Did you know that there’s a National Park in Chicago? There are only two National Park Service sites in Illinois, so it’s only fitting that Chicago has one of them. Pullman National Historic Park is a must for any history buffs, or anyone looking for some different places to explore in Chicago. In 2015, President Barack Obama designated Pullman as a National Historic Park, from its previous status as a National Monument, making it Chicago’s first National Park unit.

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Staying overnight in Chicago? Check out my Chicago hotels guide to find the best area to stay in Chicago!

Chicago’s Pullman Historic District

Like many people, I became most interested in Chicago history after reading Devil in the White City. If you haven’t already, read this book! Set in the late 1800s at the height of Chicago’s opulence, the book is a real page-turner but also opened my eyes to so many familiar Chicago names. Marshall Field, Potter, Pullman, Palmer, etc, etc. (After you read the book, head to Graceland Cemetery on the north side to see where many of these founding families are buried.)

George Pullman founded Pullman’s Palace Car Company and manufactured elegant railroad cars in a plant on the south side of Chicago. The town of Pullman (now incorporated into Chicago and a National Historic Landmark) was the first planned industrial community in the United States. This Chicago neighborhood quickly became famous for architecture and urban design, and eventually became famous as the center of the 1894 Pullman Strike. Pullman was built with more than 500 homes to house workers and their families, and the homes were very modern, with indoor toilets and running water. The first family moved to Pullman in 1881, and soon more than 350 residents called Pullman home. There were many home types to choose from, with small apartments, row homes, and executive homes, many of which still stand today.

Learn more about African American labor history at the Phillip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, also in Chicago.

You can ride in a beautifully restored Pullman car on the Verde Canyon Railroad in Northern Arizona!

Visiting Pullman

In 2021, a new visitor center opened in the Administration Clock Tower building. Work continues to modernize and revitalize the neighborhood while maintaining original features that Pullman Town is known for.

The Historic Pullman Foundation offers “First Sunday Walking Tours” from May through October, which is the tour I joined. The tour starts at the visitor center with a short film about the history of the Pullman neighborhood. Next, we divided into two groups, each led by a volunteer resident from the area.

Our first stop was the Greenstone Church, one of the more striking buildings in the neighborhood.  As the Pullman company owned everything in town, this building was created as a non-denominational space that various worship groups could rent out.  It is now a United Methodist Church, with quite a lively sermon happening while we gawked outside!

We then moved down the block to Market Square.  This unique market is situated in the middle of an intersection, surrounded by 4 buildings that once contained apartment homes.

This is what’s left of the Market.  We didn’t get the story of the “Go For It” sign, but the website suggests the city has allocated funds to renovate the square.

From here, we walked down a few streets, admiring the row houses. Our tour ended at the Hotel Florence, which was once a thriving hotel, featuring a restaurant and the only bar in Pullman. Today, the Hotel is undergoing a major capital improvement program by the state to restore the Hotel for future use with the State Historic Site.

If you are nosy like me, you’ll want to keep an eye out for the Annual Historic Pullman House Tour, which usually takes place in early October.

“One weekend each year, Pullman residents open their homes to the public for the annual Historic Pullman House Tour. These 120-year-old landmark homes range from executive mansions to 14-foot wide worker’s cottages to multi-unit apartments, all with a charm and uniqueness that is part of the Pullman experience.”

There’s also a Candlelight House Walk in December. For an extensive history on the area, and information on how to visit, go to the Historic Pullman Foundation Website.

Getting to Chicago’s Pullman District

Now, as a girl who pretty much stays north of the Loop at all times, going to 11141 S. Cottage Grove Avenue was going to be an adventure!  Especially when I missed a digit in my GPS and took side streets through a whole lot of southside before I got to Pullman.  I knew I was in the right place when I saw busloads of old, white people exiting their Subarus with SLR cameras.

If you are using public transportation in Chicago, you should just Uber to Pullman. You can reach Pullman via CTA, taking the Red Line to Bus 111, but it’s not the most hospitable area of the city. Pullman itself is very safe, however, you shouldn’t wander these streets aimlessly.

Chicago Chinatown is another great Chicago neighborhood to explore on the south side!