Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Depot II
Life Span: 1873-1901
Location: SW corner of LaSalle and Van Buren Streets
Architect: W. W. Boyington
Chicago Tribune, August 11, 1872
THE MICHIGAN SOUTHERN DEPOT.
And now as if to complete the picture the white front of the rising depot of the Michigan Southern and Rock Island & Pacific Railroads rises into view, and the third story can be seen. Of white stone handsomely let alone by the oft-officious stone-cutter, this imposing building promises to eclipse in beauty and massive strength to its predecessor, and make a fitting terminus to La Salle street and the great railroads converging within its walls.
The Land Owner Nov. 1872
The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad is one of the most important lines entering this city. It is popular with the traveling public and with shippers. Is management is in every way credible to its officers and stockholders, and is appreciated by the people along the entire line. Its magnificent depot, which stood so proudly at the head of Lasalle street before the fire, fell a victim to the flames, like everything else, on the fatal October 9th. This building has been completed, but a few years before its destruction, and was the pride of the city. It was immediately resolved to rebuild it, and work was commenced shortly after the fire, and has been prosecuted without interruption to the present time. The rebuilt structure is now rapidly approaching completion, and trains will soon be entering and departing from it as before.
The dimensions of this imposing structure are as follows:
On Van Buren street, 182 feet, 4 inches; Sherman street, 601 feet 6 inches; Pacific avenue, 601 feet 6 inches; Harrison street, 182 feet 4 inches. The central tower on Van Buren street is 108 feet high, and the side towers are 96 feet. The central portion, on Van Buren street, between the towers, is 76 feet high. The side walls on Sherman street and Pacific avenue, are 38 feet high, and the central portion of the arch on Harrison street is 52 feet high. The office portion extends back from Van Buren street 61 feet 4 inches. The car shed portion is of itself 540 feet long, with an iron truss roof covered with corrugated galvanized iron, which material also prevails in the balance of the roofs and the Mansards. The walls are of limestone, with rock cut face, laid in regular courses. The span of the roof over the car shed is 132 feet 6 inches, composed of twenty-six trusses, and being capable of sustaining 50 pounds per square foot in addition to its own weight.
Of this great structure, W. W. Boyington, Esq., is architect, who has succeeded, we think, in producing a much better building than the old one, which was also from his designs.
The Great Passenger Station of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, at Chicago
In this connection, and while giving the above elaborate engraving of the new depot, we also produce four smaller views, three of them being respectively the depot at Cleveland, at Erie, and at Elyria, and the double elliptical arch over Silver Creek, on the line of the road. Besides these, there are other depot buildings deserving as well of illustration as of mention, but we have not space to devote to them.
There is not on this continent a better built, better equipped, or better managed railroad than the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern line, now so popular with the traveling public that its splendid trains are crowded every day and night with comfortable and happy passengers, whose admiration of the innumerable attractions of the route is only equalled by their satisfaction with the management of the line. It now has a double track the entire distance between Chicago and Buffalo except for a few hundred miles, and the only line running between Chicago and Buffalo without a transfer, and in direct connection with the Central and Erie roads. There is a daily line of palace cars which run from Rochester through to Chicago; and a Bee Line to St. Louis, without change.
Through tickets by this route to all points in the East, can be procured at the principal ticket offices in the Northwest and Southwest, and in Chicago.
Michigan Southern and Rock Island Passenger Depot
Henri Lovie, 1873
Michigan Southern and Rock Island Passenger Depot
About 1885
Michigan Southern and Lake Shore depot.
