Hyde Park Historical Society

The Society's objective is to record, preserve, promote and teach Hyde Park, Chicago history. The Hyde Park cable car line ran along 55th Street.

ected Hyde Park with the downtown area at Roosevelt Road. It, together with the Illinois Central Railroad, the Jackson Park Elevated line and lake steamers, was one of the major modes of transportation between downtown Chicago and the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park. The cars turned south at what is now Harper Avenue to a half block past 56th street, then east to Lake Park Avenue and then north to 55th Street. The cars then turned west on 55th Street to Cottage Grove Avenue. The main powerhouse was located on the north east corner of Cottage Grove Avenue and 55th Street. The Hyde Park turnaround, which ran on a separate cable was called Cable Court. The loop was in existence for several years before the building was built. While the exact date of the station’s construction is not known, strong evidence indicates it was erected in 1893 or 1894. It is known that the right-of-way was elevated from ground level in 1893, to eliminate grade crossings and facilitate traffic flow for the fair. Construction of the building, which is rubble stone and not brick in the sections that abut the bank of the Illinois Central tracks, indicates it was built at the time of the embankment’s construction or after it, but not before. The building was in place by 1895 because it appears on a map of the area carrying that date. It is not entirely clear whether the building was originally used as a waiting room for passengers or as a rest area for employees. Whatever its intended use, within a few years the cable car system was abandoned. For a time the building served as a terminal and rest stop for the trolley system which replaced the cable cars. However, even that use was short lived and the surface rail lines and trolleys had been completely abandoned by 1906. Beginning about 1898, through 1952, the building was operated as a short order restaurant by members of the Keller family, particularly Turney Keller. Later, it was the home of “Steve’s Lunch.” operated by a Steve Megales, a Greek Immigrant. According to Clyde Watkins, a founder of the Hyde Park Historical Society, the breakfast special featured two eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast and coffee and cost $.42. By 1974 the lunch room had closed and the building was being used as a storage shed for the two-wheeled carts used for delivering newspapers. The building was clearly headed for ruin. At this point, the history of the building and the formation of The Hyde Park Historical Society converge. The idea of a historical society was initially explored by Clyde Watkins and Tom Jensen who called a public forum in the spring of 1975. Dev Bowley, Jean Block and Vicky Ranney were also among the first organizers. The society was officially chartered in January 28, 1977. At first, the Society did not have a home, but Clyde Watkins already had his eye on the building he had been fond of for many years. The Society soon purchased the building for approximately $4,000 and leased the land from the Illinois Central Railroad. Dev Bowley became the chairman of the restoration committee and brought in John Vinci to be the architect for the restoration.

09/13/2024

Photos from Hyde Park Historical Society's post

07/19/2024

Thank you to the UChicago Medical Center Marketing Team for volunteering today! They clean the inside of the building and up and down Lake Park! We are sitting grateful for their help and dedication.

06/23/2024

Come out to the HPHS from now till 4pm!

Memorial Day(s): The Confederate Mound at Oak Woods Cemetery

05/27/2024

The Hyde Park Historical Society invites you to view a new short documentary about the Confederate Mound at Oak Woods Cemetery.

The Hyde Park Historical Society served as a community partner over the winter and spring of 2024, to a group of UChicago students as they created this documentary on Oak Woods Cemetery's Confederate Mound for their Public History Seminar. The HPHS hopes this can evoke continued conversations by communities throughout the South Side about the history of the cemetery and the presence of the mound.

Memorial Day(s): The Confederate Mound at Oak Woods Cemetery The Hyde Park Historical Society served as a community partner over the winter and spring of 2024, to a group of UChicago students as they created this docum...

04/21/2024

Don’t forget to stop by the historical society today!

Hyde Park Historical Society — Chicago's Hyde Park Historical Society

03/25/2024

At this press conference, the Conservancy will release its coastal engineering Condition Study that shows that the masonry limestone revetment functions right now, can be retained and repaired, and, if repaired and maintained, has another 86- or more years of service. Demolition and replacement with concrete would close the park for 3-5 years and would destroy the community that has grown up at the Point for generations.
Alderman Yancy is co-hosting and Senator Peters is speaking.

Hyde Park Historical Society — Chicago's Hyde Park Historical Society THURSDAY, APRIL 4 10:00 AM THE PROMONTORY (CLUB) 5311 S LAKE PARK AVE. WEST

03/17/2024

Stop by today between 1-4pm for our 1893 World’s Fair exhibit!

03/17/2024

Open House TODAY: March 17th from 1-4pm

Stop by the headquarters to learn more about the 1893 Columbian Exposition that took place just stones throw away from the HPHS headquarters. We will have books, posters, coloring book pages and sample some snacks that fairgoers enjoyed while visiting the fair. Plus, test your knowledge with some World’s Fair Trivia and get a chance at winning a pair of limited edition Hyde Park Historical Society earphones!

03/11/2024

Join the Clarence Darrow Commemorative Committee for its annual flower-tossing and symposium in 2024 The Darrow Commemorative Committee invites you to participate in two March events celebrating Darrow.

03/02/2024

This Saturday, March 2, DPD will hold the City’s first-ever Black Cultural Harvest at the Chicago History Museum from 10am to 2pm. The free, all-ages event is an effort from the City to highlight the importance of preserving cultural heritage and to call attention to local organizations carrying out this important work. Learn more at Chicago.gov/BCHI.

02/25/2024

Be sure to stop by the Hyde Park Historical Society table at the Black Cultural Harvest 2024 on March 2nd from 10am-2pm. It will be held at the Chicago History Museum and is the City’s first-ever Black Cultural Harvest — a free, all-ages event created to help preserve and celebrate the Black experience in Chicago. All Chicagoans are invited to bring historical and cultural mementos to be scanned into a digital archive.
The 2024 Black Cultural Harvest is part of Chicago’s Black Cultural Heritage Initiative (BCHI) and an ongoing effort to better preserve the physical assets of cultural groups.
Visit Chicago.gov/BCHI to register and learn more.

On Saturday, March 2, join DPD at the Chicago History Museum for the City’s first-ever Black Cultural Harvest — a free, all-ages event created to help preserve and celebrate the Black experience in Chicago. All Chicagoans are invited to bring historical and cultural mementos to be scanned into a digital archive.

The 2024 Black Cultural Harvest is part of Chicago’s Black Cultural Heritage Initiative (BCHI) and an ongoing effort to better preserve the physical assets of cultural groups.

Visit Chicago.gov/BCHI to register and learn more.

02/07/2024

Join the Hyde Park Historical Society on Sunday, February 18th from 1-4pm for our February Open House. In honor of Black History Month, visitors will have a chance to be led from our headquarters down to the 56th Street viaduct to learn about and remember pioneering black muralist, William Walker’s “Childhood is Without Prejudice”, his connection to Bret Harte School, and the impact of Walker across the City of Chicago. Free and Open to all! www.hydeparkhistory.org/upcomingevents

02/04/2024

Check out the newest coloring page on our website featuring black musicians buried at Oak Woods Cemetery!

Hyde Park Historical Society — Chicago's Hyde Park Historical Society Black History is celebrated at the Hyde Park Historical Society year-round. In honor of the 2024’s Black History Month, we encourage you to download this coloring page of some of the notable black musicians buried at Oak Woods Cemetery. We invite you and your love ones to learn more about each ama

01/21/2024

Thank you to all those who came out to our volunteer training yesterday! We appreciated all those who came out and we are looking forward to having so many people to lend their talents to helping us achieve our mission. If you are interested in volunteering but couldn't attend this training, you can sign up for the next one at: https://www.hydeparkhistory.org/get-involved

01/02/2024

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Our Story

Welcome to The Hyde Park Historical Society
This little building was constructed in 1893 or 1894 by the Chicago City Street Railway. It is believed to be the only building surviving in Chicago that was part of the cable car system.

At one time the railway was one of the most extensive cable car systems in the country. The line had moving underground cables, like the San Francisco system, and connected Hyde Park with the downtown area at Roosevelt Road. It, together with the Illinois Central Railroad, the Jackson Park Elevated line and lake steamers, was one of the major modes of transportation between downtown Chicago and the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Jackson Park.

The Hyde Park cable car line ran along 55th Street. The cars turned south at what is now Harper Avenue to a half block past 56th street, then east to Lake Park Avenue and then north to 55th Street. The cars then turned west on 55th Street to Cottage Grove Avenue. The main powerhouse was located on the north east corner of Cottage Grove Avenue and 55th Street. The Hyde Park turnaround, which ran on a separate cable was called Cable Court. The loop was in existence for several years before the building was built.

While the exact date of the station’s construction is not known, strong evidence indicates it was erected in 1893 or 1894. It is known that the right-of-way was elevated from ground level in 1893, to eliminate grade crossings and facilitate traffic flow for the fair. Construction of the building, which is rubble stone and not brick in the sections that abut the bank of the Illinois Central tracks, indicates it was built at the time of the embankment’s construction or after it, but not before. The building was in place by 1895 because it appears on a map of the area carrying that date.

It is not entirely clear whether the building was originally used as a waiting room for passengers or as a rest area for employees. Whatever its intended use, within a few years the cable car system was abandoned. For a time the building served as a terminal and rest stop for the trolley system which replaced the cable cars. However, even that use was short lived and the surface rail lines and trolleys had been completely abandoned by 1906.

Beginning about 1898, through 1952, the building was operated as a short order restaurant by members of the Keller family, particularly Turney Keller. Later, it was the home of “Steve’s Lunch.” operated by a Steve Megales, a Greek Immigrant. According to Clyde Watkins, a founder of the Hyde Park Historical Society, the breakfast special featured two eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast and coffee and cost $.42. By 1974 the lunch room had closed and the building was being used as a storage shed for the two-wheeled carts used for delivering newspapers. The building was clearly headed for ruin.

At this point, the history of the building and the formation of The Hyde Park Historical Society converge. The idea of a historical society was initially explored by Clyde Watkins and Tom Jensen who called a public forum in the spring of 1975. Dev Bowley, Jean Block and Vicky Ranney were also among the first organizers. The society was officially chartered in January 28, 1977. At first, the Society did not have a home, but Clyde Watkins already had his eye on the building he had been fond of for many years. The Society soon purchased the building for approximately $4,000 and leased the land from the Illinois Central Railroad. Dev Bowley became the chairman of the restoration committee and brought in John Vinci to be the architect for the restoration.

Videos (show all)

Partners In Preservation: Bring Back The Cable Car Building In...

The Hyde Park Historical Society's attempts to make Guinness B...

Vote for BRING BACK THE CABLE CAR BUILDING IN HYDE PARK

Contact the organization

Click here to send a message to the organization

Telephone

(773) 493-1893

Website

http://www.hydeparkhistory.org/

Address

5529 S Lake Park Avenue
Chicago, IL
60637

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