Humboldt Park in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Leif Erikson
Photographed by Craig Baker
1. Leif Erikson Statue and Marker
Discoverer of America
Erected 1901.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Immigration • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the Norwegian-Americans series list. A significant historical date for this entry is October 12, 1901.
Location. 41° 54.404′ N, 87° 42.095′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Humboldt Park. It is on Humboldt Drive 0.3 miles south of North Avenue (Illinois Route 64), on the left when traveling north. The statue stands in Humboldt Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1440 North Humboldt Drive, Chicago IL 60622, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Humboldt Park (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Humboldt Park (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Boulevard System (approx. Ό mile away); a different marker also named Humboldt Park (approx. Ό mile away); Jens Jensen (approx. 0.3 miles away); L. Frank Baum (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named The Boulevard System (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Humboldt Park (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chicago.
More about this marker. Chicago's Norwegian community commissioned
this page online
The text on the boulder was hard to read when visited in late 2023, and, based on photos of the statue taken just few years earlier, it's possible it had been vandalized recently.
The Erikson statue was one of 41 public monuments and artworks placed "Under Review" in 2022 by the city-run Chicago Monuments Project, which looked at Chicago's public art with an eye towards issues such as racism (see link 3 below). The statue was included in a section to "revise or add narrative": "The City will continue to engage community members, including American Indian constituents, regarding long-term treatment options for the monuments identified below. Concurrently, the City will revise the monuments accompanying text. Though not prioritized for immediate artistic interventions, such measures may be employed in the future through ongoing program investments."
Regarding Leif Erikson. Leif Erikson, the Norse explorer, is believed to have been the first European to set foot in North America, around the year 1000. Icelandic sagas credited him with establishing a settlement called Vinland, believed by most to be somewhere on the coast of North America, and archeological discoveries since the 1800s point to a Norse settlement in Newfoundland, Canada, that was established around the
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 27, 2023
2. Leif Erickson statue
Also see . . .
1. Leif Erikson in Your Backyard. The Norwegian American explores various memorials to Leif Erikson. (Submitted on February 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
2. Wikipedia: Sigvald Asbjψrnsen. Sigvald Asbjψrnsen, sculptor of the Erikson statue, was born in Norway and moved to the United States in 1892. (Submitted on May 4, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
3. Chicago Monuments Project. This city-commissioned report looked at 41 public monuments and artworks, including the Erikson statue, with an eye towards issues such as racism. Although the Leif Erikson statue garners only a few passing mentions in this report, it was included in a section calling for the city to "revise or add narrative" about Erikson. (Submitted on February 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
4. Chicagos Leif Erikson Statue is Emblematic of Wider Controversies in American Ethnic History. From the East Portland Blog (Submitted on February 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Additional keywords. Sigvald Asbjornsen
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 27, 2023
3. Boulder beneath Leif Erikson statue
Although a news report about vandalism to the statue since 2020 could not be found, the words on the boulder are hard to read, and a diagonal line is visible.
Chicago Daily News Collection, Chicago History Museum, May 17, 1915
4. Leif Erikson statue (1915)
Flags of Norway and the United States were erected near the Erikson statue for the 1915 Norwegian Day celebration, commemorating the 101st anniversary of Norway's independence.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 299 times since then and 24 times this year. Last updated on April 22, 2025, by Luci j Baker Johnson of Seattle, Washington. Photos: 1. submitted on August 31, 2025, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 23, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
