McKinley Park Existing Conditions Report

Flooding in McKinley Park is not a new problem and dates to the community’s early settlements in the 1850s. Before incorporation, the area near the Illinois and Michigan Canal was purchased and drained by early settlers. Swampy areas near Archer, Ashland, and 35th Street, once known as Mt. Pleasant and nearby Ducktown, were prone to flooding causing residents to build their homes on stilts to avoid it. Figure 10.1 illustrates an example of raised streets in older Chicago neighborhoods as a solution to stormwater management.

The United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey further describes unprecedented flood damage in the South Branch of the Chicago River in 1954. This event likely impacted communities located at the River’s confluence, including McKinley Park. To alleviate flooding, the Sanitary District of Chicago opened the lock gates at the river to allow discharge to Lake Michigan.