Wrigley Field receives federal landmark status

CHICAGO — “The Friendly Confines” have always been a baseball treasure. Now, Wrigley Field is a federal landmark.

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Built in 1914, and the home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916, Wrigley Field was granted federal landmark status in the National Register of Historic Places, the team announced Thursday.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt announced the designation, WLS-TV reported.

“The historical significance of Wrigley Field is interwoven into our nation’s story and a key part of what has become America’s beloved pastime for over a century,” Bernhardt said.

The designation allows the Ricketts family, which owns the franchise, access to federal income tax credits on the “1060 Project” that began at the end of the 2014 season, the Chicago Tribune reported. The Cubs’ owners have spent approximately $1 billion in renovations of the baseball park since 2014 and applied for federal status then, the newspaper reported.

The move allows the Ricketts family with the kind of financial help given to the owners of the Boston Red Sox after Fenway Park underwent a similar renovation a decade ago, according to the Tribune.

Wrigley Field is baseball’s second-oldest stadium. Fenway Park opened in 1912.

“Wrigley Field is a special place in the hearts of generations of fans,” Chicago Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. “That’s why, from our first day as owners, we committed to preserving Wrigley, which will now take its well-earned place in the lineup of American history and culture as a national treasure.”

Wrigley Field is known for its ivy-covered, brick outfield wall. The bleachers behind the ivy were built in 1937, along with the ballpark’s 27-foot scoreboard, WLS reported.

Wrigley was the last major league park to play night games, with the first game under the lights coming in 1988.

There are approximately 2,600 National Historic Landmarks in the United States, WLS reported.

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