Wells Street Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wells Street Station
|
|
|---|---|
Postcard view around 1910
|
|
| Location | Wells Street, Chicago, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 41°53′19″N 87°38′06″W / 41.88858°N 87.63493°W |
| Owned by | Galena and Chicago Union Railroad Chicago and North Western Railway |
| History | |
| Opened | 1853 |
| Closed | June 3, 1911 |
| Rebuilt | 1871 (after the Great Chicago Fire) 1881 |
Wells Street Station was a busy train station in Chicago, Illinois. It served as a main stop for the Chicago and North Western Railway. The station was located at the corner of Wells Street and Kinzie Avenue.
In 1911, a new station called the Chicago and North Western Terminal opened. This new station was built on the other side of the North Branch of the Chicago River. This change meant that passenger trains no longer used the Kinzie Street railroad bridge over the river. Today, the land where Wells Street Station once stood is home to the Merchandise Mart, a very large building.
History of Wells Street Station
.jpg)
The very first train station on Wells Street was built by the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad. This railroad was the first one ever in Chicago. When it started operating in 1848, its trains used a small depot. This depot was located west of the Chicago River, near Canal and Kinzie Streets.
In 1851, the railroad began buying land. They wanted to build a bigger, new station. This new station would be located east of the river. Construction of the Wells Street Station took place during 1852 and 1853. It officially opened its doors in 1853.
On February 15, 1865, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad joined with the Chicago and North Western Railway. This made the Chicago and North Western Railway a much larger company.
The first Wells Street Station was destroyed in 1871. This happened during the terrible Great Chicago Fire. After the fire, a temporary wooden building was quickly put up. This temporary station served passengers until a new, permanent Wells Street Station opened in 1881. It was built in the exact same spot as the old one.
Wells Street Station faced some challenges. It was surrounded by the Chicago River on two sides. Kinzie Street was to the north, and Wells Street was to the east. This meant there was no space to make the station bigger. Also, as more trains and ships used the area, the movable bridge over the river caused traffic jams.
Because of these problems, a brand new station was needed. In 1911, the modern Chicago and North Western Terminal opened. This new terminal had elevated tracks. These tracks branched off from the older ones west of the river.
After the new passenger station opened, the old Wells Street Station area was still used for freight. Freight trains carried goods instead of people. In 1930, the huge Merchandise Mart building opened. It was built right above the railroad tracks. A new freight station was built to serve the Merchandise Mart. This new freight station was connected by elevators to the Chicago Tunnel Company, an underground railway system.
