Chicago's First National Monument Is A Historic Gem Where Industrial Heritage Meets Modern Charm

Chicago is justifiably known for its food — both its iconic pizza and also gourmet cuisine — as well as destination-worthy museums and iconic architecture like the Willis Tower and the John Hancock Center, which provides stunning 360-degree views. This vibrant city has many neighborhoods to explore, including the "Black Metropolis" Bronzeville, as several of the Windy City's communities are predominantly Black, dating to the Great Migration when African Americans moved from the rural South to Chicago for industrial jobs.

Pre-dating the Great Migration of the 1940s, what's now the Pullman National Historical Park was built in the late 19^th century as America's first planned industrial community. Recognized as Chicago's first national monument, industrial buildings and the surrounding housing were built by George Pullman to produce his rail cars and house his company's workers and their families. The factory and housing were constructed on 4,000 acres in the town of Pullman, which in 1880 was 13 miles south of Chicago. 

The town's visionary architect was Solon Beman, who also was integral in the design of numerous Christian Scientist churches around the U.S. and factories in the Midwest. He ensured that the buildings served their industrial purpose as the Pullman Palace Car Company factory town, featuring advanced manufacturing techniques that maximized mass production, but he also designed the town to be charming and attractive to workers with picturesque architecture and landscaped public spaces. Pullman demonstrates groundbreaking industrial innovation and thoughtful urban planning, while also telling the story of the critical role Pullman workers played in American labor history.

Strategically located near Lake Calumet, which was the source for the clay used to make the beautiful bricks in the town's buildings, the complex opened in 1884 with 1,000 buildings. Homes were advanced for the time with indoor plumbing, gas, water, and yards. Public buildings you can visit today include the Administration Clock Tower, a massive, ornately designed structure that was the town's manufacturing hub and houses the park's visitor center; Greenstone Church, which is now Methodist; and Market Hall, which was where residents could buy fresh food and later became a colonnaded apartment building and space for public art. 

In addition to its industrial and architectural achievements, the park also honors the rich legacy of African-American workers. Wealthy Americans booked passage in Pullman's luxurious railroad cars during the heyday of rail travel and were attended to by a predominantly Black service staff working as porters, cooks, servers, and cleaners. The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum pays tribute to the first Black labor union whose struggle for fair treatment opened doors for minority workers across the nation. 

When wages were cut without rent being lowered, Pullman workers striked in 1894. This was pivotal event that helped shape American labor rights and eventually contributed to the establishment of Labor Day. Pullman National Historical Park is a dynamic cultural and educational resource, preserving the intertwined stories of industrial progress, urban design, and the struggle for workers' rights and civil rights.

Bordered by 103^rd and 115^TH streets, Cottage Grove Avenue, and railroad tracks, the Pullman neighborhood is 15 miles from downtown on the South Side near the neighborhoods of Roseland, Beverly, South Chicago, Hyde Park, and Bronzeville. Come for Pullman's Labor Day parade or the October House Tour weekend that also includes an antique car show, music performances, and food vendors. Stop by the Block House Gallery to admire work by local artists and grab a coffee at Pullman Club Coffee, which is in the visitor center where the daily Pullman House Project tours depart.

Don't leave the neighborhood without tucking into the melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork or brisket at Lexington Betty Smokehouse, helmed by a chef who's made appearances on the Food Network. Morgan Park's Manzo's Burgers has options like the Hangover Burger, which is a burger in a grilled cheese sandwich that also includes ham, bacon, and a fried egg. For a suburban vibe in nearby Roseland, play a round on an 18-hole course at the Harborside International Golf Center or kick back with a beer and wings at its large restaurant overlooking the greens.

As for hotels, there's a Days Inn by Wyndham that's under $100 in Calumet Park and a Best Western en route to Midway Airport in the $100 range. For a special stay in a hotel that opened before Pullman, book Chicago's longest-operating hotel, downtown's Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, which exudes Gilded Age elegance.