A Pullman Update: The Future Takes Shape With Community Planning Session
For years, the Pullman Historic District was positioned as the next logical addition to the National Park System. It finally happened on Feb. 19 when President Obama visited the site to officially make the designation. Now that the Pullman District is a bona fide national monument, the real work begins. It’s safe to say that Pullman will be a work in progress. Planning for the future of the site is a necessary step. On April 18, 400...
Slice of Life: Historic High Speed Rail
The current plans to bring high speed passenger rail service to the Midwest aren’t bringing us anything news. In fact, they’re just restoring something we once had, but let fall apart. This is a photograph taken in 1943 of the Midwest Hiawatha as it cruised past Bensenville near what we now call O’Hare Airport. It was operated by the Chicago, Milwaukee, Saint Paul, and Pacific Railroad. It...
On Track To The Past
Whether most people see them or not, railroads are still the lifeblood of Chicago’s economy. But there once was a time when train lines were far more intertwined with daily life in the city than they are now. This old line runs along West Carroll Avenue — a street in River North many people don’t even know exists. It carried newsprint to the old Chicago Sun-Times Building before trucks made the line...
