Hotel Florence

Visit

The Hotel Florence is currently closed while preparing for restoration. See the press release: 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

About

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

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/pullman-state-historic-site-idnr-120990179952