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| Lincoln Square benefits from a collection of unusual and culturally rich public art that's accessible to everyone. Each piece has its own story of the people dedicated to bringing it to the community, and what it was intended to add to the Lincoln Square neighborhood. Visit the neighborhood to see its murals, statues and sculptures, which reflect the neighborhood's European heritage and devotion to its namesake, Abraham Lincoln. |
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| Guide Home | Public Art | History | Architecture |
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The Lincoln Square Mural, 1991
Standing over the center of Lincoln Square is a mural depicting a village similar to many found in Germany. The Chicago Tribune calls it one of the city's most important outdoor murals. Conceived by artist Lothar Speer, the 3000 square foot mural took two months to finish and was completed in September 1991. Speer, who runs The Renaissance Project studio, worked with a team of art students from Amundsen and Benito Juarez High Schools, as well as students from Senn Academy. He used a special paint system imported from Germany that was invented in the late 1800s. The mural captures a number of famous historic landmarks such as the Liebfrauen Church in Munich, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, a house in the Black Forest and Lake Constanze. A multicultural group of children playing in the foreground symbolizes the cultural diversity of the Lincoln Square area. In 1999, Speer restored the mural to its original condition. |
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 Lincoln Statue, 1956
In 1951, 47th Ward Alderman John Hoellen suggested placing a memorial to President Lincoln at the Lincoln, Lawrence and Western intersection. The Illinois General Assembly and Governor William Stratton then signed a bill creating the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Commission to plan it. Newspaper publisher Leo Lerner chaired this commission with State Representative William Pollack as vice chairman.
In cooperation with Dean Adinamis, president of the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce, the commission agreed that the chamber would conduct a nationwide contest to find a suitable concept for the memorial. Lloyd Ostendorf, an Ohio collector of Lincoln images, proposed the winning statue portraying a beardless Lincoln as he appeared in Chicago on many occasions between 1847 and 1860 when he visited as a convention participant, lawyer, politician and as President. When the state commission and the chamber agreed on the theme, they chose Utah sculptor Avard Fairbanks, a protégé of the artist responsible for Mt. Rushmore, to complete it.
Governor Stratton unveiled the statue at a celebration in the fall of 1956. He and Dean Adinamis rode in a Lincoln convertible at the head of a parade that began in Lincoln Park. The statue bears the inscription of Lincoln's words: "Free society is not, and shall not be a failure. Abraham Lincoln, Chicago, December 10, 1856."
In 1996, community organizations led by the Ravenswood-Lake View Historical Association and the Chamber of Commerce raised funds to restore the statue for its 40th anniversary. Sculpture conservator Andrzej Dajnowski helped return the statue to its original condition. The Chicago Lincoln Restoration Fund continues to support periodic renovations of the statue. |
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 Lombard Lamp, 1979
The city of Hamburg, Germany formally presented the city of Chicago with the Lombard Lamp as a gift of goodwill. Mayor Michael Bilandic decided to place the lamp in Lincoln Square, since it was a German neighborhood. The 15 foot Baroque style lantern made of black cast iron and brass is similar to those found on the Lombard Bridge in Hamburg, built in 1869. The Lombard Lamp was originally located at Western and Lawrence, alongside the Lincoln Statue. When it began to suffer from weathering and damage, the community worked together to restore the lamp with the help of the German Day Association, Alderman Gene Schulter, the 47th Ward Superintendant of Streets and Sanitation and Lothar Klevenow. In 1994, when Mayor Daley and Mayor Voscherrat of Hamburg signed a sister cities agreement, the Lincoln Square community celebrated this alliance by moving the newly restored lamp to Giddings Plaza.
Giddings Square Fountain, 1999
This bronze tiered fountain is the center of Lincoln Square's Giddings Plaza. Its design was inspired by the motifs on the Louis Sullivan building at 4611 N. Lincoln, now home to the Museum of Decorative Arts.
On September 10, 1999, Giddings Plaza was formally renamed Harry and Guenter Kempf Plaza in honor of the Chicago Brauhaus proprietors. The Kempf family has donated many hours of their time and assets to make the Lincoln Square neighborhood a wonderful place to live and do business. Giddings Plaza is also the site of the Lincoln Square Summer Concert Series and a focal point for other neighborhood events. |
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 The Maypole, 1999
Chicago's first maypole appeared in Lincoln Square in July of 1999 as a gift from the German Day Association, the Hofbraeu Brewery of Munich, the Glunz Brewery family and the Himmel family. This 30 foot tall maypole pays tribute to both German heritage and Chicago's history. Maypoles, called "maibaum," reflect a German tradition of building a tall pole wreathed in flowers at the center of town used for celebrating May Day on May 1st.
Lincoln Square's blue and white striped maypole contains several panels marking turning points in Chicago, such as the Chicago fire, Mayor Daley and Gene Schulter making improvements to the city, and an image of a German family farm to connect the long tradition of farmer's markets both in Germany and Chicago. Carol Himmel, along with several local artists, painted the figures. The maypole sits at the epicenter of the Lincoln Square Farmer's Market each Tuesday morning, as well as the neighborhood's Mayfest and Oktoberfest.
Lincoln/Sunnyside Mural, 1997
Two local artists decided to make their mark on the neighborhood through a mural that captured the similarities between Lincoln Square and a European town. Robbin Farrell and Betsy Nuti collaborated on a mural that was based on a photograph that Betsy took during a trip to Europe. To paint the mural, they used impressionist brushstrokes and an old master's technique of building up dark and light tones using several layers of transparent paint known as glazes. It took two weeks for them to complete. |
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