Public/Private Transportation
that includes
The story about Forgotten Railroad
The story about 'Kissing the Tracks'
The RPM Belmont Overpass
and
The Bikes & the Automobile
We Begin with the ...
The Native
American Trail
map above highlights the Green Bay Trail
(Clark Street) in red
North to Devon avenues
edited map below
The Map's Legend
map - Chicago History Museum via WTTW
[a main road north from the Chicago]
by Ray Noesen
published by Edgewater Historical Society in 1999
(other images inserted within the text)
The Green Bay trail began along the lakefront with two alternative routes, each of which gave rise, in the period of European settlement, to an important highway. The first, which is the one more commonly identified with Green Bay Road, started at the north end of the Michigan Boulevard Bridge and ran north along the height of land between the lakeshore and the north branch of the Chicago River. The route led north on Rush Street as far as Chicago Avenue and from there northwesterly for a mile to the intersection of Clark Street and North Avenue. In the earlier life of the city this diagonal path was represented by a road, but modern city building pays little heed to the preservation of Indian trails, and all traces of this diagonal path has long since disappeared. Professor Halsey, an industrious historian of Lake County, recorded in 1860 that he lived at the south end of this diagonal, and it was then and for several years afterward known as the Green Bay Road. Continuing northwest, the old trail kept inland from the lake some distance, coming in sight of it between Chicago and Milwaukee only at Gross Point (now Evanston). It passes Waukegan three miles inland, Kenosha five miles, and Racine about the same distance. In 1831, a post office was established in Chicago and for some time cities for 50 miles around became tributary to Chicago for its postal facilities. It wasn’t until the middle 1830’s that settlers in any numbers began to turn their attention to the wooded area to the north of the city. The primary use of the Green Bay Road during the pioneer days of Chicago was as a mail route between the two forts (Dearborn & Howard in Wisconsin).
illustration - Chicago’s Highway: Old and New
Leaving Green Bay on foot, laden with arms, blankets, and provisions, as well as the mail, the two men traveled the two hundred and fifty miles following the Indian trail leading to Green Bay southeast, passing through dense woods of pine interspersed with cedar swamps and the occasional grove of red oak. Encounters with all kinds of animal life supplied them with food as well a little danger such as the occasional encounter with a wildcat. It can be assumed that given the proximity to the lake of what later became Edgewater, this portion of the area traversed by these two men was primarily prairie land with sand dunes, tall grass, and little in the way of trees except along the river banks. While an abundance of wildlife provided nourishment for the long journey, the real hazards of such a trip were those of the hardships and exposure of wilderness travel. A Canadian half-breed who had frozen his feet while carrying the mail from Green Bay to Chicago became the subject of the first capital surgical operation on record to be performed at Chicago. The incident took place in 1832 and the surgery was conducted by Dr. Elijah Harmon, who has been denominated the “Father of Medicine” in Chicago. The procedure consisted of tying up the man, applying a tourniquet to each lower extremity, and with the aid of rusty instruments, removing one entire foot and a large portion of the other. Though Indians during this time period were generally peaceful, they were liable to avenge upon travelers for harm done to them by some other European, creating another problem for the mail carriers. Improvements in the road by the military, though slow, made travel on Green Bay Road much easier. Read more from the Edgewater Historical Society from the 'title' link above.
Place to Eat & Rest
reference to the word 'West' was to mean Mid-West
in the early 1800's to late 1800's
illustration below - Chicago’s Highway: Old and New
Horse Power or
Steam Power:
the story of Dummy Road (Broadway)
This is a story about what mode of transportation the residents of the township demanded from a privated company who owned tracks in the middle of a public street. This is a battle between public vs private interests, horse vs machine that would be settled by the Illinois Supreme Court.
This section of my blog contains a host of articles of that period; one in particular that a lawyer may have trouble reading/understanding.
This Rufus Blanchard Map of 1869 highlights the tracks of the North Side Rail Company routed along Clark Street, passed the border of Fullerton Avenue (red) into the Township of Lake View from the City of Chicago.
Street names of interest at this time are Clark Street, Lake Shore Plank Road (Dummy Road) (Evanston Avenue) and then finally (Broadway) by 1916
photo - Chicago Transit by David Young
The first car of this steamed powered train was designed for the engine. The engine was enclosed so that it would look like a passenger car, hence the name 'dummy' - something designed to resemble and serve as a substitute for the real or usual thing. Apparently the logic behind it was if the horses saw the engine exhaling smoke and heard a rattling engine coming toward them the horses would get spooked and might jury its rider as it uncontrollable galloped away.
The Articles:
The controversy apparently
begins as early as 1875
Nettelhorst School by the 1870s was named Dummy Road School as a reference to the mode of transportation at this time. Later school would later be renamed Evanston Avenue School until 1916. 
The original building with a vast front yard toward Dummy Road (Broaday)
The township of Lake View opposes a dummy engine train to run along Clark Street in 1879
to the downtown area of Chicago
Illinois Supreme Court Rules
The public over private interests prevail. While the company has the 'right' to run transportation along roadway the company does not have the 'right' to change the method of transportation without township approval
A Request from the Rail Company
to the township for some time to comply
Bees-Hives as Commuters
in 1893
Citizens Organized
in 1893
No Overhead Cables
for Us!!
Slow going in 1895
An editorial
The Fight is Over
by 1897
In 1882 saw the introduction of cable cars in Chicago. Cable cars were much faster than horse cars, capable of speeds of up to 14 mph. The first cable car line was on State Street north of 21st Street. The first electric trolleys were constructed on N Clark Street and Irving Park Road by 1896. The first overhead trolley car went into service in 1890 on 93rd Street between Stony Island & South Chicago Avenue. Electrification cable car routes were complete by 1906.
ent begins in Evanston.
First 30 Years
of Rail Transit
A Newspaper Advertisement
in 1900
from the Chicago Daily Tribune
heading north from the intersection
of Clark and Diversey
apparently on Evanston Avenue
photo - Chicago History Museum via Calumet 412
photo - Chicago History Museum via Calumet 412
The Gripman - Chicago Cable Cars,
Harper’s Weekly 1893 via Calumet 412
Chicago at one time did claim to have the largest streetcar system in the world, with a fleet of over 3,200 passenger cars and over 1,000 miles of track – a claim backed up in several sources we found. It all started in 1859 with a horse-drawn car running along a single rail track down State Street. By the 1880s, a handful of different streetcar companies were in operation across the city. Gradually, the horse-drawn lines were replaced with cable cars - so called because they hooked to a constantly moving cable underneath the street. Electric streetcars powered by an overhead trolley line gradually replaced the cable cars.
image - thetrolleydodger
This particular 'Brill' is located 'Limits' carbarn once located on Clark Street
between Dewey Court and Wrightwood Avenue
1910 photo above - Ebay
According to WBEZ, a Chicago streetcar was a two-man operation -“man” is appropriate here, since CSL crews were all male. The motorman was the driver. He operated from a standing position at the front of the car. Since his vehicle was on tracks, he didn’t have to worry about steering.
full page advertisement from the
Chicago Daily News
Fares were collected by the conductor. Passengers entered at the rear doors, paid the conductor, and passed into the car. When everyone was aboard, the conductor signaled the motorman by clanging a bell, and off they’d go. Exit doors were in the front. Car stops were indicated by a white band painted around the black pole that supported the trolley wire. Passengers waited on the curb, then walked into the street to board the car when it stopped. Wide streets, like Western Avenue, had safety islands located in the street next to the track. In 1914, the streetcar companies unified under a new name: Chicago Surface Lines. A nickel would get you a ride to just about anywhere in the city. The advent of affordable automobiles in the 1920's caused streetcar ridership to decline – but streetcar operators weren’t going to just give up. In 1929 they formed the Presidents’ Conference Committee, or PCC, which determined that the way to stop the decline in ridership was to make streetcars as fast, smooth, convenient and comfortable as the family car.
