| Dates: | 1923 March-August |
| Size: | 2 folders, including 16 photographs |
| Repository: | Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60605 |
| Collection Number: | spe.c00178 |
| Immediate Source of Acquisition: | Purchased from Zephyr Used & Rare Books, 2021 |
| Conditions Governing Access: | Materials are open without restrictions. |
| Conditions Governing Use: | Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection. |
| Preferred Citation: | When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Illinois Central Railroad Photograph Album, [Image #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library |
| Processed by: | Johanna Russ, 2022 |
Abstract
This photograph album documents a construction project on the Illinois Central Railroad tracks in the downtown Chicago lake front area. The 16 images were taken by the Illinois Central Railroad.
Biographical/Historical
The Illinois Central Railroad often called “the I.C.,” runs south from downtown Chicago, through the center of Illinois, all the way to New Orleans, Louisiana. The Illinois Central Railroad Company was incorporated in 1836, and the line was completed in 1856. At that time, the tracks terminating in downtown Chicago ran right alongside Lake Michigan and were exposed to the air. In 2022, those same tracks lie somewhat west of Lake Michigan, and terminate beneath Millennium Park. In 2022, the tracks were used by Metra, a Chicago regional commuter rail company, Amtrak and various freight shipping companies.
Scope and Contents
This collection includes sixteen photographs of a construction project in 1923 to work on the Illinois Central Railroad tracks in the Grant Park area. In addition to depicting period construction equipment and techniques, the images also show the laborers who completed the project and surrounding scenery including the Grant Park peristyle, the Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago and the skyline along Michigan Avenue. Of note is one image taken of a railroad workers’ camp.
Arrangement
Images are arranged in the original order of the album.
Related Materials
- Chicago City-Wide Collection
- Chicago Park District Records: Drawings
- Chicago Park District Records: Photographs
- Millennium Park, Inc. Archives
- Millennium Park, U.S. Equities Realty Collection
Subject Terms
- Grant Park (Chicago, Ill.)
- Illinois Central Railroad Company
Collection Inventory
| Small Collections Box 1 | Folder 30 | Photographs 1-16, Illinois Central Railroad construction project, 1923 |
| Small Collections Box 1 | Folder 31 | Photograph album covers, 1923 |
