Hyde Park in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Cheney-Goode Memorial
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 17, 2026
1. Cheney-Goode Memorial Marker
Flora Sylvester Cheney (1872-1929) was a political activist, reformer, and legislator. She worked to secure voting rights for women and became president of the Illinois League of Women Voters as well as the first president of the Cook County Council of Leagues of Women Voters. Cheney also helped longtime friend Katherine Hancock Goode (1872-1928) in a successful bid to represent the fifth senatorial district in the Illinois State Legislature.
Goode fought for the eight-hour day, women on juries, and better conditions for incarcerated women. After Goode's death, Cheney was elected in November 19281 to take over her friend's seat in the Illinois Legislature. Cheney died in office the following year.
The Cheney-Goode Memorial was dedicated in 1932. Its original inscription described the two as "leaders who devoted their lives to the civic betterment of their neighborhood, city and state." In 2025, the original bench and pedestal were restored, and a new sundial was installed.
Erected 2026
this page online
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Government & Politics • Parks & Recreational Areas • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1932.
Location. 41° 47.225′ N, 87° 35.293′ W. Marker is in Chicago, Illinois, in Cook County. It is in Hyde Park. It is on Midway Plaisance North near Stony Island Avenue, on the right when traveling west. The marker is the rear of a sign for the memorial itself, which is a few steps away. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1130 Midway Plaisance North, Chicago IL 60637, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker and memorial is on Chicago’s South Side. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in 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
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 17, 2026
2. Cheney-Goode Memorial
The text of the marker is on the rear of this sign.
More about this marker. The memorial itself is a limestone bench and sundial, which were installed near a train embankment on the east end of the Midway Plaisance in 1932. Over the next 90-plus years, the bench suffered from vandalism and decay. At some point it was painted over in a dark gray to prevent graffiti, which made the inscription almost impossible to read.
As part of park renovations made due to the construction of the nearby Obama Presidential Center, a new playground was built near the memorial, and the bench was restored to its original white, with a new sundial.
Also see . . .
1. Hyde Park Stories: Cheney-Goode Memorial Bench.
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 17, 2026
3. The marker with the Obama Presidential Center in the background
The Cheney-Goode Memorial is about 200 yards west of the Obama Presidential Center, which opened in 2026. The playground near the memorial was constructed to replace park land lost to the Obama Center.
2. Cheney-Goode Memorial. From the Chicago Park District. (Submitted on October 17, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.)
Photographed by Sean P. Flynn, October 17, 2026
4. Cheney-Goode Memorial bench inscription
Credits. This page was last revised on October 18, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 17, 2026, by Sean P. Flynn of Oak Park, Illinois.