Chicago was chosen as the 'guinea pig' city to test two experimental designs. The winning design became known as the PCC car and was used in cities all over the country. Chicago ordered 600 of them in 1945 and 1946. Here they were nicknamed Green Hornet streetcars because of their speed and the Chicago Surface Lines’ green paint job.
At almost the same time the Chicago Surface Lines and the ‘L’ were consolidated as the CTA – and the CTA’s general manager Walter McCarter wasn’t a fan of streetcars and their unsightly web of overhead wires. He oversaw phasing out streetcars in favor of buses starting in 1947, just a year after the Green Hornets went into service. The last Chicago streetcar click-clacked down Vincennes Avenue on June 21, 1958. There are still lasting vestiges of the streetcar system in Chicago. Many of today’s CTA bus routes and route numbers are the same as they were in the days of streetcars. And as for the tracks – a few of the streets had the tracks pulled up, but most were covered with asphalt and are still in the streets under pavement.
In the beginning, the riding public would have to pay a toll to use public transportation much like the tolls currently paid on Illinois and Chicago expressways.
The Construction Work
along the Ravenswood Line
by Racine/between Roscoe & Newport
1906 photos - Chicago History Museum
photo - Chicago History Muesum
Citizen's Complaints of the Ravenswood in 1907
Evidence
of What Had Been
near the corner of Stratford Place
& Broadway in 2009
a 2018 Resurfacing Public Works Project
at Belmont/Sheffield
photo below - Kevin Gaitsch
via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
vintage tracks on Lincoln & Barry
2021 photo - Jarrod Godfrey
A Streetcar
Heading North
postcard - Ebay
location assistance by Susan Reibman Groff
On February 1, 1914, all street railway companies in Chicago were unified under one management and became known as the Chicago Surface Lines. Prior to that date service was provided by the following private companies: Chicago Railways Co., Chicago City Railway Co., Calumet & South Chicago River Co., Southern Street Rv. Co., and Chicago and Western River Company. Motor bus service began in Chicago on August 11, 1927 when the first gasoline buses were placed into service on Diversey Avenue. This was followed by the introduction of trolley bus service on April 17, 1930. In 1945, the Chicago Transit Authority was created. On October 1, 1947, the Chicago Transit Authority took over all rapid transit including streetcar & elevated in Chicago.
in 1906
when the tracks are just outside my window
by Garry Albrecht
by Garry Albrecht
This story was published by the Ravenswood-Lake View Historical Association in 2018
First, some more background.
Public transportation in the 19th and early 20th centuries were not owned and operated by local municipalities but by privately owned companies.
One such company was the Northwestern Elevated Railroad. This company was granted a fifty-year lease to build and operated transportation rails and stations for the citizens of Chicago in 1893. The first elevated structure was laid at Fullerton and Sheffield avenues in 1896. The construction and operation of the elevated had a rocky start according to ‘Chicago L. org’. In the winter month of January 1900, the Chicago Public Works claimed the structure unsound and the company had to end operations.
After some apparent negotiations the Northwestern Elevated Company was allowed to begin operations again in May of the same year.
The stations along the elevated tracks that year north of ‘2400 north’ included the Fullerton, Wrightwood, Diversey, Wellington, Belmont, Clark, Addison, Grace, Sheridan, Buena Park and Wilson stations. The City of Chicago approved the Ravenswood line in 1905 and then was extended to Kimball by 1907. By 1908 the elevated reached Howard Street. In 1911 the first (voluntary) consolidation of all privately-owned elevated companies began. By 1947, the Chicago Transportation Authority (CTA), as we know it, was established.
Typically any company’s financial bottom-line is to operate for a profit – the more profits the better while keeping expenses at an operational and acceptable minimum. Companies like the Northwestern Elevated Railroad used city owned alleyways granted to the company to reduce those costs of acquiring private property. Municipalities would allow some latitude on the subject and called the ‘right of way’.
The Buildings to Close to the Tracksverus
Northwestern Elevated Railway Company
by Arlene Nybakken Chase
Arlene Nabakken Chase resided in Lake View along with her grandparents and parents on Barry Avenue. She contacted me though my Facebook page, LakeView Historical a few years ago. She had a story to share about the two buildings that once stood on Lot 20 on what was known as Noble Avenue; a precursor to the name Barry.
In 1899 her grandfather received a letter from the Northwestern Elevated Railway Company; a precursor to what we currently call the Redline. The letter stated that the elevated tracks were to be constructed along an alley on the south side of Noble Avenue and would be routed northward east of the two buildings on lot 20. The building facing the street was leased to a congregation called the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Missions Forsamlingen and the other building located behind the church was the home of her grandparents, Arlene’s parents, and of course her. This type of property style was common in 19th and early 20th century. In order to construct the elevated railway, the buildings need to be altered – the shingles, yes just the shingles of the church needed to be removed because a legal clearance issue with the city. Her granddad had to comply with the request. Simply, it was a building too close the future tracks, a story heard and seen since the elevated tracks were constructed. Anyone can attest to this while zig-zagging on a train car on the Redline.
The entire letter below
a letter segment of the notice
1412 Noble Avenue = 946 Barry Avenue
a closer view of the entrance to the house in the back
the house in the back had enough distance from the tracks
All photos are
from Arlene Nybakken Chase
another page
other deeds of both buildings
all these deeds were required due to the structural change of the buildings and the area east of the buildings (tracks) along with address number and name changes from 1899
zoomed view below
zoomed from above
& Images
Arlene stated that "My father built the archway leading to our house at 946. That long gangway was scary at night, so dark. Dad would send me for the Sunday Tribune which came out on Saturday night, and maybe a bottle of ginger ale from 'the corner store' and he would promise to stand on the porch 'til I returned. Sometimes he'd go inside for a minute and if he wasn't there, I was terrified. Many bad characters hanging around that area at that time. I saw more than one "flasher" hanging around under the El tracks. Momma would say, "Just run away!""
This the 1905 blueprint
that highlights the required adjustments that were needed per her father's letter
zoomed view of the map
It would appear both buildings may have been effected
The alley (new tracks) to the right and the street to the left
*Barry Avenue was once called Noble Avenue*
zoomed further
highlights the 'edge of shingles' that most be removed
a view from her bedroom/east of the elevated
Arlene, the granddaughter of Nels Anderson indicated the sign in the photo above would make her feel hungry when viewed out one of the bedroom windows. Apparently, all generations learned to sleep soundly next the periodical noises of the L until 1947 when the family moved out of Lake View.
All the images minus the edited Sanborn Maps are photos and artifacts that are owned by Arlene Nybakken Chase. I found her story first online and then she offered the rest of her to story to me for this newsletter. She indicated that all the photos in this story may been lost forever if not for her grandmother who retrieved them from a trash can. In 2022 she donated to me countless deeds of the houses.
a view of the elevated tracks from the family's property
The below photo is the entire family hanging out on the porch of their ‘home in back’ – three generations worth
Both Buldings Gone
as of 2009
The Deed Tablet
donated by Arlene Nybakken Chase
to me in 2022
This deed table records the
ownship of the property
from 1834
zoomed below
a record pages for 1886
when Lake View was a township in Cook County
another sample page
zoomed below
another page
X marks lot 20 - their property lot in Block 30
another page
apparently Arlene's relatives owned
lots 18,19,20 at one time
More Deeds
to the Church & House
dated 1887
of 1412 & 1414
(there are many more)
The Mapping Timeline:
1891 Sanborn Fire Map
before the tracks
eight/nine years before the elevated was constructed
Notice the alley on the south side of Noble Avenue was used to route the Northwestern Elevated Railway tracks and how close it was to the church.
