Chicago Bears Tour - Your Chicago Tours

Chicago Bears are one of the oldest and most storied franchises in professional football, founded in 1919 as the Decatur Staleys before relocating to Chicago in 1921. As a charter member of the National Football League, the Bears have played a major role in shaping the history of the sport, earning the nickname “Monsters of the Midway” for their tough, physical style of play. The team has won nine league championships, including the legendary 1985 season when their dominant defense led them to a Super Bowl XX victory. Over the decades, the Bears have featured some of football’s greatest players, including Walter Payton, Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, and Brian Urlacher, all of whom became symbols of the franchise’s tradition of toughness and excellence.

The Bears are known for their passionate fan base, historic rivalries, especially with the Green Bay Packers, and their commitment to strong defense throughout their history. The team plays its home games at Soldier Field, one of the oldest stadiums in the NFL and a landmark in Chicago sports culture. With a legacy built on legendary players, iconic moments, and a deep connection to the city, the Chicago Bears remain one of the most recognizable and influential franchises in American football.

CHICAGO BEARS TRAINING CAMP (1975-1983) – SITE

Lake Forest College, Lake Forest

The Chicago Bears’ training camp at Lake Forest College was an important chapter in the team’s history, bringing the NFL franchise and its fans together on the North Shore during the late 1970s and early 1980s. From 1975 through 1983, the Bears held their summer training camp at Lake Forest College, where the team practiced at facilities that became closely associated with the organization’s identity, including the original Halas Hall.

The Lake Forest era featured some of the most memorable years in Bears history, as legendary players such as Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, and Richard Dent developed into stars while preparing for NFL seasons on the college campus. The close proximity to Chicago allowed fans to attend practices, meet players, and experience the team in a more personal setting than regular-season games allowed.

The arrangement also strengthened the connection between the Bears and the Lake Forest community. Students, residents, and fans regularly encountered players around campus, while the construction of the original Halas Hall facility made Lake Forest College a significant part of the Bears’ football operations history. After the 1983 season, the team moved training camp to University of Wisconsin–Platteville, beginning another long chapter away from Lake Forest before eventually returning to Lake Forest through the modern Halas Hall complex in 2020.

Today, the Lake Forest College training camp years are remembered as a nostalgic period when Bears football was deeply connected to its local community, giving fans a rare opportunity to see championship-caliber players prepare up close during one of the franchise’s most historic eras.

CHICAGO BEARS TRAINING CAMP (1984-2001) – SITE

University of Wisconsin – Platteville, WI

The Chicago Bears training camp at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville became one of the most memorable traditions in franchise history, running from 1984 through 2001. Located at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium, the Platteville camp gave players a secluded college setting where they could prepare for the upcoming NFL season while allowing fans from across the Midwest to watch practices up close.

During the 18 summers the Bears spent in Platteville, the camp served as the backdrop for the development of many legendary players, including members of the 1985 Super Bowl championship team and future stars such as Brian Urlacher, who began his NFL career shortly after the team’s final years in Wisconsin. The demanding practices, hot summer conditions, and close interaction between players and fans created a unique atmosphere that many former Bears remembered fondly.

The Platteville era was known for its old-school football feel. Players stayed in university facilities, practiced multiple times a day, and fans could often get close to the action, making it a popular destination for families and longtime supporters. Former Bears players recalled the modest facilities compared with modern training complexes, but many appreciated the tradition, camaraderie, and intensity that came with preparing for a season in a small college town.

The Bears left Platteville after the 2001 training camp and moved their summer practices to Olivet Nazarene University beginning in 2002, before eventually moving training camp operations to Halas Hall in 2020. Today, the Platteville training camp remains a nostalgic chapter in Bears history, remembered by fans as a time when NFL football felt more accessible and community-oriented.

CHICAGO BEARS TRAINING CAMP (2002-2019) – SITE

Olivet Nazareth University, Bourbonnais

Chicago Bears training camp in Bourbonnais, Illinois, became one of the most beloved traditions for the team and its fans. From 2002 through 2019, the Bears held their summer camp at Olivet Nazarene University, located about 60 miles south of Chicago. The campus provided the team with multiple practice fields, dormitories, meeting rooms, and training facilities, while giving fans a unique opportunity to watch players prepare for the upcoming NFL season up close.

