Pullman House Project

Rows of women work at sewing machines in Pullman’s Upholstery Shop, making curtains for the company’s railroad cars. Pullman photographer J. P. Van Vorst recorded their work as well as the finished cars, giving us a rare view of the people whose skill helped create the interiors passengers saw.

This is a clearer recreation of the photograph published in Don Horn’s “The Pullman Photographers” in Railroad Heritage(2003). Credits: Pullman Research Group, Pullman State Historic Site and Pullman-Museum.org.

Learn more on guided tours: https://pullmanhouseproject.eventbrite.com

On June 17, 1906, Pullman photographer J. P. Van Vorst aimed his camera at a mirror inside a private railroad car, capturing a rare reflection of the equipment he used. The wood paneling, upholstered seats and electric lamps offer a glimpse of the comfort Pullman promoted during an era when its cars were closely associated with long distance rail travel. Van Vorst’s photograph shows both the car and the work behind the images that helped bring it to the public.

Learn more on guided tours: https://pullmanhouseproject.eventbrite.com

Standing in the back row in a white blouse, Nellie Davidson Evans poses with her family in this 1898 portrait. Her parents, John and Georgeana Davidson, sit in front of her. Her uncle was Thomas Dunbar, whose home visitors can explore on a guided tour.

Nellie arrived in Pullman in 1891. Years later, she remembered tree-lined streets, workers coming home for dinner at noon, and families sitting on their porches while children sang on the grass. As the eldest girl in a large family, she was often called away from playing with friends to help care for a younger sibling.

She also recalled performing at the Arcade Theater, discovering a model of Pullman at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, and the fear her family felt during the 1894 Pullman Strike. Her stories bring the people who lived in what is now Pullman National Historical Park into focus.

Learn more about guided tours, including a visit to the Dunbar house: pullmanhouseproject.eventbrite.com

By 1970, Pullman’s growing preservation movement was beginning to attract attention beyond Chicago. On September 24 of that year, reporter Toni Flannery published an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch exploring the neighborhood’s remarkable history and the efforts of residents to restore their homes and secure landmark protection for the community.

At the center of the movement was the Pullman Civic Organization, or PCO, which had been reactivated after originally serving as a local civil defense group. Its Beman Committee brought residents together to document Pullman’s history, protect its architecture and advocate for official recognition. Those early efforts ultimately helped Pullman become an Illinois Historic Landmark and earn a place on the National Register of Historic Places.

The article highlighted preservation leaders Norbert “Pete” Pointner and Glen Anderson, two residents helping ensure that Pullman’s historic homes and larger story would survive for future generations.

Company Town Lives On In Chicago in 1970 Reporter Toni Flannery with the The St. Louis Dispatch published th...

In the 1940s, a motorcycle parked in front of the house could quickly become a reason to bring out the camera. Here, Lillian Valente Nowak takes her turn posing on one along Langley Avenue in Pullman. She rests a hand on the handlebars and looks toward the photographer, while trains sit in the distance behind her. It feels like an ordinary neighborhood moment that someone thought was worth saving.

Learn more on guided tours: https://pullmanhouseproject.eventbrite.com

On a warm day in Pullman National Historical Park, a group of women and children gathered on the broad wooden steps of a home along Forrestville Avenue. Before air conditioning, front porches offered families a place to escape the heat inside their homes, catch an afternoon breeze, and exchange news with neighbors passing by. The adults, dressed in high-collared blouses and long skirts, sit among children wearing light-colored dresses, wide-brimmed hats, and sailor-inspired clothing. Framed by thick ivy, this scene from around the early 1900s captures a time when the front porch served as an extension of the home and an important gathering place for the community.

Did you know? George Pullman’s passion for improving travel comfort started early, inspired by his friend and neighbor in Albion, former State Senator Benjamin C. Field. Field had organized a group to build and operate several sleeping cars, and Pullman, who frequently traveled for his cabinet shop and building-raising business, was eager to make railroad journeys more comfortable. Pullman was well aware of the challenges of sleeping on canal boats and early trains—experiences that sparked his drive to revolutionize travel with his iconic sleeping cars! Learn more about Pullman trains on our guided tours. https://pullmanhouseproject.eventbrite.com

We’re celebrating Climate Week with a discussion with Tim Peloquin about how we repurposed existing original materials on the veranda at 605 East 111th Street. By reusing these materials, we have lessened deforestation and energy-intensive production, thereby curbing emissions. Reclaimed wood, a sustainable alternative to new timber, plays a pivotal role in reducing our carbon footprint. Embracing reclaimed wood fosters eco-conscious design, promoting a greener future while preserving the Earth's invaluable resources. Listen in, on the discussion about how it all happened.

Climate Week in Pullman National Historical Park Reclaimed wood, a sustainable alternative to new timber, plays a pivotal role in reducing carbon footprint. By repurposing existing original materials on the Veranda at 605 East 111th Street, the orga

Wayne Anderson and Jim Stulga (right) pose beside a 1957 Chevy near 112th Street and Champlain Avenue, probably around 1975. Behind them are the homes of a living neighborhood, where people knew their neighbors and went about their daily lives as efforts to preserve Pullman were taking shape. Today, those same streets and homes are part of Pullman National Historical Park.

Dr. John McLean was Pullman’s first resident physician, living and maintaining his medical office with his family in the house at the southwest corner of 111th Street and Champlain Avenue. He arrived in October 1881 after a friend suggested Pullman needed a doctor, then personally approached George Pullman and was appointed company surgeon. During his 33-year career, McLean treated approximately 35,000 workplace injuries, sometimes caring for as many as 25 workers in a single day.