Sunday, April 12 | Pullman National Historical Park
A train ride to a town built by trains. NPS unit #249 is in the books!
With Alicia deep in conference sessions, I had the day to myself — and I had one destination in mind: Pullman National Historical Park. And fitting for a park steeped in railroad history, I got there the right way: aboard the Metra Electric train. Taking the train to Pullman isn’t just convenient — it’s part of the experience. Riding the rails into a neighborhood that was literally built around the railroad industry felt exactly right.
This was a new one for me — NPS unit #249! There’s always a special thrill walking into a national park site for the first time, and Pullman did not disappoint.
I started at the Administration Clock Tower Building, which houses the visitor center. The exhibits inside are genuinely excellent — telling the layered story of the Pullman company, the planned town George Pullman built for his workers in the 1880s, and the people who made it all run. A standout for me was the exhibit on the Pullman Porters — the predominantly Black workforce who staffed Pullman’s sleeping cars and played a pivotal role in the growth of the Black middle class and the labor movement in America. It’s a powerful and important story, and the park tells it well.
Just outside the visitor center, I explored the factory grounds — a mix of standing structures, atmospheric ruins, and interpretive railroad track installations that help you visualize the enormous industrial operation that once hummed here. At its peak, this was one of the largest manufacturing complexes in the country.
From there I walked over to Hotel Florence, currently undergoing restoration. Named after George Pullman’s daughter, the hotel was built to house Pullman’s distinguished guests and was the only place in the neighborhood where alcohol was served. Even mid-restoration, you can feel the elegance it once had.
I then wandered through the residential neighborhood — row after row of handsome red brick rowhouses that Pullman built for his workers. It’s remarkable how intact it all remains, and walking those streets gives you a real sense of what life in this planned utopian (and, critics would say, paternalistic) company town must have felt like.
Two more highlights rounded out the day: the striking Greenstone Church — built from serpentine stone and currently being lovingly restored — and the Pullman Firehouse, another beautifully preserved piece of this remarkable neighborhood.
Pullman is one of those places that surprises you. It’s not as well known as some of the marquee national parks, but the history here — of industry, labor, race, and the American working class — is as rich and relevant as anywhere I’ve visited. If you’re ever in Chicago, don’t skip it. 🚂
Next up: Day 5 — More Chicago adventures ahead. Stay tuned!
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