Jane Clarke provided a fascinating story of the history and development of Chicago’s Lakefront, as it changed, as her title described, “From the Town Dump to Millennium Park.” The conversation after the paper continued for quite some time. Chicago was ruled by Mayor Richard M. Daley for many years, a period notorious for corruption and cronyism. However, as time passes, those memories will fade and Daley will be known as the mayor who initiated and watched over the development of Millennium Park, setting a standard for urban public improvements and park design that will have a lasting effect not only on Chicago but on cities the world over. This paper is a brief summary of the history of this transformative park, announced in 1998 and completed in 2004.