The Loop District in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Riverview Park
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 10, 2024
1. Riverview Park Marker
1904 - 1967 Riverview Park featured "Aladdin's Castle" and "The Bobs".
Erected 2000.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.
Location. 41° 53.269′ N, 87° 36.851′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in The Loop District. It is at the intersection of Chicago Riverwalk and Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive (U.S. 41), on the right when traveling east on Chicago Riverwalk. The mural is in the pedestrian walkway beneath Lake Shore Drive. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chicago IL 60601, 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
this page online
More about this marker. The mural is one of several erected in the Chicago Riverwalk's tunnel beneath Lake Shore Drive, close to where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan. The murals largely depict the city's relationship with its namesake river, including this park that sat on the city's north side.
Regarding Riverview Park. The image on the mural is of Aladdin's Castle, with the Bobs in the background. The park's name came form its proximity to the North Branch of the Chicago River.
Also see . . . WTTW-11 Chicago: A Rite of Passage: The History, Rides, and Legacy of Riverview Park.
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, September 10, 2024
2. The Riverwalk Gateway
Several murals adorn the walls of this walkway beneath Du Sable Lake Shore Drive.
Excerpt: "In the late nineteenth century, a section of land at the intersection of Western and Belmont avenues was home to a private club called Sharpshooters Park, which was located in the middle of a predominantly German neighborhood. Eventually, the skeet-shooting club dissolved, and some of the members purchased the clubs land.(Submitted on December 3, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
"One of those members was a man named William Schmidt. His son, George, who had spent some time in Europe and visited parks such as Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen and the Prater in Vienna, encouraged his father to transform the property into an amusement park. In 1904, the Schmidt family renamed the park, calling it Riverview Park, a nod to its proximity to the North Branch of the Chicago River."
Postcard in public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
3. The Bobs at Riverview Park
The Bobs was a wooden roller coaster that opened in 1926 and was demolished along with the park in 1967. Its largest drop was almost 60 feet, and it reached speeds of 50 miles per hour.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 3, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 45 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 3, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 2. submitted on December 2, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. 3. submitted on December 3, 2025, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
