Illinois Centennial Memorial Column

When I tell people I live in «Logan Square» they ask me whereabouts. I say, «Near the Logan Square Monument, you know the CENTER OF LOGAN SQUARE.» When people are down by Fullerton and Milwaukee claiming Logan Square — c’mon. Or California and Milwaukee, C’MON!
Now, I will never bother to know what this monument is called — it would probably benefit from better signage — but it IS Logan Square. The neighborhood radiates out from this point.

This column was once nicknamed «chicken on a stick.» It’s a great little piece of history located in the heart of Logan Square. I often use it as a meeting spot, as it’s the most visible location around. I also like the little park-​type atmosphere around the monument. Many people can be seen skateboarding, hanging out, or reading books on sunny days.

This is a good place to skate what with it’s smooth steps and circular nature.
It’s also the most phallic object in Logan Square and so it attracts many people to it’s lovely lawn to bask in it’s glory (or at least I’d like to believe that’s the reason).
Its placement allows for one of the most inconvenient roundabouts in the city so European-​tourists can feel at home.

This monument is instantly recognizable to many as the center of the Logan Square neighborhood.
It was dedicated in 1918 to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of Illinois’ statehood. The stately column bears a resemblance to some of the great monuments in our nation’s capital because it was designed by Beaux-​Arts architect Henry Bacon, who also designed the Lincoln Memorial. (Bacon himself was born in Watseka, IL, a small town south of Chicago; he was educated at the University of Illinois at Urbana-​Champaign).
At times, the green space around the monument is used for community gatherings and the like. The Logan Square subway stop is accessible across the street from the monument.
A beautiful and classic piece of Chicago’s cityscape.