1923 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
after the tracks
the tracks is the former alley
notice narrow distance
Vintage Scenes
1925 photo - Northwest of Chicago on Facebook
Intersections of Clark, Broadway,
and Diversey Parkway
Notice the marquee in the middle of photo highlighting Diversey Hotel and Diversey Theater now Versey Hotel and the Century Mall. As a side note, the first motor operated bus in Chicago was used along Diversey Parkway in 1927.
photo above - Chuckman Collection
The intersection of Evanston Avenue (Broadway) to the right Clark Street to the left and Diversey Parkway at the bottom of photo
1905 photo below - Charles R. Childs photographer
photo - Lance Grey via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
Lincoln Avenue south of Wellington/Southport intersection photo - 1930's?
Chicago once had one of the world’s largest streetcar systems, more than 500 miles of line on nearly 100 routes by 1935. Horsecar service began in 1859, and was supplanted in the 1880s by a large network of cable car lines. In the 1890s, electric “trolleys” proved more efficient and the cable cars were replaced by 1906. Beginning in 1914, the various companies holding franchises for different parts of the city operated as a single system known as Chicago Surface Lines. More than 3,700 large red streetcars plied the city’s streets by 1935, and 680 new streamlined green PCC cars began arriving after World War II. The new public agency Chicago Transit Authority took over the streetcar system in 1947 and began to integrate the surface lines with the city’s elevated train network. In the 1950s, CTA decided to phase out streetcars in favor of motor and electric trolley buses, and Chicago’s last streetcar ran in June 1958.
.jpg)
.jpg)
by WBEZ
Transfers Samples
'The Chicago Motor Coach Company was formed in 1923 after a merger of three motorbus carriers, Chicago Motor Bus Co., the Chicago Stage Co., and the Depot Motor Bus Lines.
In 1924, John D. Hertz merged Chicago Motor Coach and the Fifth Avenue Motor Coach Corp. of New York City, creating the Omnibus Corp. In 1952, when it owned nearly 600 buses, Chicago Motor Coach’s operations were taken over by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the city’s public mass-transit enterprise. With fifty in operation the buses will run from three to six minutes apart.
The first bus made the trip downtown in forty minutes. The company proposed to shorten this schedule to twenty-five and thirty minutes. Express and local buses will be a part of the system. The fare was ten cents. At present the buses stop whenever hailed at street intersections. The route was from Devon avenue south on to Sheridan Road through Lincoln Park, the Lake Shore Drive and to Ontario street, to Rush street, to Michigan avenue, to Randolph street, to La Salle street to Adams street, to the terminal at State street. The buses run from 6 o’clock in the morning until 1:30 at night. They are manned by a chauffeur and conductor.'
- Chicagology
1940 map - Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps
zoomed for our area
'Chicagoland Before We Were Born'/Facebook
a #151? heading north and south through Lincoln Park
a 1936 photo of the #146 below
#22 Clark at Clark Street and Sheffield Avenue
all photos - Trolley Dodger
#9 Ashland shuttle car on Addison Street heading east passed Lake View High School
and below
a #22 heading north on Clark Street
The Clark/Halsted
& Barry Intersection
vs
2019 Google Maps
photo - the Trolley Dodger
1940's photo - via Calumet 412 (Trolleydodger?)
Today's current view would be CVS store to the right of the photo and Marshall's dept. store to the left.
Today's current view would be CVS store to the right of the photo and Marshall's dept. store to the left.
1940's? photo - Trolley Dodger via Uptown Update
streetcar heading south on Halsted
& trolley heading south on Clark
and
photo below
via Ronald Jackson/Chicago Streetcar Group
The Broadway/Halsted
Turn-About
2021 Google view below
zoomed view below
The Waveland Avenue
Turn-a-Around
from Broadway to Halsted via Waveland Avenue
photo - dfwu/Ebay
on Waveland from Broadway to Halsted Street
photo - Chuckman Collection
photo - Ebay
below photo via George Snyder
A Then and Now on Halsted
passed Waveland
Forgotten Chicago on Facebook
contributor Art Colletta with the same location
as of 2011 Google Maps
Streetcar #90
heading west on Irving Park Road
photo - CTA 2014 calendar
Grace/Halsted/Broadway
Intersection
a #36 Broadway heading south passed Grace Street as it makes a slight turn to the east on Broadway
1952 photo below - Robert W. Gibson Photo/Electric Railway Historical Society Collection
images - CTA 2015 calendar
below photo - CTA 2018 calendar
The images below are trolley cars called the 'Big Brill'.
Its' route was from the Grace-Halsted terminal (turn-around) to Madison Avenue in the Loop and then to Austin Avenue. The 'Big Brill route' began
in 1910 and ended by 1933.
A total of 683 PPC (Presidents’ Conference Committee) cars were purchased in 1948. Ten years later all but one of the prewar cars had been scrapped, most of the postwar cars had been stripped of parts.
Note: Read the Facebook comments
on the photo below!
photo - Ebay
*Devon Avenue was the northern border
of old Lake View*
The Intersection
of Clark/Broadway/Diversey
1940's photo - Ebay
of Clark/Broadway/Diversey
1940's photo - Ebay
Wellington? and Clark Street in 1946
photo - Chuckman Collection
image - 'Lake View' by Matt Nickerson
and the other side of Southport - Ebay
Irving Park & Sheridan Road in 1947
Gary Karczewski via Original Chicago/Facebook
the view looking north
Irving Park &
Broadway in 1948 
Jim Huffman – Forgotten Chicago on Facebook
from his collection, Ed Frank Jr photos
"Looking west on Irving w/a work truck & Red Car #888
about to take the crossover WB, looking east on Irving at Broadway &
2-PCC's. The Red Car has the CSL emblem on the sides, as does a
PCC. The CTA when they took over, changed the emblems to CTA as the cars
arrived at the Car Barns. There were some routes that converted to bus in 1948,
Montrose was one of them. The Irving east end & cross over, was west of
Broadway. But the tracks continued & connected to Broadway. One of the
earliest routings was NB Evanston (Broadway) to Irving & thence WB. Later
WB to Clark & NB to Evanston, for a while." Note: WB means 'westbound'.
On Irving Park Road #80 along the cemetery between Sheridan Road and Clark Street both streetcars (right) and trolleys (left) in 1954
Irving Park Road east of Broadway
in 1954
#22 Clark Street 'Green Hornet'
in 1957
by the trolleydodger
south of Irving Park Road
a Green Hornet heading north on Clark beyond Addison Street
is Gone!
Clark Street Station & tower
zoomed from above
.jpg)
2016 view from Google Earth
of what remained of the old station platform/tower
at the 'V' juncture
2023 view from Google Earth
zoomed from above
This V-shaped platform was removed so that the curved overpass north of the Belmont Station could replace it.
The Clark Street Station busiest year was 1906, when 944,492 passengers boarded there, making it the Northwestern Elevated's fifth busiest station (surpassed only by Wilson, Belmont, Sheridan and Kinzie, in descending order). But by 1933, Clark slipped to an all-time low, serving only 140,756 passengers.
