From the Park Districts Encyclopedia, When Chicago officially incorporated as a city in 1837, it adopted the motto
“Urbs in Horto,” a Latin phrase meaning “City in a Garden.” Despite this verdant slogan, the city had few public parks.
In 1850, residents and developers alike knew the inclusion of green spaces would boost the value of their neighborhood division and were further prompted for quality parks from growing concerns of contamination in Chicagos water supply by a Northside lakefont cemetary leaching due to its low-sandy burial site environment. Then in 1869 - Chicagoans advocated for South, West, and Lincoln Park Commissions that held responsibility for their respective parks and boulevard system. In the 1880's Lincoln Park would expand (aka exhume bodies), Lake Shore Drive was created as a pathway connection to southside parks, and The South Park Commision would hire New Yorks Central Park designer Fredrick Law Olmsted to create the (now) Jackson Park, Washington Park, and Midway Plaisance and designed the parks as a release from urban tension and serve as democratic spaces. Olmsted would then work with Daniel H. Bunham to transform the space into "White City" for Worlds Columbian Exposition in 1893.
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It wasnt until the Playground Movement - A wide coalition of child-saving reformers including social settlement house workers, progressive educators, and child psychologists urged municipal governments to construct playgrounds where the city's youth could play under supervised and controlled conditions. Playground reformers believed that supervised play could improve the mental, moral, and physical well-being of children, and in the early twentieth century they expanded their calls into a broader recreation movement aimed at providing spaces for adult activities as well. This movement would urge the three commissions to aquire more land for parks. After Chicagos annexation (seperation into more neighborhoods), areas that were not served by the three commissions were allowed to form additional boards. However, in the 1930s due to the Great Depression bankrupting park districts the 22 independent agencies would consolidate into one large cohort known as the Chicago Park District - that now operates 547 parks totaling more than 7,300 acres of land today.
Explore the history behind Chicagos adopted motto "Urbs in Horto" from 1837 - further dive into how it has inspired and influenced artists, projects, and initiatives to express the thriving "City In A Garden" green-scape across Chicago!
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View variety of Chicago-based artistic outlets that express the "Urbs in Horto" aesthetic below.
The Garden Party: The dirt on Chicago’s resurgent “Urbs in Horto” movement
Blog Post by Brian H. & Ella C. at NEWCITY
July 7th 2010
"...Many ornamental gardens are bridging the divide by adding vegetable plots to their gardens or establishing areas with vegetables or herbs for gardeners to share. In her book, Maloney writes, “In the early days, clear distinctions were not made among florists, nurserymen, farmers, orchardists, market gardeners, or the yet-to-be-defined profession of landscape architecture. These disciplines often overlapped and caused turf battles and confusion.” The landscape is changing once again, and so once again there is confusion over why we’re gardening, where we can garden, and what our gardens will ultimately look like, but the City in a Garden has done this before..." - https://www.newcity.com/2010/07/07/the-garden-party-the-dirt-on-chicagos-resurgent-urbs-in-horto-movement/
"Organized around five main themes: Community, Travel, Work, Eatand Play, UrBs in Horto is an interactive exhibit and public program series that uses text, objects, images and performance to highlight how campus and community partners and exhibition visitors have experienced the outdoors in relation to ideas about family, heritage and community. The product of Participatory Action Research, community curation, creative placemaking and social practice, UrBs was curated by AACC Director Lori Barcliff Baptista in collaboration with the University of Illinois-Chicago Centers for Cultural Understanding and Social Change, Heritage Garden Student Interns and the Office of Sustainability as well as Chicago area community organizations God’s Gang, Metropolitan Area African-American Senior Resource Network, George Washington Carver FARMS, and the Centers for New Horizons. The exhibit prominently features sculptural works created by artist Alfonso “Piloto” Neves Ruiz and video content produced by Chicago area documentary filmmaker Candice S. Eloby. UIC Graphic Design student Jennifer Manning is responsible for graphic design elements of the exhibit." - https://blacc.uic.edu/aacc-exhibitions/urbs-in-horto/
"As a printmaking gallery, Galerie F aspires to provide a space that promotes printmaking as an art form. Chicago’s printer community is treasured and respected far and wide for it’s talent and unmatched grit. It was only fitting that “Urbs in Horto” at Galerie F brings together over twenty printers and makers to illustrate and share exactly what they love about Chicago — you are sure to find a piece in this collection that resonates and sings of home. " - https://thevisualist.org/2017/03/urbs-in-horto/
Urbs In Horto print
by Starshaped Press
2017 & still available
"Urbs in Horto, or City in a Garden, is Chicago's official motto. This print was created in collaboration with Galerie F for their show of the same name, celebrating Chicago's 180th birthday in March, 2017. It features metal type buildings indicative of the city's more residential and commercial neighborhoods, with gardens growing up from them. Behind each building is the phrase, printed in wood type. Each print measures 16x12" and is printed with with four earthy inks on thick, recycled, wheat-colored stock. Limited edition of 100 prints." - https://www.starshaped.com/chicago/urbs-in-horto-2017-print
"Episode 3: Urbs in Horto?"
Podcast by Windy City Historians
May 30, 2019
"What’s in a name? “Urbs in Horto” or as translated from Latin “City in the Garden” is the motto on the seal of the City of Chicago, which nicely ties together the third interview with historian and retired attorney John Swenson. Swenson presents the final and most amazing piece of early Chicago history revealing the details of this ancient place called Chicagoua and the platform mound two-leagues from the Chicagoua Portage, the area’s earliest known civic and cultural center some 40 miles from today’s downtown Chicago! ..." - https://windycityhistorians.com/episode-3-urbs-in-orto/
Urbs in Horto: City in a Garden
Blog Post by Kimberley at Cosmos and Cleome in Botanical Gardens
Sept. 1st 2023
"Within Chicago’s Millenium Park, mere steps away from skyscrapers and busy thoroughfares, lies the Lurie Garden. Designed in part by Piet Oudolf, the Lurie Garden provides a habitat for many plants and forms of wildlife, as well as a quiet sanctuary for humans needing a break from hectic city life. I was privileged to visit this wonderful space just ten days ago. Here are some highlights...Urbs in horto (City in a garden) is the motto of Chicago, adopted in 1837 by visionary planners when the city was incorporated. Chicagoans are lucky to have a place of such beauty within their city. I’ll leave you with just a few more wide shots of this beautiful garden!" - https://cosmosandcleome.wordpress.com/2023/09/01/urbs-in-horto-city-in-a-garden/
Chicago "Urbs in Horto" Skyline
by Fine Art Letterpress Print -Curent Location Print
2023 & still available
"Chicago’s motto “Urbs in Horto”, meaning “City in a Garden” in Latin, is fitting for a city that boasts extensive parkways, green spaces tucked in each neighborhood, and beautiful forest preserves within the city limits. This view of the skyline from Lincoln Park is an iconic view of the city as well as centers the beautiful combination of the natural world coexisting with the built world. This special addition to the Current Location Press State Park series features one hand-carved block and three layers of abstract color fields created using type-high wood blocks. All four layers are letterpress printed." -https://www.currentlocationpress.com/shop-current-location-press/chicago-urbs-in-horto-skyline
*All experiences, products, etc. listed above are from local parties from Chicago to emphasize the growth from Chicagos very own. *I do not own any copyright ownership of highlights listed, this is purely a research page.