw.com/2022/06/20/chic...

#Chicago #ChicagoHistory #HiddenChicagoland #ChicagoLakefront #IllinoisHistory #ChicagoBeaches

7 Comments

@jesskeller2518 5 days ago

I seriously think there is no other city in the world that has such a beautiful lakefront as Chicago does... and this law has and will hopefully keep it that way....

Out of towners I take there still can't believe how amazing it is....

@kathleenpacholski2773 5 days ago

Very interesting! Exceptional explanation! I LOVE Chicago history. Keep it coming.

@ronque23 16 hours ago (edited)

I grew up around Montrose Beach and then Loyola Beach in Rogers Park. There are a couple of private condos who have private beaches in Rogers Park which I find quite interesting. And when I say interesting I mean appalling. That said, there’s plenty of beach front for the city to enjoy up there so I don’t care that much. Kinda surprised you didn’t mention Foster Beach and Loyola beach, which are north of Montrose. I find it so odd that Indiana chose to clutter their beach front with factories. Such a shame for them. Great video!

@raulcastro819 1 day ago

and we want to keep it that way,,,YOU WANT YOUR own private beach,,MOVE to MICHIGAN indiana or wisconsin alot of open BEACHES you can own

@mariocisneros911 9 hours ago

Toronto COULD HAVE HAD THIS even upto 1990. They destroyed more for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

@Jack74u2 5 days ago (edited)

The lakefront itself is incredible. I'm not big on the beach without ocean waves and marine life to see, but the city did an amazing job preserving that entire waterfront for free. Driving LSD or biking that path beats taking the interstate every single time. I really hoped they could have kept the Bears right there.