Chicago, IL: 1881-1960s Rock Island/Pullman Depot and Pullman Roundhouse

Depot: (Satellite, the land is now used by a filling station.)

Roundhouse: (Satellite)

Daniel Bovino posted
Rock Island Railroad depot once located at 111th and Langley Avenue. The building was designed by Solon Beman. It was demolished in the early 1960's. George Pullman had this station built in 1881. Mr. Pullman was in a pique when the ICRR wouldn't play ball with him. George wanted the IC to give his workers extended free passes to and from Chicago. The IC said no, so Mr. Pullman ran a spur line from the Rock Island tracks at 95th Street south to Pullman. It served for a while as an alternate depot. Whether it did much passenger "through" service is unknown. Most out of state rail traffic (from the east) came via the Michigan Central to Kensington whose station was, in the mid '80's at ground level near the present day Kensington Avenue viaduct. For years Kensington station did duty as a Western Union shipping stop as well as occasionally serving as classroom space (while the Pullman School was being built). It also served as a worship space while Solon Beman (George's architect) designed Holy Rosary (Irish) Catholic church and Elim Swedish Lutheran church. Both of these places were west of the tracks. The Pullman Civic organization (then less than a year old) OK'd the demolition of the Rock Island depot...folks weren't elightened yet, and the PCO wanted the world to see that Pullman wasn't only home to deserted old buildings and was concerned about its future. The gas station quickly went up, went through several owners and was given a new faux Pullman look when the latest tenants moved into the spot some years back. Jimmy Fiedler shared Michael Bose: In the 1960s, there seemed to be a concerted effort to demolish any Solon S. Beman designed structures. Not just his, but also Adler & Sullivan's buildings, too. It went too far beyond Daley's "Urban Renewal" to just be that the buildings were old. Most of them were only 60 to 70 years old, about the same age as any buildings are now that replaced the Art Nouveau inspired designs that were wrecked. Beman is my favorite Chicago area architect, and was the architect of choice by both Pullman and the Illinois Central near the turn of the last century. Richard Fiedler shared

This shows the Pullman Railroad and its connection with the Rock Island at 95th Street.

1929/30 Calumet Lake Quad @ 24,000

I noticed the roundhouse just south of 111th Street on this arial. Taking another look at the topo map, we can see it there as well.

1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP