Garfield Boulevard 'L' Station and Overpass

Address: 319 E. Garfield Blvd. Year Built: 1892 Architect: Myron H. Church Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: December 12, 2001

The Garfield Boulevard "L" Station, part of Chicago's original "Alley L," is one of the oldest intact elevated rail stations in the United States. The Alley L-so-called because it ran above the alley between State Street and Wabash Avenue-was originally built to service the City's South Side residents, but the line was quickly extended south to Jackson Park in order to provide direct access to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The Garfield Boulevard Station was built as part of that expansion in 1892. The station and its steel overpass spanning Garfield Boulevard are a unique remaining part of the Alley L, now part of the Chicago Transit Authority's Green Line. While most of the elevated line ran above the alley and therefore required little architectural detail, the ornamental steel overpass here was designed to complement the landscaped boulevard below and serve as a gateway to the surrounding Washington Park community.