Have you ever wondered about the smallest city park in the state? You might think it’s a spot for leisurely strolls or dog walking, but you’d be mistaken. Park No. 474 is so small it doesn’t even have enough space for a person (well, a real person anyway), measuring only 0.01 acres.
The park contains no natural features, and the only thing you can do is admire the art. The entire area of the park constitutes a 6-foot-by-9-foot granite slab with a sculpture known as “Man on a Bench.”
History of Park No. 474
Despite its tiny size, Park No. 474 is officially listed on city maps and is included in the Chicago Park District’s list of parks.
Park No. 474 came into existence because of the sculpture “Man on a Bench.”
The B.F. Ferguson Fund of the Art Institute of Chicago commissioned the sculpture in honor of Mies van der Rohe’s 100th birthday. It was intended to be placed at the university, but the funding rules for the sculpture mandated that it be placed on public land.
As a result, in the same year the sculpture was installed, the Illinois Institute of Technology permanently transferred ownership of the park to the city.
Located south of the campus building on South Dearborn Street, Park No. 474 is not only the smallest park in Chicago’s more than 600 parks but also one of the smallest parks in the 360 park districts throughout Illinois.
“Man on a Bench”
George Segal created the famous sculpture at Park No. 474, “Man on a Bench,” as an homage to German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
Installed in 1986, the park consists of only a granite slab and George Segal’s sculpture.
Address: 3231 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60616