Historic Sites Act: U.S. Secretary of the Interior Designates Wrigley Field (Chicago, Illinois) as a National Historic Landmark

United States Secretary of the Interior, David L. Bernhardt, announced in a November 19th news release that Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, has been designated as a National Historic Landmark (“NHL”).

Secretary Bernhardt stated that the designation was due to the:

. . . significant role the ballpark has played in the City of Chicago and the history of professional sports.

The NHL program is administered by the United States Department of Interior’s National Park Service (“NPS”). The NPS oversees the nomination process for NHLs. It further provides technical assistance to NHLs.

The Historic Sites Act of 1935 created the NHL program. NHLs are places deemed of national significance to the history of the United States. This is in contrast to National Register properties which the NPS deems primarily of state and local significance.

Examples of the historical/national significance of Wrigley Field cited in the news release include:

• Home to the Chicago Cubs since 1916, National League charter franchise dating to 1876
• Second oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball
• Only remaining ballpark connected to the Federal Baseball League (prior rival to the National and American Leagues)
• Hosted the first tryouts and organization of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
• Home to the Chicago Bears from 1921 to 1970
• Original owner Charles Weeghman started in 1916 the custom of permitting fans to keep balls hit into the stands as mementos
• First ballpark to have refreshment booths behind the stands
• First ballpark to use an organ on-site to entertain fans during games
• Site of baseball’s only “Double No-Hitter” in 1917
• Site of Babe Ruth’s supposed “Called Shot” during the 1932 World Series
• Location of the first National Football League championship

The news release notes that there are approximately 2,600 NHLs in the United States. Examples include:

• Mount Vernon
• Pearl Harbor
• Apollo Mission Control Center
• Alcatraz
• Martin Luther King’s Birthplace

A copy of the news release can be downloaded here and the Department of Interior’s designation here.