La Salle Street Station
After 1887 Addition
La Salle Street Station
1891
From Rand McNally’s Bird’s Eye Views of Chicago, 1893
Arriving in Chicago:
Van Buren Street Station (between Pacific Avenue and Sherman Street), serving the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific This well appointed and conveniently located station at which you have arrived is numbered 4 on our map of down-town hotels and stations. As you face the locomotive, Lake Michigan is on your right (east) a quarter of a mile away, and the South Branch of the river is on your left (west) just about the same distance, and you have penetrated north into Chicago to within one half block of the Board of Trade, or over half-way through the city. You are about seven miles north of the World’s Fair Grounds. As you leave the train the waiting-rooms, restaurant (café), lunch counter, ticket office, telegraph-office, baggage-room, and closets are all on your left, and the street outside is Sherman, running alongside or west of the station. If you go out at the front of the station, you face north. To your left is the Atlantic House; to your right, Stafford’s Hotel; south of the Atlantic are the Rock Island and Garden City houses; to the right one block, across the street, is McCoy’s, and around the corner, Gore’s, both celebrated “European” hotels. The Grand Pacific is just beyond. Across from Gore’s, on Clark Street, is the Hotel Grace; and all these hotels are in the very center of New Chicago. The directions which will enable you to reach the different parts of the city from this point are very simple. To go south (World’s Fair), walk four blocks east to State Street cable, or five blocks east to Wabash Avenue cable, or to Congress Street for the Elevated, or to the lake for the Illinois Central.
To go southwest, take Blue Island Avenue cable in front of you. To go west (Garfield Park), walk to right one block to Clark Street, then north five blocks to Washington Street, and take Madison cable. Togo northwest (Humboldt Park), walk one-half block west to Sherman Street, then north and east one and one-half blocks to La Salle Street, then north to Ma;lis n Street and board the Milwaukee cable.
To go north (Lincoln Park), walk to Clark Street, then north three blocks to Monroe Street, and take North Side cable. Let us suppose you go lakeward to the corner of Clark Street, there in the far north, beyond the court house, is the Sherman House. Go lakeward a block farther, and at Dearborn Street, looking northward, you see first the Great Northern, and in the far distance the Tremont House and Commercial Hotel at Lake Street; a block farther, at State Street, looking northward, you can see the Palmer House on the east side; still another block and at Wabash Avenue you can look northward for the Clifton House and Wellington Hotel; one block farther east and you reach Michigan Avenue, and there in a row you find the Leland, Richelieu, Victoria, Auditorium, and Auditorium Extension. There are a number of hotels charging lower prices on Clark Street, from Van Buren to Washington, streets, including the Arcade, Chicago European, Deming, Cosmopolitan, New Rockford, Kuhn’s, National, Lawrence, Underwriters’, Kimball’s, and others.
Rand McNally’s Bird’s Eye Views, 1893
⑤ The Van Buren Street Station
Fronts 180 feet on Van Bureu Street, and 400 feet on both Sherman Street and Pacific Avenue. Before the building of the Board of Trade this depot headed La Salle Street, and was a conspicuous land-mark of the city. In the Great Fire it stood for many hours as a protection to the eastern part of the South Side. It was rebuilt in 1873, and its dedication in June of that year was made a civic musical festival. In 1887 the front was built 2 stories higher, and tower-clocks were added as public conveniences. Fiftytwo Hock Island trains, and 56 Lake Shore trains arrive here daily, and 4,500 passengers arrive and depart daily by the Rock Island and 3,500 by the Lake Shore. There are large and well appointed waiting-rooms. The front of the depot is 85 feet high, with 6 stories and basement, and is built of Joliet limestone. It cost $700,000.
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Depot II
SW corner of LaSalle and Van Buren Streets
Fifty-two Rock Island trains, and 56 Lake Shore trains arrive here daily, and 4,500 passengers arrive and depart daily by the Rock Island and 3,500 by the Lake Shore. There are large and well appointed waiting- rooms. The front of the depot is 85 feet high, with 6 stories and basement, and is built of Joliet limestone. It cost $700,000.
All trains of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Company arrive at and depart from the Van Buren Street depot, Van Buren and Sherman streets, in the vicinity of the Board of Trade. Every arrangement is made here for the comfort and accommodation of the patrons of the railway. There are large and comfortably furnished waiting rooms for ladies and gentlemen, atttendants to look after the wants of women and children are always on hand, and depot agents furnish necessary information and see that no mistakes are made by strangers in the boarding of trains, etc., and all passenger trains stop at 22d Street depot to receive and deliver passengers, thus accommodating residents of the southern part of the city.
This station was demolished to make way for a new station that opened July 1, 1903 and stood until 1981.
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Depot II
1872
Chicago Elevated Train Station
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific R.R. Depot
1897
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Depot
1884 Glossup’s Stranger’s Guide to Chicago
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Depot II
SW corner of LaSalle and Van Buren Streets
Robinson Fire Insurance Map
1886
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