Gooseberry Playlot Park
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 5, 2025
Gooseberry Playlot Park is a small but charming park located in the city of Evanston, Illinois.
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Summary
It offers a perfect setting for families with young children, who can enjoy the play area, picnic tables, and open green space. Besides, it has a beautiful and well-maintained garden with flowers and shrubs that attract butterflies and birds, making it a great spot for nature lovers.
One of the unique features of Gooseberry Playlot Park is the public art installation named "The Butterfly Bench," a beautiful metal bench designed to look like a butterfly, which provides a great photo opportunity for visitors. Additionally, the park has a basketball court and a small baseball field that can be used for recreational purposes.
Interestingly, the park was not always a public space. It was initially a privately-owned garden that belonged to the Mather family. However, in 1964, the land was donated to the city of Evanston to be used as a public park.
The best time to visit Gooseberry Playlot Park is during the spring and summer months when the weather is mild, and the garden is in full bloom. The park is open year-round from dawn to dusk and is free to the public.
Overall, Gooseberry Playlot Park is a great place to spend a relaxing afternoon with family and friends. Its beautiful garden, public art, and recreational facilities make it a hidden gem in Evanston, Illinois.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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