Agencies
Services
11111 South Forrestville Avenue
Chicago, IL 60628
773/660-2341
Open:
Site is closed for renovations. Limited tours of the Factory complex are available. Call for information. 773/660-2341.
Please click here to view the Presidential Proclamation establishing Pullman as a national monument.
Named for George M. Pullman’s oldest of four children, the Hotel Florence was constructed as lodging for visiting businessmen and dignitaries. The original portion, built in 1881, is a Queen Anne-style wood-framed brick and limestone building with a large front veranda. The first floor contains the hotel lobby, a main staircase, a women’s parlor, men’s reading and billiards rooms, and two dining rooms. Historically, it also included a private bar, a barber shop, a kitchen, and two servant dining rooms. The Hotel’s west wing featured guest rooms and suites on the second, third, and fourth floors, interspersed with the head housekeeper’s rooms and maids’ rooms. The Hotel’s east wing housed unaccompanied hotel staff. An extensive Hotel Florence Annex was constructed in 1914 and provided housing for the influx of workers at the Steel Erecting Shops and the Calumet Shops.
Image Credit: Pullman State Historic Site, PF2007-005-0069
Upcoming Events
Widget or link to Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/pullman-state-historic-site-idnr-120990179952
Visit
The Hotel Florence is currently closed while preparing for restoration. See the press release here: Governor Pritzker Announces Public-Private Partnership to Restore Historic Hotel Florence and Revitalize Pullman Site.
Tours of the first floor and grounds of the Hotel Florence are available on Thursdays from 2:00pm – 2:30pm. Tours will cover a range of topics and are limited to 10 people on a first come, first served basis.
The public is welcome to explore the Pullman Car Works grounds north of Hotel Florence across 111th Street. Visitors can enjoy twelve acres of walking paths with interpretive signs and views of historic industrial buildings. Visit the IDNR’s Pullman Car Works website to learn more.
By train: The Pullman State Historic Site is located steps away from the 111th Street Pullman Metra Electric (ME) stop.
By bus: Northbound and southbound CTA bus lines #4 and #115 stop at Pullman State Historic Site at Cottage Grove Avenue & 111th Street. Eastbound and westbound CTA bus line 111A stops on 111th Street at Champlain Avenue and at Cottage Grove Avenue.
By car: Vehicles can park in the lot located north of 111th Street between S Cottage Grove Avenue and S Langley Avenue.
Accessibility: The Hotel Florence offers a ramp with handrails at the southern end of the Hotel to reach the Hotel’s veranda. The grounds of the Pullman Car Works are accessible by ramps and paved surfaces, as is the Pullman National Historical Park Visitor Center.
Map of Pullman State Historic Site
Accessibility Information
The Pullman State Historic Site can be reached directly by personal vehicle (including pedal-driven vehicles) and by Chicago public transportation. Visiting the Pullman State Historic Site by train is the most authentic way to arrive at Pullman.
Parking - accessible parking for personal vehicles, vans, and chartered buses is available at the Pullman Car Works parking lot. The entrance to the parking lot is on the south side of 111th Street at 610 East 111th street. The grounds and exteriors of all historic industrial structures at the Pullman Car Works are accessible by ramps and paved surfaces, as is the Pullman Administration Building, which houses the Pullman National Monument (National Park Service) Visitor Center, museum gallery, and offices.
The Hotel Florence north of 111th street, has limited street parking for personal vehicles. Public sidewalks at the corners have ramps, and the Hotel Florence offers a ramp with handrails at the southern end of the Hotel to reach the Hotel’s veranda. All doors to the Hotel Florence have ramps and push button door openers. Pullman is a vibrant residential neighborhood, so please respect residents’ parking spaces in front of their houses.
Restrooms - Accessible public restrooms are available onsite in the Pullman National Monument (National Park Service) Visitor Center and in the Hotel Florence. (The Hotel Florence currently is closed to visitors.)
Service animals are welcome at Pullman, and water is available via a drinking fountain in the Pullman National Monument Visitor Center.
Tours - Guided introductory tours of the Pullman Car Works are led by National Park Service rangers according to a set schedule or, by prior arrangement, by the State Historic Site staff for specialized interests. An average tour commonly lasts 45 minutes, but can be tailored to a visiting group’s subject of interest and preferences.
