Jarvis (7400N/1600W)
Jarvis Street and Ashland Avenue, Rogers Park

Service Notes:

	Red Line: Howard
	Owl Service

Quick Facts:

Address: 1523-25 W. Jarvis Street
Established: May 16, 1908
Original Line: Northwestern Elevated Railroad
Previous Names: Birchwood

Skip-Stop Type:

Station

Rebuilt: 1921
Status: In Use

History:

The Chicago City Council authorized the electrification of the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad's tracks from Graceland Avenue (Irving Park Road) to the city limits at Howard Avenue on July 1, 1907 to facilitate the extension of the Northwestern Elevated Railroad. Unlike Evanston, they did not require that the grade-level tracks be elevated immediately, but in the mid-1910s, the Northwestern began to elevate the tracks north of Wilson. Work was slow due to the city's refusal to close intersecting streets and the narrow width of the right-of-way.

In early 1916, trains were moved onto a temporary trestle, but construction of a permanent embankment had to wait until the end of World War I due to a materials shortage. This seems to indicate that the Thorndale station at this time was temporary, as the embankment had not been completed. By early 1922, the new four track mainline was completed, allowing full express service to the city limits.

It is likely that it was towards the end of this process that the current station was built, sometime in the early 1920s. (1921 seems a likely date, as this is when identical Argyle, as well as Loyola directly to the north were reconstructed as part of the elevation.) The station is a Prairie School structure, probably designed by architect Charles P. Rawson. It is constructed of concrete, brick and stone and is typical of a number of stations designed by Rawson (including Argyle ). Jarvis is a well preserved example of a series of identical stations along this section of the Howard Line, still containing is original architectural details, many classic enamel signs.

In 2006, the station name signs and column signs on the platform were replaced, with Current Graphic Standard signs replacing the KDR Standard graphics, and new entrance signs installed as part of a signage upgrade project on the Red Line. As part of this effort, the station also received granite compass roses inset into the sidewalk in front of the station entrance to assist customers leaving the station to navigate their way, and three-sided galvanized steel pylons in the station house and on the platform to display maps and station timetables.