- Chicago L
above photo - Chicago L. org
Redline (Howard Line) to the right and the Brownline (Ravenswood Line) to the left
(begin at 4:35)
and remnant of the old platform behind it
below 2002 photo - Chicago Tribune
2017 photo - Curbed Chicago
A street view of the area from Clark Street west
Belmont trolly in front of the
once Lake View Savings & Loan
in 1949
A engine powered bus heading into
Belmont Avenue from Wilton Avenue
1955 photo - Growing Up in Chicago-Facebook
the building to the right was razed
for the Belmont Station renovation project years before the Belmont Overpass project
Belmont/Clark heading east
#77 Belmont was converted from trolley bus
to motor bus in 1973
photo - Wm Shapotkin Collection
another look of that intersection - view northwest
- part of my personal collection
Target building to in that space currently
Belmont trolleybus
at Belmont and Halsted
#77 at Belmont & Southport Avenue
in 1968
photo - Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal
postcard below - Chuckman Collection
The Diversey Parkway electric trolley - 1950's
It cost 20 to 25 cents per ride
1951 Motor Coach per Ebay
The #34 Diversey was
introduced June 1924 and then under the CTA became the #134 October 1952,
combined into route in #76 in June 1955 according to Chicago Rail Fan.com. The Motor Coach buses were primarily used on boulavards & parkways
photo - a forgotten source
The #152 trolley bus traveling west on Ashland
next to Lake View High School
photo above - Vintage Chicago History
below sign - Vintage CTA Bus Routes & Signs-Facebook
below sign - Ebay
Clark #22 at Belmont
and Clark Street
Forgotten Chicago-Facebook contributor
photo - Kenneth Josephson probably from the 1940s
above images - Chicago Streetcar Group-Facebook
Now take a ride in Ocober 1956 on the #36 Broadway trolly bus
Clark #22 meets the Broadway #36 heading south
photo - Trolleydodger
The building in the center was a bank
.jpg)
photo - via Trolleydodger
the #22 Clark to the left & the #36 Broadway to the right
Broadway # 36 near Surf Street
photo - Trolleydodger
photos - J.J. Sedelmaier, Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
heading north from Clark Street
to Broadway into Lake View
passing Ricketts Restaurant and Bar
photo - Illinois Digital Archives
From the B&W photo above you can see the sign for it
1957 photo - Trolleydodger.com
below slide - via Kevin Heinlein/Chicago Streetcar Group-FB
Intersection of Clark Street/Diversey Parkway with the
former Parkway Theater to the right
looking south in 1955?
photo - Ebay
via Edward Kwiatkowski 'North Side Chicago'-Facebook
(video)
(video)
6000 series CTA cars near the Sheridan L Station.
The 6000's were used by the CTA from 1950-1992
initially by David Harrison &
copied by Vincent Ecter on Facebook
The 6000's were used by the CTA from 1950-1992
copied by Vincent Ecter on Facebook
1983 photo below - Lou Gerard via Chicago L - Facebook
Belmont Avenue east of the L
1967 photo above - Vanished Chicago-Facebook
1967 photo above - Vanished Chicago-Facebook
Belmont and Southport in 1968
When the Addison and Diversey buses
had a direct route to the Loop in 1969
The Last Day
for the Electric
The last day of electric trolley in Chicago
On June 21, 1958 while most of us were starting another Saturday morning, Green Hornet #7213 completed her final run on the #22 Clark-Wentworth route. She clanged her bell twice and rolled quietly into the CTA barn at Seventy-Seventh-and-Vincennes, never to be seen again. The age of the electric trolley, let alone the streetcar had ended.
- Every Block Chicago
Last run for the Broadway Clark
My thanks to Timothy M. Szarzynski contributor to
Forgotten Chicago on Facebook for this snapshot
The Green Limousine
The #80 Irving Park bus
by the post office west of Clark Street
photo - 'Vintage CTA Bus Routes & Signs'-Facebook
The #151 Addison bus
west of Sheffield
1960's - photo Ebay
The #36 Broadway
heading south passed the original Broadway Methodist
Church to Buckingham Place 1970's photo - Dennis Linsky via Forgotten
Chicago-Facebook
Bus Routes
historical routes from Chicago Railfan
New Route in 2024
route in black discontinued by Graceland Cemetery
a shorter route by 2019
74 Fullerton*
Before the annexation of 1889 the City of Lake View
and the City of Chicago shared this street
76 Diversey
77 Belmont
78 Montrose
80 Irving Park
134 Stockton/LaSalle Express
135 Lake Shore Drive Express
146 Lake Shore Drive Express
148 Clarendon/Michigan Express
151 Sheridan
Before the annexation of 1889 the City of Lake View
and the City of Chicago shared this street
image - Chicago Motor Coach Company by John F Doyle
The Struggle to Reinstate
the #11 Lincoln
photo - Ebay
now part of collection
image above - CTA
vs the new route
This bus service ended in 2012 due to reshuffling of CTA resources but after some political battles and with the alderman's full support temporary service returned in 2016
November 2015
postcard below is from my personal collection
145 Lake Shore Drive Express*
discontinued in 2012
discontinued in 2012
1933 Transportation Map
part of my personal collection
a zoomed view of the above map
Lincoln Park landfilled to Foster Avenue
detailed routes
that included a route for Riverview
part of my personal collection
a zoomed view of the above map
Lincoln Park landfilled to Foster Avenue
detailed routes
within Lake View
selected photos
rolling out the signs in 1954
photo above - CTA web via TimeOut Chicago
The Red (Howard) Line
within the Community of Lake View:
Belmont Station
metal sign
Michael Steigerwald via Chicago Rapid Transit-Facebook
What "A" and "B" service is:In the "A" and "B' plan of express service
successive trains are alternately "A" trains and "B"
trains. Less important stations on the route are designated alternately from
the end of a route as "A" stations or as "B" stations. More
important stations are designated as "all-stop" stations.
"A" stations are served by "A" trains, "B"
stations are served by "B" trains and "all-stop" stations
are served by "A" and "B" trains. The "A" trains
skip one group of stops while the "B" trains skip an alternate group.
All are expresses and there are no locals. Read more about it with this link.
1907 photo - Wikipedia
1930's photos below
J.J. Sedelmaier via Forgotten Chicago on Facebook
photo - CTA calendar
Leaving the Belmont Station 1950's
on Roscoe view east towards Sheffield
information of this 1960's photo provided by the friends of LakeView Historical-Facebook
1960's photo & text - CTA 2018 calendar
1960 photo - CTA RPM/Facebook
Feburary 1962 photo - Ebay
A North Shore train arriving in 1962
slide - Ebay
postcard - Ebay
text zoomed below
1964 - Forgotten Chicago on Facebook
GE Reports photo
via Jeff Nichols-Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
with an advertisement that highlights Lake View's Curtiss Candies on the platform via David Zornig and a local dealership
via George Kelly Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
another 1964 view with a watermark - Ebay
via Jeff Nichols-Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
with an advertisement that highlights Lake View's Curtiss Candies on the platform via David Zornig and a local dealership
via George Kelly Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
southbound train with the Clark Street Junction in the background
photo - bcoolidge.com 1968 via Marc Gelfond
1968 photo - William Shapotkin via Chicago L-Facebook
view south 1969 - Calumet 412
another view south 1969 - Ebay
Heading toward the platform 1969 - Ebay
late 50's or early 60's photo
via Steve Fields, Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
heading north just beyond Clark Street Junction with the Belmont Station in the distance in 1968
photo via Marty Bernard, Chicago L-Facebook
photographed by Roger Puta
and a snowy day in 1969 view south
Rose Daniella Marie via Original Chicago-Facebook
Lou Gerard Chicago L-Facebook in 1970
this train car was called a 'motor car'
via Steve Fields, Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
photo via Marty Bernard, Chicago L-Facebook
photographed by Roger Puta
and a snowy day in 1969 view south
this train car was called a 'motor car'
1975 - Chuckman Collection
The Pedestrian Bridge Views
with a zoomed view of the sign
part is his personal collection hanging on his wall
Photos above from a blog called 'New Daves Real'
1968 photo - Mike Tuggle Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
1973 photo - Lou Gerard via Chicago L-Facebook
1977 photo - Frank Florianz Chicago L via Facebook 
1978 Chuckman Collection1978 slide below - Ebay
1978 photo via Ebay
Ravenswood (Brown) train at station - 1979 Calumet 412
1979 press photo - Ebay
1979 photo - Authur Lazar Photography
Mike Tuggle - CTA 6000 series 1980's
a Ravenswood train heading north in 1983 - Ebay
film plate photo above - Peter Ehlich
heading south to the station in 1986
View from the
Belmont Station platform
.gif)
View east from platform - 2000
University of Illinois at Chicago, City 2000
zoomed out view
a pre-1992 photo from
University of Illinois-Urbana/Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago, City 2000
zoomed out view
University of Illinois at Chicago, City 2000
zoomed view
University of Illinois at Chicago, City 2000
zoomed out view
University of Illinois-Urbana/Chicago
zoomed out view
zoomed view
to the other side of the tracks
UIC photo via Explore Chicago Collection
2001 photo - 'Chicago-L'
2004 photo view north - Chicago Trip
photo above - Yo Chicago - before the station renovation
Rehab Planned
in 2006
The original station saved & moved
across the street in 1989
on the platform in 2000
photo - UIC via Explore Chicago Collection
2010 photo - Tom Tunney-Facebook
renovated station - David Lee Csicsko
2010 photo - Tom Tunney-Facebook
2013 photo below - Streetsblog Chicago
The Belmont Station Overpass
Planned in 2014
This idea was not new!
