Historic Pullman Collection

The town of Pullman, Illinois was founded in 1880 by George M. Pullman as a site for his car-building operations (Pullman Palace Car Company) and to house his employees. The area originally purchased by Pullman covered nearly 4,000 acres and ran from 87th Street to 130th Street. The developed area was much smaller and was bounded by South Langley Street to the east, Cottage Grove to the west, 115th Street to the south, and continuing a few blocks north of 111th Street. Pullman saw many advantages in the Calumet site, including the topography and fertility of the soil along with the site’s proximity to Chicago, the transportation center of the Midwest. He also believed the area was far enough removed from what he called the “evil influences” of the City of Chicago and this separation along with other activities would prove to make better and more content workers.

The master builder of Pullman was Solon Spencer Beman, a young architect from New York. He was commissioned by George Pullman to begin designing the town in 1879. Together with landscape architect Nathan F. Barrett, complete plans for the buildings and grounds of the town were laid out, and construction began in the spring of 1880. By the following year, the first residents began to move in and the town gradually began to take shape as residences, public buildings, paved streets and parks were built. The initial town was completed in 1884. The town was annexed to the City of Chicago in 1889 along with the Village of Hyde Park.

Production at the Pullman Palace Car Company remained high until 1893 when the railroad industry’s needs changed. As a result of changes in demand, George Pullman laid off many employees and cut the wages of others. Combined with the high cost of living in Pullman’s town, the workers formed a grievance committee, but Pullman was unwilling to compromise. The Pullman Strike of 1894 was the result.

In 1898, three years after the death of George Pullman, the Illinois Supreme Court decision required the company to relinquish its non-industrial property. Following this time, the town began to transition into private ownership.

In 1969, the Pullman district was designated an Illinois Historic Landmark, a National Landmark, in 1970, and a Chicago Landmark in 1972. In 2015, the National Park Service named Pullman a National Monument.