Chicago Bears training camp location, history & fun facts
By Ryan Heckman
The summer months are always tough for football fans, but training camp is the point in time where things start to get real. After weeks upon weeks of seemingly nothing newsworthy, we're officially on our way to real football as players and coaches report for camp.
For the Chicago Bears, training camp unofficially dates back over 100 years, and the organization has held its practices at various locations along the way.
Starting in 2020 and through present day, the Bears have held training camp at Halas Hall, a.k.a. team headquarters. But, prior to Halas Hall hosting the fan-favorite event, the Bears found themselves all over the midwest.
Let's take a look back at where the Chicago Bears officially began training camp as we list through each and every location the team has held summer practices.
Location | Dates Attended | City, State |
|---|---|---|
Mills Stadium | 1930 | Chicago, IL |
Loyola University | 1931 | Chicago, IL |
Logan Square Ballpark | 1932 | Chicago, IL |
University of Notre Dame | 1933 | Notre Dame, Indiana |
Lane Tech High School | 1934 | Chicago, IL |
St. John's Military Academy | 1935-1943 | Delafield, WI |
St. Joseph's College | 1944-1974 | Rensselaer, IN |
Lake Forest College | 1975-1983 | Lake Forest, IL |
UW Platteville | 1984-2001 | Platteville, WI |
Olivet Nazarene University | 2002-2019 | Bourbonnais, IL |
Halas Hall | 2020-Present | Lake Forest, IL |
Maybe the most memorable location for the current generation of fans was at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. For 18 years, the small town hosted the team and thousands of fans, creating the perfect summer getaway for Bears Nation.
The campus always featured several booths set up for kids and adults, alike. Kids had their own area with blowup obstacle courses and activities, while they also had a spot set aside where they were treated to their very own autograph sessions and didn't have to make their way through crowds in order to garner players' attention.
Of course, the Pro Shop was one of the best parts of camp in Bourbonnais, as fans would hit the shop both on their way in and out of camp.
Fun facts about Chicago Bears Training Camp
- The Bears' first appearance on HBO's training camp television series, 'Hard Knocks,' came in 2024
- Olivet Nazarene University is a Christian college located in the small town of Bourbonnais, IL (pop. 18,000 as of 2024)
- Illinois governor George Ryan had this to say when the Bears finally moved their training camp out of Platteville, WI: “We had to get them out of Packer territory.," which was music to Bears fans' ears
- Halas Hall has been a Bears training facility since 1979
- Back when the Bears began their first unofficial training camp in 1920, most teams didn't practice in the offseason because players also had full-time jobs. George Halas changed the game.
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