Bourbonnais training camp became known for its family-friendly atmosphere, autograph opportunities, open practices, and the excitement of seeing veterans, rookies, and hopeful newcomers compete for roster spots. Thousands of fans made the annual trip to watch stars such as Brian Urlacher, Devin Hester, and other Bears greats prepare for the season. The camp also became an important part of the community, bringing national attention and economic activity to the village of Bourbonnais during the summer months.

The Bourbonnais era included some memorable periods in Bears history, including the build-up to the team’s 2006 season when Chicago reached Super Bowl XLI. For many fans, the college-campus setting represented a classic football experience, with players practicing outdoors in the heat, fans lining the fields, and the team temporarily transforming a small Illinois town into the center of the Bears football world.

After the 2019 season, the Bears moved training camp to their renovated headquarters at Halas Hall, ending an 18-year run in Bourbonnais. While the new facility offered modern amenities and convenience for the organization, many fans continue to remember Bourbonnais as a special chapter in Bears history because of the access, tradition, and connection it created between the team and its supporters.

HALAS HALL / CHICAGO BEARS TRAINING CAMP (pre-1975 & 2020-present) – FACILITY

1920 Football Drive, Lake Forest

The Chicago Bears’ Halas Hall training camp is the team’s modern home base for preparing for each NFL season. Located in Lake Forest, Illinois, the facility is named in honor of Bears founder and longtime owner-coach George Halas and serves as the team’s headquarters, practice complex, and year-round football operations center. After spending 18 summers at Olivet Nazarene University from 2002 through 2019, the Bears moved their entire training camp back to Halas Hall in 2020, taking advantage of the facility’s major renovations and expanded football operations spaces.

Training camp at Halas Hall gives coaches and players a controlled environment to install offensive and defensive systems, evaluate rookies and veterans, and prepare for the upcoming season. Practices typically feature position drills, team scrimmages, situational football work, and intense competition for roster spots. The return to Lake Forest also allows the organization to keep players, coaches, and staff in one centralized location while providing fans opportunities to watch select practices through limited public sessions.

Before returning to Halas Hall, the Bears had a long tradition of holding training camp away from Chicago, including stops at locations such as University of Wisconsin–Platteville and Olivet Nazarene University. The team previously held camp at its Lake Forest facility from 1975 to 1983, making the modern return to Halas Hall a continuation of the franchise’s history of preparing close to home. Today, Halas Hall training camp represents a blend of the Bears’ historic identity and their modern approach to player development, offering fans a glimpse into the work behind building an NFL team.

SOLDIER FIELD – STADIUM

1410 Special Olympics Drive, Chicago

Soldier Field is one of the most historic sports venues in the United States and has served as the home of the Chicago Bears since 1971. Located along Chicago’s lakefront near the Museum Campus, the stadium originally opened in 1924 as Municipal Grant Park Stadium and was renamed Soldier Field in 1925 to honor American soldiers who died in military service. Over the decades, it became a symbol of Chicago sports history, hosting football games, major events, concerts, and civic gatherings.

The Bears moved to Soldier Field after spending much of their early history playing at Wrigley Field. The stadium became closely associated with the team’s identity, especially during the legendary 1985 Bears championship season and the franchise’s long tradition of tough, defensive football played in harsh Chicago weather.

In the early 2000s, Soldier Field underwent a controversial $600-million-plus renovation that transformed the interior of the stadium while preserving portions of its historic exterior colonnades. The renovated stadium reopened in 2003 with modern amenities, improved seating, and updated facilities, but the redesign also drew criticism from fans and preservationists over its appearance and reduced seating capacity.

Despite its controversies, Soldier Field remains an iconic part of Chicago’s sports culture. Its location on the lakefront, connection to Bears history, and nearly century-long legacy make it one of the NFL’s most recognizable stadiums. In recent years, the Bears have explored options for a potential future stadium elsewhere, creating uncertainty about the long-term future of the team’s relationship with Soldier Field.

WRIGLEY FIELD – STADIUM

1060 W. Addison Street, Chicago

The Chicago Bears’ relationship with Wrigley Field is one of the most important chapters in the history of professional football. After moving from Decatur to Chicago in 1921, the team—then known as the Staleys before becoming the Bears—made Wrigley Field their home for 50 seasons, from 1921 through 1970. The stadium, best known as the home of baseball’s Chicago Cubs, became the setting where the Bears built their early identity under legendary owner, coach, and player George Halas.

