Early in 1970, residents of Chicago's prestigious Forest Glen community contacted the "Action Line" of the Chicago Today newspaper to garner support for a new playlot in their neighborhood. Later that year, the Chicago Park District responded by selecting a vacant Forest Glen lot as one of 16 city properties slated for park development. The park district acquired the .14-acre site four years later with the help of funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Playground equipment, an outdoor game table, and assorted plantings were installed during 1977. In 1989, the park district rehabilitated the park, constructing a soft surface playground featuring a redwood play structure. Ashmore Park is one of a small number of Chicago parks named for long-time park district employees. The name was suggested by co-workers of John V. Ashmore, who worked for many years at the Montrose Service Yard.