Pullman, IL, which is on Chicago’s south side, was historically a “company town” created by George Pullman in 1881 to house employes who built Pullman passenger cars. It’s was also known for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters union too. Of course the Pullman company town later became Pullman, IL, and Pullman’s passenger car business declined post-WWII due to the decline of passenger service.
Well, some want to designate the Pullman Historic District as an urban national park.
Staff report
7:05 a.m. CDT, September 10, 2013
A federal study has determined the Pullman Historic District on the Far South Side is worthy of being considered as a national park, officials announced today.
Pullman residents, local and national historic groups, along with Sens. Mark Kirk and Dick Durbin and Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), having been working to have the area designated a national park. The historic district has been a national landmark since 1970.
On Monday, the National Park Service sent the senators and Kelly a report concluding the district has a unique historical significance that makes it an appropriate candidate for a park.
“Pullman represents a special chapter in the American experience. It is the birthplace of the black labor movement,” Kelly said in a statement. “Also, it uniquely weaves together many stories that shaped our country – the railroads, industrial age, union movement and Chicago’s emergence as a transportation and commercial hub. I’m thrilled that the National Park Service thinks Pullman has historical significance and conveys a story worth preserving.”
Yes. The main office had a fire about twenty years ago but much survived. A lot of employee houses and the hotel exist as well as an excellent museum with many artifacts and an accurate movie about the company. In October residents open the homes for viewing on a walking tour. The town is about eight square blocks between I 94 and the IC railroad tracks. Well worth a stop if in the area.
For those who are familiar with South Side geography, the Pullman Historic district is primarily east of Cottage Grove (IC) to Doty Ave (I-94) and from about 107th Street to 115th Street, with the prime area to the southeast of 111th and Cottage. Turning it into an urban national park is probably not the best idea since much of the same goal has already been achieved with the historic district designation.
There are people who still live there…Turning it into a historic park would drive people outta there with more regulations. They would have to deal with unelected federal NPS buaracrats to replace a broken toleit.
You said it! It’s probably a bit of a hassle to live in an historic district to begin with, although some are easier/ worse than others. Still, I’m sure those who move into said districts are pretty sure of what they’re getting into.
Still, the area sounds VERY interesting, and I’ll have to take a look if I’m ever out that way.
I attended high school just west of Pullman and had one summer job in the area. There’s a lot to see beyond the Hotel Florence and the marketplace. Many of the row houses are reasonably intact and haven’t changed too much in external appearance since the 1890’s.
While Federal regulations can have an impact on home owners the National Park Service says that owning your own home in a national park places no restrictions whatsoever on you unless there is actual Federal funds spent on your home. That can happen as there are programs for restoration of historic property. However, you must first apply for those funds and if you don’t want to you don’t have to. Here is a section from the NPS website:
Realistically, though, if a family buys a home in Pullman it is unlikely they will want to tear down that home and replaces it with a contemporary one story steel and glass home. More likely they feel attracted to the original architecture.
Of course if you have replaced a toilet recently you know the Federal Government now regulates them for all of us. We must buy toilets that use much less water than older ones do. Many people complain that the new government required toilets do not work very well. But that has nothing to do with the NPS or Pullman.
Bonaventure, I’m sure you mean the same families have been in the houses since 1890, and the homes have been passed to each succeeding generation. If the original owners are still living there I’d love to meet them! I’d have a thousand questions for them!