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Cantigny Park

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Gardens, a military museum, and a golf course sum up Cantigny. Flowers are of a temporal nature, and military conflicts sometimes flare up to preserve freedom, affording us the leisure to shoot a round of golf. A five-hundred acre park, a museum honoring the First Division of the United States Army (known as the legendary “Big Red One” for their iconic unit patch), and a golf course that opened in 1989 as the “Best New Public Course in America” by Golf Digest, attract over 300,000 visitors every year.

Over land acquired by Joseph Medill in the late 1800s, his grandson Colonel Robert R. McCormick would go on to rename the estate “Cantigny” as a tribute to the Battle of Cantigny in Northern France. From there he willed that the McCormick Charitable Trust (now Foundation) develop the estate into a park for the general public. With a wave of his pen, Colonel McCormick put the armaments behind glass and the flowers out to sun.

It’s not Guns N’ Roses; it’s cannons and tulips.

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The café at Cantigny Park is the perfect stop before you start.
Feel like royalty in the splendid surroundings of spring.
Tulip Sip and Stroll is a weekend of tulips, cocktails, daffodils, and more.
Who says plants don’t have feelings?
Tripping the shutter release is quicker than a series of brush strokes.
Five hundred acres of well-manicured gardens lead you at every turn.
The daffys are enjoying a little seasonal overlap with the tulips.
Local artists are invited to contribute their talents to the “Feast of the Senses!” summer exhibit.
What do you need? Windmills, lots of windmills.
Today is captured perfectly by this moment.

 

The purple tulips were a touch behind, but they appeared fashionably late.
Colonel Robert R. McCormick Mansion, a 35-room historic home, was restored in 2023.
We love Cantigny Park!
The white tulips were a new sighting, uncommon among all the color, and a pleasing refresher after such a feast for the senses.
Today this tiger attracts little kids, but in its day it sent grown men running for their lives.
First Division Museum houses twin branches that host interactive exhibits and immersive environments in honor of the Big Red One.
Duty First includes more recent tours of the First Division.
Humanitarian and peacekeeping missions are also highlighted.
A Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is ready for an educational lift-off consisting of a brief mission documentary, shown inside the cargo area.
Military skirmishes are included, and the full scope of battle is on display during the mission simulation inside a Bradley tank.
The Battle at Objective Norfolk, one of the largest tank battles in US history, involved some close calls with friendly fire during the chaos of Operation Desert Storm.
High definition screens in front, on both sides, and from above rumble with the progress of battle, charging ahead at full speed, and complete with actual combat communications.
A 10-foot section of the Berlin Wall (not a replica) is the echoing finale of the Duty First branch.
The other museum branch, First In War, traces the sacrifices of the First Division through the World Wars and major conflicts.
Walk through a trench and feel restless and vulnerable at the sight of all the dangers from above.
It’s easy to fill in the blanks with the horrors of war not on display at your feet.
My paternal grandfather served in the Battle of the Bulge, a brutally cold but crucial offensive campaign in the Ardennes.

Cantigny’s gardens were love at first sight, the military museum had our full attention, and the golf course on the other side looked like paradise. Everyone sipped, strolled, and took in the tulips. Photos captured fleeting moments, while we were free to enjoy Colonel Robert R. McCormick’s generous gift. With a wave, we said goodbye for now, until the next feast for the senses.

To learn more and plan your visit to Cantigny Park, click Cantigny Park

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29 thoughts on “Cantigny Park”

  4. The gardens are beautiful, creative and unique. The rock garden was a surprise and one of the gardens integrates a cool water feature. The museum was unexpected, extensive and incredibly well done. I especially enjoyed the interactive experiences and the immersive experience of being in the trenches.

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    1. Yes, it is a tragic juxtaposition, but a firm reminder that these horrible events were necessary at the time to preserve freedom. May we just enjoy the flowers going forward! 😊

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  14. That looks like an incredible interesting place to visit. My brother, who lives around there, has mentioned it before – think he might bird there as well. Seems really clean and kept up well – great shots that really give a feel for the place.

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