Garfield Park Conservatory: Urban Sociology Field Trip
-Mary (Honey) Mathieu ’27
In April 2025, Dr. Lenore Knight Johnson, Professor of Sociology and Honors Department Director, took her urban sociology course to the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. Here, students in her class got to explore a beautiful site of social infrastructure, a course concept they had been learning about throughout this past semester.
Garfield Park Conservatory has a lot to offer its visitors. From beautiful greenery to peaceful relaxation time, this social infrastructure site is the perfect place to visit! According to the Conservatory’s website, “Chicago’s Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the largest and most stunning botanical conservatories in the nation. Often referred to as landscape art under glass, the Conservatory showcases thousands of plant species from around the world throughout eight indoor display gardens. Year-round, visitors can enjoy the lush flora and tropical temperatures indoors, or more than ten acres of outdoor gardens, nature play spaces for children, a water lily pond, and much more.” The Conservatory also offers programming for visitors, ranging from creative events to various educational classes. Chicago residents can visit for free, and students get a discount.
Trinity Christian College emphasizes student wellbeing, and through this field trip, students not only had the opportunity to learn more about a real-world example of social infrastructure but also had the time to destress before the end of the semester. Students in attendance walked around to see the various plant exhibits the Conservatory offers. Also, they had the chance to take beautiful photos of the green surroundings for a class project they were working on while enjoying lunch together. For this project, those in Dr. Lenore Knight Johnson’s Urban Sociology course had to demonstrate how the Garfield Park Conservatory is an example of social infrastructure and why green spaces like these matter to individuals and communities. As students have learned in Knight Johnson’s course and will remember even after the semester ends, social infrastructure plays a vital role in the wellbeing of a neighborhood’s community members, ultimately influencing personal feelings of isolation or support. Green spaces like the Conservatory have the potential to bring diverse people together to enjoy the beautiful God-created world!
Community wellness matters, and social infrastructure sites like the Garfield Park Conservatory offer incredible connections and wellbeing opportunities for all who visit this space. Trinity students were grateful to Dr. Knight Johnson for planning this astonishing field trip for her urban sociology course, which enhanced the overall wellbeing of those students in attendance.
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