Chicago's OTHER Union Staton?

hankmorris · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2003 8:09 pm

In the 1890s, according to microfilmed copies of local newspapers, there was a railroad station at Wells and Kinzie called "Union Station."
This is not to be confused with the present-day Union Station. (I believe that the station on the site of today's station was called "Grand Passenger Station" and was built in 1881.)
Does anyone have info on this or can you point me to a source?

Hank Morris

hankmorris@earthlink.net

Don C. · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2003 10:05 pm

> In the 1890s, according to microfilmed
> copies of local newspapers, there was a
> railroad station at Wells and Kinzie called
> "Union Station."
> This is not to be confused with the
> present-day Union Station. (I believe that
> the station on the site of today's station
> was called "Grand Passenger
> Station" and was built in 1881.)
> Does anyone have info on this or can you
> point me to a source?

> Hank Morris

Hank,
Try Ed DeRouin's newly published "Chicago Union Station -- A Look at Its History and Operations Before Amtrak". The first Union Station was opened for business on April 4, 1882 and was located facing Canal Street between Monroe and Adams. The present CUS is located south of the first....between Adams and Jackson. I suspect the structure referred to in the newspapers was probably a C&NW building which is actually located east of the Chicago River. C&NW used to access the Sun-Times building and Navy Pier via a bridge over the North Branch of the Chicago River at Kinzie Street and Canal. It is possible that prior to the present day UP/Metra elevated facility's construction, C&NW trains operated at grade, crossed the river and terminated at a structure at Kinzie and Wells. A C&NW fan would be better suited to fill you in on that. Hope this helps.

Don C.

milw261@sbcglobal.net

Peter Nicholson · **Posted:** Tue Aug 19, 2003 11:01 pm

The Chicago and North-Western Railway opened their new depot at Wells and Kinzie Streets in Chicago on May 23rd, 1881. Previously, this was the site of the Galena and Chicago Union RR passenger depot. The Merchandise Mart now stands on this site.

As early as 1863 there was a "Union Passenger Depot" at Monroe and Canal Streets, serving the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne and Chicago, St. Louis, Alton & Chicago and Joliet & Chicago railroads.

Info. from "C&NW Steam Power" by C.T. Knudsen.

pnichol6@prodigy.net