New York City planners had this idea in 1879
texton the photo below - Marty Bernard
Chicago Transit Authority northbound Ravenswood train crossing over at Clark Junction and Tower and blocking all four tracks. This does not occur anymore due to the new flyover. The old tower is gone also and the new tower is on the right of the four tracks closer to my camera. The shot is from the now gone bridge over the tracks at the Belmont Station on thr frosty morning of December. 14, 1972
(video)
'As part of the first phase of the Red and Purple
Modernization (RPM) Program, CTA has begun construction of the Red-Purple
Bypass north of the Belmont Station to eliminate a bottleneck that prevents CTA
from adding more trains. Currently there is a flat rail intersection, and all
northbound Brown Line trains cross over the four tracks used by northbound and
southbound Red and Purple line trains. This outdated track configuration dates
back to 1907 and results in inefficient train operations that constrain the
CTA’s ability to add train service.' - CTA
a RPM banner along Belmont
& west of Wilton Avenue
photo - Garry Albrecht
The Before
& The After
The CTA would email me alerts
on the construction phases
and virtual meetings such as the one in 2018
Roscoe & Clark Area
pre-construction
photos - Library of Congress
Roscoe and Sheffield view north
Early Construction Photos
by Central Lake View Neighbors Association
near Clark/Roscoe toward School Street
photo above - Trolleydodger
Wilton toward Clark /Roscoe
pass the watch tower on School Street
The Walsh Group - Fluor Corporation installed this 84-foot steel beam across four Red and Purple Line tracks. The beam will support the new Red-Purple Bypass near Belmont, which will improve
Chicago Transit Authority service by carrying Kimball-bound Brown Line trains over Red and Purple Line tracks, eliminating a chronic train traffic bottleneck.
photos below - Chicago Cityscape
view south toward Belmont Station
below view north from Belmont Station
the support beam
photos below - Trolley Dodger
below the tracks is Sheffield/Roscoe
to the left of photo is Clark Street
just north of Roscoe Street
we now heading south toward the School Street tower
(to the right of photo) with Clark Street to the left of photo toward Belmont Station
Aerial Views
May 2021
Wrigley Aerials via Twitter
another angle - north/south
A Belmont Plaza?
'Based on an informal review of responses from the Lake View meeting, neighbors gravitated toward a few specific concepts: adding affordable and diverse housing, retaining historical buildings and creating pedestrian friendly streetscapes with traditional architecture and small businesses. Neighbors wrote that a plaza on Belmont Avenue would "serve as [the] heart of Belmont strip" and become a gathering place for events like farmers markets or the Belmont-Sheffield Music Festival. One possible area for such development is the patch of gravel to the east of the Belmont "L" station, left abandoned and poorly maintained, neighbors have said over the years.' - DNAinfo
The 16 dark green properties include buildings that
will be displaced according to the CTA
photos - DNAinfo
DNAinfo reports that the several year project includes plans to rebuild the 100-year-old embankment that supports the track between Lawrence and Bryn Mawr avenues, making it possible for six to eight more trains per hour to travel from Howard to 95th streets on the Red Line.
The Building Demolition
Begins in 2018
According to Preservation Chicago 'Buildings slated for demolition include five buildings on the west side of Wilton Avenue, between 3240 and 3252 N Wilton Avenue, four on Clark Street, including 3334-3344, 3346-3348, 3366 and 3401-3407 N Clark Street, plus 947 W. Roscoe Street. Scheduled for fall demolition are four more buildings on Clark, including 3328, 3413, 3415-3419 and 3421 N. Clark Street.'
from the CTA via Triangle Neighborhoods Association
Demolition Targets
Along Clark Street
photos from Google Maps
After removing this angular building they discovered ...
A Ghost Sign
Google Map views below
Chicagology called this coffee store
the Starbucks of its day
2018 below photo - Laura Radtke
a 1927 advertisement below
ad images - Chicago Public Library
above 2018 photo - Chicagology
below 2019 demo photo - Dasson Wallace
below 2019 demo photo - Dasson Wallace
Moving a Building
located in
Chicago's Historical Newport District
moving it 35 feet toward Clark Street
away from the tracks
Permit Issued in December 2020
2019 Google photos
view southwest on Newport
view east on Newport
view northeast from Clark Street
and below an east view from the
corner of Clark & Newport
Space between the building
and the tracks by 2023
here is a few below
The Initial Steps
photos by CTA RPM-Facebook
Digging Down & Slowly Moving
Photos from Carter O'Brien
2019 vs 2021
Sound Barrier Installation
in 2023
This Phase
is Done!!
Enters its Final Phase
by October 2023
Nearing the
End of the this Segment
2023
Original Chicago/Facebook/gerriwhitley IG
Filling it in
Impacts Alerts
Still Continue
some samples
most alley and sidewalk repair
(click on link)
October 2024 - January 2025
Mostly Street & Alley Restoration
948-956 W Newport Ave,
3433-3457 N Sheffield Ave,
947-957 W Cornelia Ave
Almost Done!!
but Addison Station closed til the
Cub Opener 2025
Final Stages
Notification
January 2025
2025 photo - CTA
view north toward Belmont Overpass
An Overall View
zoomed from above
The Pigeon Poop
the Cubs Fans Station
above image - Ebay
The A/B System
- increases train speeds, thus making the service more attractive for passengers. This benefit is extended to passengers on all portions of the routes
- provides service frequency somewhat proportioned to riding demand by giving the more heavily patronized local-stop stations more frequent train service than relatively lightly used "A" and "B" stations, permits fine adjustment of headways without the handicap of severely unbalancing loading between trains as is the case with more conventional local-and-express service, and
- reduces car requirements, manpower requirements and operating costs compared to all-local or local-express plans.
Addison Station from Wilton Avenue 1929
photo - Chicago History Musuem
This station from 1949 - mid 1990's was a B station that allowed A trains to bypass it to the next A designated station
Lake View's Addison Station - 1989
reconstructed by 1994
a transit poster advertising the station and its relationship with Wrigley Field and the Chicago Bears in 1929
unknown date
1966 photo - Jeffery Lindmark via Chicago L -Facebook
1974 photo - William Shapokin via Chicago L -Facebook
via Billy Kapp, Chicagopedia-Facebook
the photographer was Billy's father - late 1960's
2016 photo - Garry Albrecht
photo - Wikipedia
still ground zero of public transit for the games
2015 photo - CTA
below photo Christopher Rinker via Chicago L-Facebook
a vintage train taking fans to the 2016 World Series
*was a transfer station*
It was a switching tower & passenger platform
at Clark Street just south of Roscoe
According to Chicago L.org the CTA established massive changes to the north-south Howard route in 1949, three years after the establishment of the Chicago Transit Authority - the replacement to the Chicago Rapid Transit System
1972 by Marty Bernard, Chicago Rapid Transit,
Chicago Transit Authority, Elevated Trains Group
William Shapotkin Collection via Chicago L-Facebook
The concept of "local" stations, of which Clark's much like the Grace Station low usage was only suited, was not a part of the A/B skip stop concept and the station was closed, serving only 357,348 in its last year of operation. - Chicago L.org
a 1923 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map 
Grace Street Station survived the CTA's 1947 takeover, but was one of 23 stations that closed along the North-South Route service revision in August 1, 1949. The concept of "local" stations, of which Grace's low usage was only suited, was not a part of the A/B skip stop concept so this the station was closed. - Chicago L.org
unknown date
2019 photo - Garry AlbrechtThis is the intersection where the Sheridan Road is routed from west to north. The station is a block away.
