Ca. 1885, view of Lake Vista with the Administration Building to the left, the Hotel Florence in the rear center, and the Arcade Building to the right/Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

Five years after it was established by President Barack Obama, Pullman National Monument in Chicago will in the relatively near future have a visitor center to orient you to the site that captures the American labor movement through the eyes of African-American Pullman railroad car porters.

The National Park Service just awarded a $5.8 million contract to the veteran-owned small business Griggs Mitchell & Alma of Illinois to stabilize the historic Administration Clock Tower Building and develop a visitor center for the national monument in Chicago. Funded by the National Park Foundation and its donors and combined with an NPS Centennial Challenge Grant, the project is scheduled to start construction in February and is expected to take about a year to complete.

The visitor center is envisioned as an ideal first stop for visitors to the monument. Exhibits and programs will share the broad stories of Pullman, including George Pullman, his company and vision. Visitors can get a glimmer of the opulence of a wood Pullman Palace Sleeping car in the entrance exhibit, get multiple perspectives of the 1894 Pullman Strike and boycott, and learn about the struggles of the African-American Pullman porters to unionize and gain rights with the company in the 1930s. Park staff and volunteers can help visitors plan their experience within the monument at partner sites such as Pullman State Historic Site, the Historic Pullman Foundation, and the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum. 

“The National Park Service is thrilled to be a partner in the revitalization of Pullman’s history and the neighborhood,” said Sue Bennett, the monument's acting superintendent. “In many ways, Pullman is a nationally significant cultural resource, with a fascinating history that provides relevant insight to today’s current events. We expect Pullman will soon become a destination for new visitors throughout Chicagoland and the nation, while encouraging return adventures for others.” 

After standing for almost 117 years as a Chicago landmark, the Administration Clock Tower Building was seriously damaged by arson in December 1998. The State of Illinois reconstructed the building in 2005, and it has remained unoccupied since that time. The state conveyed the building to the National Park Service, creating the opportunity to designate Pullman National Monument in 2015. 

“The new visitor center will provide the gateway to an impressive historical and cultural experience for all those who enter,” said Will Shafroth, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “The National Park Foundation and its donors are honored to be among the community of supporters bringing this important element of the park to life.”

This project is the third of four total construction phases. The first phase replaced the shingled roof on the Administration Clock Tower Building, repaired the existing windows installed during the reconstruction, and installed new windows in the remaining boarded up openings. That was followed by the recently completed IDNR site development planning to create a public park and other site enhancements. The final two phases will conclude with building a visitor center with interior exhibits and the site remediation and construction.

The district was named a national monument on Feb. 19, 2015, making it part of the National Park System. While the NPS owns the Administration Clock Tower Building, the State of Illinois IDNR owns and operates the adjacent 12-acre grounds including the remaining buildings and historic Hotel Florence as Pullman State Historic Site. The site is at the northeast corner of 111th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue. Visit the monument website for more details.