During their time at Wrigley Field, the Bears established themselves as one of the NFL’s most successful franchises, winning multiple championships and featuring legendary players from football’s early years. The stadium hosted five NFL championship games, including the famous 1963 title game when the Bears defeated the New York Giants 14–10 to capture the league championship. Wrigley’s small dimensions and baseball layout created a unique football environment, with the Bears often playing in a tight, intimidating setting that became part of the team’s rugged personality.

By the late 1960s, Wrigley Field could no longer meet the NFL’s growing demands for larger stadium capacity and modern facilities. After their final game there on December 13, 1970, a 35–17 victory over the Green Bay Packers, the Bears moved to Soldier Field in 1971. Although the Bears’ years at Wrigley Field are now part of history, the stadium remains a symbol of the franchise’s early dominance and the birth of professional football in Chicago.

DECATUR, IL – SITE

Decatur, IL

Staley Field in Decatur, Illinois, was the original home stadium of the franchise that became the Chicago Bears. The field was built and owned by the A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company, whose founder Augustus Eugene Staley created the Decatur Staleys football team in 1919 as a company-sponsored athletic club. The team played its games at Staley Field during its early years, including the 1920 season when the Staleys became one of the founding members of what would become the National Football League.

Staley Field was a modest venue, with a seating capacity of around 1,500 spectators, and it reflected the early industrial roots of professional football. Although the Decatur Staleys were successful on the field under player-coach George Halas, the small crowds and limited revenue potential made it difficult for the team to grow financially. In 1921, Halas and the team moved to Chicago, first becoming the Chicago Staleys before adopting the name Chicago Bears in 1922.

Today, Staley Field is remembered as the birthplace of one of the NFL’s most historic franchises. While it was not a large or famous stadium like later Bears homes such as Wrigley Field and Soldier Field, it holds an important place in football history because it was where the early Decatur Staleys began their journey from a factory team into the legendary Chicago Bears organization.

MEMORIAL STADIUM – STADIUM

1402 S. 1st Street, Champaign

Memorial Stadium (Champaign) served as the temporary home of the Chicago Bears during the 2002 NFL season while Soldier Field underwent a major renovation. Located on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois, the historic stadium was originally built in 1923 as a memorial to university students and faculty who died in World War I and is best known as the home of the Fighting Illini football team.

The Bears played all eight of their 2002 regular-season home games at Memorial Stadium, finishing with a 3–5 home record. The move created a unique moment in franchise history, bringing NFL football nearly 140 miles south of Chicago and temporarily turning a college football venue into an NFL stadium. The season included memorable games, such as a victory over the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, but also presented challenges because many Chicago fans had to travel to Champaign for games.

Although the stay was brief, the 2002 season remains a notable chapter in Bears history. Memorial Stadium connected the franchise with its Illinois roots, as Bears founder George Halas was an alumnus of the University of Illinois and the team’s famous navy and orange colors were influenced by the school’s colors. After Soldier Field reopened in 2003, the Bears returned to Chicago, leaving Memorial Stadium as a rare and memorable temporary home in NFL history.

ARLINGTON PARK – SITE

Euclid Avenue and Wilke Road, Arlington Heights

The Chicago Bears’ Arlington Park project was a proposed plan to build a new stadium and entertainment district on the former Arlington Park Racecourse site in Arlington Heights, Illinois. After the historic racetrack closed in 2021, the Bears purchased the 326-acre property from Churchill Downs Incorporated for about $197 million, viewing the location as a potential replacement for their longtime home at Soldier Field.

The team envisioned a state-of-the-art enclosed stadium surrounded by a mixed-use development featuring hotels, restaurants, retail, entertainment venues, and public spaces. The proposed project was designed to create a year-round destination capable of hosting not only Chicago Bears games but also major events such as concerts, college sports tournaments, and potentially Super Bowls. The large suburban site appealed to the Bears because it offered room for parking, development, and modern stadium amenities that were difficult to achieve at Soldier Field.

The Arlington Park plan became part of a lengthy debate involving the Bears, local governments, school districts, and state officials over property taxes, infrastructure costs, and public support. Although Arlington Heights worked with the team to advance redevelopment plans, disagreements over tax arrangements and government assistance slowed progress. The Bears continued evaluating Arlington Heights alongside other stadium options, leaving the future of the property uncertain.

The Arlington Park proposal represented one of the most ambitious redevelopment projects in Chicago-area sports history, potentially transforming a former horse racing landmark into a modern football and entertainment district. However, after years of negotiations, the Bears shifted their focus toward other possibilities, including a proposed stadium project in Hammond, Indiana, as the team continued searching for a long-term home beyond Soldier Field.