Taken on a gray winter morning in December of 1975, this image shows part of the skyline of Uptown from Lincoln Park. I took it looking southwest from a hill between Wilson and Montrose. My thanks to a reader for identifying the location as Cricket Hill. It was starting to snow when I took this picture and, frankly, my note taking was not so good that day.
Lincoln Park’s celebrated Cricket Hill provided extra income for the Uptown resident – especially after a crowded weekend. Filling three or four trash bags with flattened aluminum cans would net around $10 bucks. Said the resident who ID’d the location, “Sometimes I’d get hassled by the cops, but always managed to get my collection. Park goers would fly kites up there, even takeoff with ultralights. The deceased would have their cremated ashes scattered around the hill, while couples would have their wedding ceremonies performed there. Even Native Americans had traditional dances there. In 1995, the park became a lifesaver for many neighborhood residents, escaping Chicago’s deadly summer heatwave.”
