Lakeview’s half-mile Rainbow Pylons and Legacy Walk were approved as an official City of Chicago Landmark District by City Council today.

Characterized by a series of 25-foot-tall rainbow pylons on Halsted Street between Melrose Street and Bradley Place, the Legacy Walk honors LGBTQ figures throughout history and represents the world’s only outdoor LGBTQ museum.

In 1998, the City of Chicago constructed the 20 Rainbow Pylons as the first permanent, municipal streetscape that celebrates the unique cultural and historical contributions of the LGBTQ community. Forty plaques were added starting in 2012 to commemorate prominent LGBTQ figures, including Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, British mathematician Alan Turing, and U.S. astronaut Sally Ride. 

The Landmarks Commission issued a final recommendation to City Council in favor of the designation on May 2.

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