Galena and Chicago Union Railroad North Side Depot

Galena and Chicago Union Railroad North Side Depot, Chicago & Northwestern Railway, Galena Div. Depot
Life Span: 1852-1871
Location: N. Wells cor N. Water
Architect: Unknown

Fergus Chicago City Directory, 1855-6

Galena & Chicago Union Railroad

D. B. Cooke & Co.’s City Directory for the Year 1859-60
Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, N. Wells cor N. Water and Great Central Depot

Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863-64
Galena & Chicago Union R.R., office and passenger depot, n.w. cor. N. Wells and N. Water.

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1866
Chicago & Northwestern Railway, Galena Div. passenger depot, Wells, cor, N. Water

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870-71
Chicago & Northwestern Railway Co. Passenger depot, Galena Div. 23 and 25 N. Wells.

Chicago Tribune, December 7, 1852

The Cupola on the, new Passenger depot of the Galena Rail Road, begins to show itself from the north side; and it adds much to the ornament of that part of the city. The men are laying Galvanized Iron on the Roof. The Rails are being laid into the new car depot, and everything indicates active preparation for speedily removing the passenger traffic from its present location to the new and improved station. To be ready for the increased traffic, on Wells St. Bridge, we perceive the side walks on the Bridge are undergoing thorough repair.—Of course the planking between the Bridge and the depot, will pass through the same process.—If not, the Buss men will make a sorry exchange, in taking Wells for North Water Street. The one is as bad as it possibly can be, and the other could not possibly be worse.

A Strangers’ and Tourists’ Guide to the City of Chicago, 1866

The first railroad opened out of Chicago, was the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, now the Galena Division of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. In 1848, the first portion of the road was completed, and on the 15th of December of that year, trains commenced running from Chicago to Desplaines River, a distance of ten miles. In April, 1849, the purchase of the locomotive Pioneer was formally announced to the directors, it having been received some time during the previous fall. It was the first locomotive ever brought west of Lake Michigan. The road was completed to Elgin, 41 miles, June 22, 1850. It was opened to Freeport,121 miles from Chicago,September 1, 1853. The total length of the road,including all its branches,is 490 miles. Depot, corner of North Wells and Kinzie streets.

D. B. Cooke & Co.’s City Directory for the Year 1859-60

DEPOT ON THE NORTH SIDE
The second passenger depot was built by the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad in 1852 and 1853, east and west along this North Water Street, with its east end on Wells Street. It was built of brick and was two stories high. The passenger entrance was from Wells Street, but a sort of private alley, or perhaps an unbuilt-on lot, ran south from Kinzie Sheet, and this was used to reach the depot through the baggage room. On Wells Street, and north of this second depot, was a hotel known as the Hatch House, and this private alley, or open lot, seems to have been used by the guests of this hotel as well as by the frequenters and employes of the railroad depot.

After the depot had been occupied for some time, Wells Street was filled in and raised about eight feet, and this caused the Galena company to add, in 1862-3, 30 feet in length to the building and another story to this depot, and in the room so made a portion of the general offices of the company were located. The enlarged building was 45 feet on Wells Street and 75 feet on North Water Street and was three stories high. This building remained in use until the great fire of 1871, when it went up in smoke, like much more of Chicago.

WellSt Depot

Galena and Chicago Union Railroad North Side Depot

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