(south is Sheffield Avenue and west is Byron)
1902 photo - Jeff Nichols via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
When the North Shore Line was routed
along the old Howard Line (Redline)
unknown date photo - Scott Greig via Chicago L-Facebook
train passes the station in 1955 
1973 photo - Lou Gerard via Chicago L-Facebook
1973 photo - Lou Gerard via Chicago L-Facebook
1973 photo - Lou Gerard via Chicago L-Facebook
1973 photo - Lou Gerard via Chicago L-Facebook both photos above are of the Evanston Express
1975 photo - UIC via Explore Chicago Collection
1975 photo - UIC via Explore Chicago Collectionview north on Sheridan Road and Sheridan Road
1950-59 photo above - Ebay
Heading north with no New York building in the distance
1978 by Marty Bernard Chicago Rapid Transit,
Chicago Transit Authority, Elevated Trains Group
1980 photo - Dale Wickum via Forgotten Chicago-FacebookSteve McQueen on the Curve
1980 photo - Dale Wickum via Forgotten Chicago-FacebookSteve McQueen on the Curve
taking the turn from the station above Byron Street
Dale Wickum via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook 1983
It has really not changed one bit!
photo - flickerhivemind
2016 photos - Raymond Kunst Fine Art Photography
It has really not changed one bit!
the original stairs still used 2016
photo abover - via John J Kulidas 1966 photographer Bill LIvings
Lou Gerad via Chicago L-Facebook in 2016 World Series
with the New York skyscraper in the distance
photo - Flickr Hive Mind
photo - Flickr Hive Mind
In later years, an enclosed concession space was added in the unpaid area of the interior along the north wall. Over the years, Sheridan has remained somewhat historically intact, with its original floors, wood moldings, and decorative ticket booth. Other features, however, such as the original exterior gloved lights and some ornamentation has been lost. The terrazzo floor has also become deteriorated over the decades due to flooding from busted pipes.
2012 The Sheridan Station renovation has been scheduled as part of a $1 billion overhaul that includes federal, state and local funding sources for the Red Line from its northern end on Howard to the 95th Street station. Still waiting as of 2021.
The Brown (Ravenswood) Line
photo - Travis DeWit website
Raymond Kunst - Fine Art Photography
*one of the last non-rehabbed stations a/o 202*1
*one of the last non-rehabbed stations a/o 202*1
Photography by Chris Cullen 2020
Under the Tracksphotography by Raymond Kunst
under the Sheridan L
within the Community
of Lake View
1906 photo - Chicago History Museum
via Explore Chicago Collection
Newport Avenue
1906 photo - Chicago History Museum
via Explore Chicago Collection
the old Ravenswood L near Lincoln &
1906 photo - Chicago History Museum
via Explore Chicago Collection
Newport Avenue
1906 photo - Chicago History Museum
via Explore Chicago Collection
1906 photo - Chicago History Museum
via Explore Chicago Collection
images - J.J. Sedelmaier
and
interior view of a Ravenswood car
1957 photo - Chuckman Collection
Making the split from Belmont Station - 1950's?
The Diversey 'headhouse' was one of several stations built from a design by William Gibb. The station was constructed entirely of brick with terra-cotta trim, the Classical Revival design was inspired by the work of the great 16th century Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. The bold modeling of the details, especially the columns and segmented arched windows, is characteristic of Italianate work of the late 19th century. - Chicago L. org
photo - Nia Architects
view east of platform
University of Illinois-Chicago, City 2000
Photos below from Amanda Martinez
via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
more information
Photos below from Amanda Martinez
via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
Preservation of the interior as of 2017
photo as of 1970
Wellington station opened on May 31, 1900 as part of the original stretch of the Northwestern Elevated. The station-house was one of several stations built designed by William Gibb on what is now the Brown Line. Constructed entirely of brick with terra-cotta trim, the Classical Revival Design was inspired by the work of the great 16th century Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio.
- Chicago L.org
slide/photo - Ebay
heading north leaving the Wellington Station in 1968
photo via Marty Bernard, Chicago L-Facebook
both photos photographed by Roger Puta
both photos photographed by Roger Puta
The 1978 photo shows the B train to Jackson Park
& another B train to Ravenswood.
and below
and below
2000 photo - University of Illinois-Chicago;
City 2000
The Renovation
after passing the Belmont Station Overpass
pre 2007 photos below
photo - Nile Guide
unknown date
pre 2007 photo - mark2400 via flickr
late 1990's photo - Eric E. Breese
from LakeView Historical-Facebook
According to Eric Breese the following business along Southport Avenue were the following, "The business on the left from Newport headed south to Roscoe are: Brandt-Beach Realty, Viennese Cafe Haus Brandt, The Red Tomato, CTA Southport Station, and Southport Mini Mart (a laundromat)."
2014 view from platform
under tracks toward station
photo - Lauren Sease Martinez via Pinterest
2008 photo below
with a zoomed view below of the signage
1961 photo - David Harrison via Chicago L-Facebook
Lincoln, Roscoe, Paulina intersection
1987 photo - Robert Krueger, Chicago Public Library
via Explore Chicago Collections
Paulina Station House
1987 photo - Robert Krueger, Chicago Public Library
via Explore Chicago Collections
The original Paulina Station House
photo - Mark Levin via LakeView Historical-Facebook
The yellow circle indicates its P for Paulina
William Shapotkin via Chicago L-Facebook 1994
view south from platform toward Lincoln Avenue
2018 photo - Garry Albrecht
This station now has its own Facebook presence!
In 2009 a new station house was built across the street from the site of the old stationhouse
an express from the Loop to City of Evanston
on this line in the Community Lake View
An Old Power Station
Converted
The Newport Avenue Sub-Station
once for the electric streetcars & trolleys
once for the electric streetcars & trolleys
photo - William Vandervoort,
contributor to Forgotten Chicago on Facebook
1950 Sanborn Fire Insureance Map
A power station supplied electricity to the rails of old Lake View streetcars & trolleys is still located at 1044 Newport Avenue. This old sub-station as of 2015 will be part of planned development per Chicago Real Estate Daily.
the newer look below - DNAinfo
views from Zillow below
The two RR tracks
that Cut though Lake View:
that Cut though Lake View:
The Evanston Division of
Chicago, Milwaukee &
St. Paul Railroad
(originally called Evanston, Chicago &
Lake Superior)
four years after Lake View was established as a township but before the township was incorporated.
The Chicago, Evanston &
Lake Superior Railroad merged with the Chicago & Evanston Railroad and by 1885 to become the
The Evanston branch of this RR were mostly used for the transportation of freight; short distances within the Chicagoland area as early as 1885 that was once routed through the Township/City of Lake View; after annexation from the City of Chicago to the Township/City of Evanston.
image - 'Lake View' by Matt Nickerson
Let's begin this journey from Irving Park Road that separates the neighborhoods of Uptown with Lake View to the former border of Fullerton Avenue that once separated the Township/City of Lake View with the City of Chicago. The Sanborn Fire Maps presented in this section are from 1887even though the
Chicago & Evanston RR tracks date back to 1885 when Lake View was a township. Viewing a 1887 map of the township of Lake View very little development was indicated; by 1950 a number of companies were established on either side of the tracks.
1887 Rascher's Atlas Map
in Sections:
Graceland (Irving Park Road) to Addison Street
sheet 20
Addison Street to just
south of Roscoe Street
sheet 18
The railroad takes a curve westward
Addison Street to Belmont
sheet 17The railroad continues its curve westward
sheet 7
The railroad begins to straighten out south of Belmont Avenue along Herndon (Lakewood Avenue)
sheet 5
zoomed section views from above
railroad continues south along Herndon (Lakewood Avenue) with a curve westward to Fullerton Avenue
with an apparent future extension westward toward
Southport Avenue
”Chicago is the most important railroad center in North America. More lines of track radiate in more directions from Chicago than from any other city. Chicago has long been the most important interchange point for freight traffic between the nation's major railroads.”
