This page was created by Jane Darcovich. The last update was by Dan Harper.
The "Father" of the Forest Preserves
Underneath the flowery language of Hammond’s speech lies an important truth—Chicago and the rest of Cook County have Dwight Perkins to thank for their parks and preserves. The foresight and leadership of Perkins and his allies in the Municipal Science Club (later the Special Parks Commission) led to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. For more than fifteen years, Perkins spearheaded the battle for the forest preserves, seeing them blossom from a mere idea into more than 30,000 acres of forests and glens by 1928.Dwight Perkins will tell you that for years he "has been picking flowers by the side of the road." True, say I, flowers—flowers that will forever blossom as the rose. These flowers, the result of twenty-eight years of untiring cultivation amid thorns and briars, are represented by such achievements as our playgrounds and parks, the Regional Planning Association, and the choicest flower of all, our Forest Preserve System. His contribution to the upbuilding and success of these undertakings would, aside from his distinction as an architect, make him worthy of this honor.
