The Dearborn Street Station is a staple landmark for our campus. If you’ve lived at the Dwight, you’ve probably passed this building nearly every day. But what is the history behind it?  

• The Dearborn Station was designed by Cyrus L.W. Eidlitz, which was then built by J.T. Alton starting in 1884 and officially opened on May 8th, 1885.  

• In 1884, this building cost almost $500,000 to complete. Today, that would mean around 13.5 million dollars!  

• The name of this style of architecture is Romanesque Revival style. Inside, there was a Harvey House Restaurant and many ornate rooms and offices.  

• By 1899, this station served 17,000 passengers daily on 25 railway lines of 122 trains!  

• In 1922, there was a fire that began in the clock tower, which had to be immediately restored and fixed. It was then that a third floor was built.

• After World War II, the use of the railway system was diminishing due to the increase in airline use and the development of the expressway system.  

• Unfortunately, by 1971, the Dearborn Station was no longer running. By 1976, the train shed and tracks were removed.  

• Today, the Dearborn Station stands as a Chicago Historic Landmark with a rich history. Inside, there are offices and businesses, such as Fox in a Box, Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center, South Loop Montessori School, Mercy Beauty Spa, Byline Bank, The UPS Store, and more.  

Sources: 

(http://www.dearbornstation.com/home.html) 

(https://chicagology.com/goldenage/goldenage018/) 

(https://www.american-rails.com/dearborn.html)