- Encyclopedia of Chicago
One such railroad was the Chicago, Milwaukee,
St. Paul & Pacific Railroad Company - Evanston Division that had its beginnings in 1872 fifteen years after the establishment of Lake View in 1857.
The CM&P delivered mostly freight to and from Chicago manufacturers that once included Lake View. Lake View in the 19th and mid-20th centuries was referred to as a blue collar manufacturing area that included coal yards, metal works, lumber yards, greenhouses and a well-known Chicago brewery as well as candy companies. The railway apparently allowed commuter traffic? at the end of the 19th century on later maps that show stations on Fullerton Avenue & Addison Street.
A Summary of RR's Demise
in Lake View
image - Flickr
We Begin our Journey at
Irving Park Road Southward
to Byron Street
(follow the blue line)
From Byron Street
to just south of Grace Street
From just south of Grace Street
to Wellington Avenue along Seminary Avenue
From Waveland to
Addison Street along once was Seminary Avenue just west of Wrigley Field
now part of Gallagher Way
Gallagher Way was once Gate K parking
the gate toward at the corner of Clark & Addison
- view northeast from Clark Street
unknown year photo - from Railroads Chicago Style
unknown year photo - from Railroads Chicago Style
A Railway Issue
By Ray Gibson and Gary Washburn
and Tribune staff reporters
August 02, 2001
Documents show that 103 years ago on Aug. 5, 1918 the [Chicago] City Council voted to open up Seminary between Addison Street and Waveland Avenue.Coincidentally, those old council minutes also indicate that the city was had a problem with railroads encroaching on public streets and alleys. The council's Committee on Local Industries was directed to investigate and, separately, the corporation counsel was ordered "to institute such legal proceedings as he may deem necessary" against one offending rail company.
As part of the Wrigley investigation, officials unearthed an 1882 agreement between the [township] and the Chicago, Evanston, & Lake Superior Railroad, allowing the company to lay tracks in the Lake View [Lake View was an independent township in 1882] near the future ballpark site, said Jennifer Hoyle, a Law Department spokeswoman. (The ballpark was to become Weeghman Park aka Wrigley Field in 1914.)
1887 Rascher's Atlas Map sectional
Through a turn-of-the-century acquisition, the Chicago, Evanston & Lake Superior became part of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, the rail company that sold the land just west of Wrigley Field to Chicago Tribune Company. Hoyle acknowledged that the city is "convinced that Tribune purchased from the railroad and the railroad purchased it from a private party" at some point in history. But that does not mean that anyone had the right to sell what may have been public land, she said.
In 1976, city records show that the Chicago, Milwaukee railroad informed the city it was giving up its interest in a portion of Seminary, just north of Wrigley, but it is not clear whether the railroad had an easement permitting its tracks to be in the street or whether it owned the land, Hoyle said. Records sometimes provide conflicting information, and the city has decided to bring in expert assistance--possibly Chicago Title and Trust Co., a private title insurance company whose records predate the 1871 Chicago Fire to try to get to the bottom of the question of who is the rightful owner of the land next to the ballpark.
When information gaps appear in the Cook County recorder of deeds office, "then we look at Chicago Title and try to fill in the gaps," said Dennis Kasper, executive vice president of Near North National Title Company. Kasper said there is no guarantee the answer to the mystery can be resolved through land records. "Who knows what could have happened 50, 60, 80, 100 years ago," he said. "We have seen a lot of odd, crazy things. But they are the exception rather than the rule."
Addison Street
to Cornelia Avenue
Cornelia Avenue
to Roscoe Street
the curve of the tracks continue to Belmont and then straighten out along Lakewood Avenue
a current Google Map view
view south on Eddy Avenue
and below view north on Eddy Avenue
Some Interesting Photos of What Was
and How the RR Sliced through
this Section of Lake View
a Google Earth view with my edited markings of the RR route from Racine to Wrigley Field - Addison/Clark streets and the XX's mark below confirms the validity of the photo above
early views below
above image - 'Lake View' by Matt Nickerson
a zoomed view of the Corridor Map from above
to Belmont Avenue
From Belmont Avenue southward the tracks begin to straighten out down along Lakewood Avenue
2013 photo - Garry Albrecht
photo - Chicago Public Library
a 1946 view of a train car on Lakewood at north of Belmont Avenue1985 photo below - Tom Burke
Google Map edited view of the tracks crossing Belmont Avenue and continuing
along Lakewood Avenue
and below a 2019 Google view
of the same intersection
a 1986 view of the same intersection
(the blue building on the left was once red)
Traffic on Belmont Avenue
and Lakewood Avenue - view west
to Barry Avenue
Best Brewing Company
was along this route on Fletcher Avenue
photo - Layman Guide to Beer
1887 Rascher's Atlas
photo - Garry Albrecht
photo - Garry Albrecht
The Best Brewing Company of Chicago was located along the CM&P so to economically transport their product to market. The building was originally owned by breweries Klockgeter & Company in 1885 and then Kagebein & Folstaff one year later. The buildings occupants were many but all related to brewing beer. Their beer products of this company were the ‘Hapsburg Bock’ (1933 – 1962), ‘Hapsburg Beer’ (1933 - 1962), and ‘Best Ale’ (1937 – 1962). Currently, the building is listed in the National Register of Historical Places in 1987 and used for residential space. Most of the buildings of the former manufacturing area are physically gone but not completely forgotten thanks to Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps (like type of Google maps of its day) that were created in the 19th century for property insurance, fire protection, and street & sanitation concerns.
Barry Avenue
to Wellington Avenue
*Lakewood has a tree
and shrub barrier at this point*
2014 photo below - Garry Albrecht
south of Barry Avenue
2014 photos - Garry Albrecht
View north of the tree island barrier in
on Barry Avenue
a 2016 winter view
The crumbling of the street is due to the covering of the metal tracks - view south on Barry Avenue 
a 1979 view below
of a train crossing Barry Avenue
frieght train heading south on Lakewood at Barry
Imagine a tanker running down your street!!
1980 vs 2018 on Lakewood at Wellington
From Wellington
to George Street
a straight line down Lakewood toward Lincoln Avenue
From George Street
to Diversey Parkway
Tracks begin to disappear as 2012
- view north and south on Diversey Parkway
2014 photos - Garry Albrecht
south vs north
on Lakewood at Diversey
from Diversey Parkway
to Schubert Avenue
from Schubert Avenue
to Wrightwood Avenue
From Wrightwood Avenue
to Altgeld Avenue
from Altgeld Avenue
to Fullerton Avenue
A Replica of the RR
still remains in a street sign
RR sign memory - two views of it
2020 Google view above
a 2019 view south on Lakewood Avenue
more about the Evanston Division that linked downtown Chicago with the Township of Evanston that once sliced geographical through old Lake View.
Below is a excerpt from a article about the
'Lakewood Corridor' in
The Reader
by Philip Berger in 2020
The Commuter Stations of
Evanston Division
once called the Chicago, Evanston & Lake Superior Railroad per this 1887 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
a 2024 Google view of the location
zoomed from above
A 2024 Google view of the location
1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
zoomed from above
zoomed from above
a 2022 Google Map view
1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
a 2021 Google Map view
1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
zoomed from above
a 2018 Google Map view of Seminary Avenue 
1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
zoomed from above
zoomed view below
.jpg)
a 2019 Google Map view of Buena Avenue
'From 1885 to 1908, the Milwaukee Road operated commuter trains between Chicago and Evanston. In 1908 this operation was replaced by elevated trains, which evolved into the CTA's Red Line and Purple Line. The line north of Wilson Aveune was elevated and upgraded to today's rapid transit line. While between downtown Chicago and Wilson Aveune, commuter trains operated until 1917. That commuter line was subsequently downgraded and eventually abandoned.'
