Windy City Gridiron
Stadium Changes from Then to Now
The Chicago Bears’ Soldier Field is an iconic, historical stadium. But the Bears didn’t start in Soldier Field, nor does Soldier Field look the same as it does today as it did in 1971. Recently, the NFL on X took a quick trip through the history of the stadiums the Bears have played in and the changes to those stadiums over the years. From Staley Field in Decatur, IL, all the way back in 1920, the first sports field named after a corporate sponsor, to Wrigley Field, and then ultimately to Soldier Field, the current home of the Chicago Bears. Soldier Field was renamed in 1925 as a memorial to American soldiers, and over the years, it became famous for its iconic Doric columns.
Despite playing in Soldier Field as early as 1926, it would not become the Bears' permanent home until 1971. In 2001, the Chicago Park District decided to renovate Soldier Field - reconfiguring its interior and exterior while preserving some of the architectural remnants of the original stadium, specifically the columns. However, these renovations of Soldier Field in 2002-03, designed to modernize the stadium and expand it for the NFL audience of the 21st century, resulted in its delisting as a National Historical Landmark. Even with the renovations, Soldier Field has the smallest capacity of any NFL stadium today.
I recall my first trip to Chicago IL, as a freshman in college at the University of Arkansas in 1993. I was excited to see the columns and experience Chicago as a young adult, not having been back to my birth state since I was a toddler. My friend and I drove overnight during “dead day” (a day at the end of a college semester where there are no classes) to reach the home of the Chicago Bears. It was offseason and there was no one around, but I can still remember staring up at those imposing columns, and feeling the granite facade, which housed the home of Dick Butkus, Walter Payton, and Mike Singletary, the sports heroes of my childhood. It was awe-inspiring.
While I enjoyed returning to Chicago for actual games after the Bears renovated Soldier Field, I must admit to a certain sense of loss. While I was happy the columns had been preserved, the new stadium renovations didn’t have the same sight lines as that of the original Soldier Field, nor the same feel to the stadium on the waterfront. While I felt the thrill of watching a Chicago Bears game live, I must admit to having felt a bit sad at not having had the chance to experience Soldier Field as it existed when I became a fan in the 1980s. As the Chicago Bears contemplate a new home stadium, designed with every modern amenity, I hope they find a better balance between honoring the past and designing for the future than did the 2002-03 renovation. That said, check out the brief trip down memory lane of...
