Way back in 1905, McKinley Park's current bronze fella was a Columbus-loving chap. He was created during Chicago's 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, a celebration dedicated to, you guessed it, Columbus. Once the hoopla ended, our guy got the boot, landing in Washington Park for a circle of 13 years. Just like a game of musical chairs, McKinley Park started spinning where the Brighton Park Race Track used to be in 1902. The city's clever artist crew decided it was high time to kick Columbus to the curb and bring in a fresh face – none other than McKinley.
To keep some cash in their pockets, they melted down the old Columbus statue, recycled the bronze, and gave our Columbus buddy a new job – and this time, on the presidential payroll! The statue that praised Columbus became the fresh face of a former president, taking pride of place in Chicago. Turns out, that spot was worth its weight in gold, casting some magic charm all around.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Friendly Jane
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