Fullerton Ave. - a station building existed on the north side of Fullerton Avenue near Lakewood Avenue, on the east side of the tracks.
1887 Rascher's Atlas
zoomed from above
By 1923 the commuter station area
became a gas station
Lincoln Ave. - a station building existed a short distance south of the intersection of Lincoln Avenue, George Street, and Lakewood Avenue on the
east side of the tracks.
1887 Rascher's Atlas
zoomed from above
1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
By 1923 the commuter station became stores
and on the other side on Lakewood (Herndon) Avenue
Belmont Ave. - a station building existed on the north side of Belmont Avenue near Lakewood Avenue, on the east side of the tracks.
1887 Rascher's Atlas
zoomed from above
In 1923 the comuter station became a vacant area
Addison St. - a station building existed on the south side of Addison Street west of Clark Street, on the east side of the tracks. Immediately north of there, the railroad passed what would be the
west side of Wrigley Field.
1887 Rascher's Atlas
zoomed from above
By 1923 the commuter station became a loft
now a beer garden area for the Cubbie Bear
Verona - a station building existed on the north side of Byron Avenue at Seminary Avenue, on the east side of the tracks.
1887 Rascher's Atlas
By 1923 the commuter station was gone from the map
at Byron Street. West of Seminary is park space and west of the park space is Graceland Cemetery.
Graceland/Buena Park - a station house existed at Buena Avenue & just west of Kenmore Avenue before its demolition some time after 1950??
1887 Rascher's Atlas
a view of the station as of 1923
According to a 1923 map above the building housed office space for Graceland Cemetery. The building at the time of this photo appears to be abandon.
.jpg)
The area was converted into a rail yard by the 1940s
per Chicago L.com
The CTA station to the left and the Graceland Cemetery apparently to the right of this photo.
The station and the Graceland Cemetery office space building was still part of the landscape in 1950 per this
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map.
towards the circular park area, currently called the Buena Circle Park
1050 W Buena Avenue
a 2019 Google Map view of the location of the former station and office space area near the tracks
Not To Be
Forgotten
2025
.jpg)
Other Types
of Transportation:
The Bikes &
the Automobile
Lake View's Own
Mr. Pitkins lived in the East Ravenswood community of Lake View. The back of the image above was signed by the daughter of grand-dad of Lake View Township, Conrad Sulzer. According the publication Hidden History of Ravenswood & Lake View by Patrick Butler there was another resident of the District of Lake View who shared Mr. Pitkins adventures. There was William Adams, a Roscoe Street resident, who tested his invented contraption along the only paved roads - Marshfield Avenue between Lincoln and Addison. He apparently "dropped out of sight forever" sometime in 1902. Two years later a Chicago based company called Rand McNally would produce the first vehicle map for the driving public."In 1904, Rand McNally produced what is generally agreed to be the first road map intended for the ''automobilist,'' adapted from bicycling maps." The earliest motorists navigated by using bicycle touring maps that were drawn up by organizations like the League of American Wheelmen. ''The same roads that would have been suitable for bicyclists were also suitable for automobiles because they were almost as fragile,'' said James Akerman, a pre-eminent road map historian and the director of the Hermon Dunlap Smith Center for the History of Cartography at the Newberry Library. ''The first cars were a lot like bicycling mechanisms with a motor on them.'' To make navigating easier on a road system where signs were almost nonexistent, Rand McNally came up with a ''photo-auto guide'' in 1907. The guides were a series of photographs of intersections or landmarks like a big tree or a barn, with text along the lines of ''turn left here.'' The first one was put together by Andrew McNally II, the founder's grandson, and shows the route he took on his honeymoon from Chicago to Milwaukee.'
'First Came the Car. Then the Wrong Turn' Voila: The Map. Newman, Andy. New York Times, Late Edition (East Coast) [New York, N.Y] 11 Oct 2000
The Bicycle:
The 2 Wheel Transport
Cycling began with a few & hardy souls in the 1870's but within twenty years Chicagoans of all ages and both sexes were indulging in a heady love affair with the bicycle. By the 1890's, the "wheel" had become a means of both recreation and transportation for almost everyone with enough balance to stay on and enough strength to push the pedals. The entire city, it seemed, was caught up in the cycling craze. In fact, for Chicago the golden age of cycling begun. In 1895, the normally reserved New York Times ranked the discovery and development of the bicycle as "of more importance to mankind than all the victories and defeats of Napoleon," In April of that same year, a writer for Harper's Weekly estimated that four hundred thousand bicycles had been manufactured since the first of January and predicted that production would continue to soar.
had a clubhouse at 401- 403 (2224 post 1909 address)
Orchard Street in Lincoln Park.
Their initial meet-up was at the Payne residence on the southeast corner of Addison Street and
Evanston Avenue (Broadway)
The Ravenswood's 
1905 photo - Chicago History Museum
BACK TO
Biking Along Graceland West Neighborhood
The below photo is Stewart Reed Brown on his bicycle. Brown was a member of Lake View Cycling Club racing team and editor of the club’s magazine called Dash
The Cycling Club
by 1896
The Consolidation of Two Clubs in 1897
The Consolidation of
The Club Ground location
was on Barry Avenue
below is a 1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
of the location of their club house
Wheelman
1895 photo - Northside Collection via Sulzer Regional Library
A Local Manufacturer,
St. Nicholas Manufacturing Company
known for its cycling racesSt. Nicholas Manufacturing Company
District of Lake View
1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
of the location
zoomed & rotated from above
(my Facebook album)
BACK TO
THE FUTURE
for the City of Chicago in 2015
Bike Sharing
photo - Pine Grove south of Addison Avenue
NIMBY on Pine Grove 2013
not everyone was happy with it!!
The Divvy Stations in Lake View
are/were as follows:
Sheridan Red Line
Grace/Sheffield
Grace/Racine/Clark
Grace/Southport
Grace/Ashland
Waveland/Southport
Waveland/Halsted
Addison/Racine (tentative)
Addison Red Line
Southport Brown Line
Roscoe/Clark
Roscoe/Halsted
Stratford/Broadway
Aldine/Lake Shore Drive
School/Seminary
Belmont/Ashland/Lincoln
Belmont/Southport
Belmont/Racine
Belmont Red Line
Broadway/Belmont
Belmont/Lake Shore Drive
Halsted/Clark
Wellington Brown line
Wellington/Lake Shore
Diversey Brown Line
Diversey/Halsted
Diversey/Lake Shore
Clark/Broadway/Diversey
2015 Read on how Divvy Bikes survived a winter - one of the coldest. View the an interactive map of all the latest bikes in our neighborhood with this link. In October DNAinfo reported the usage of the bikes in the city with this interactive map.
In 2015 the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce established a bike district where by local business promote bike travel to their establishments.
Began in 2019 in selected neighborhoods
October 2021
Pilot Program
in 2024
photos & text - 44th ward newsletter
As part of a short-term pilot program to better organize e-scooter drop-offs in Lake View, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is finishing installing several 'scooter corrals' in our ward on July 15th. These will serve as temporary designated drop-off zones during weekends and major events to mitigate the issue of scooters being left in the street. They are located along Clark between Addison and Cornelia, and along Halsted between Newport and Buckingham. This policy will cover the hours of 10:00pm-4:00am Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and two hours before and one hour after Wrigley Field events. You may see markings as they adjust the zones and add signage. The scooter companies will be staffing these locations, and users will be subject to a $250 fine if they drop-off their scooters outside a designated zone.
Editial on Bike Lanes
Post Notes:
Covid-19 Railcar
Signs 2020-21
photos - Garry Albrecht
Finally Returning
to Normal?
asterisk pertain to Lake View buses
Pedestrian Refuge
Islands Proposed
Promoting the Link
to Sox Park
posters - Ebay
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Post Note:
A good source of transit photos & information
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Important Note:
These posts are exclusively used for educational purposes. I do not wish to gain monetary profit from this blog nor should anyone else without permission for the original source - thanks!
