On November 13th, 1999, the first of a series of annual tours of historic "L" stations was conducted with great success.

Tour participants listen to a lecture at the Madison/Wabash station as a Green Line train approaches. Tour leaders Keith Letsche (tan jacket) and Kent Haag (back turned, navy jacket) stand on the right. Not pictured: tour leaders John Craib-Cox and Graham Garfield. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

The tour, led by Graham Garfield (Site Administrator of Chicago-L. org), Kent Haag (Chicago Programs Coordinator, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency), John Craib-Cox (Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois), and Keith Letsche (an Assistant Attorney-General of Illinois), started at the historic Monadnock Building in the Loop, then proceeded to the "L" where CTA trains were used to reach many of the CTA's oldest and rarest stations.

Participants paid a $10.00 admission price, which included a CTA one-day unlimited ride fun pass. Using the pass, the tour hopped on and off regular in-service revenue trains, traveling from station to station on the historic elevated transit system. At each station, talks and lectures were given on the history, operations, architecture, and significance of the station to "L" and community history, as well as on the history and architecture of the surrounding neighborhood.

The following stations were visited on the tour, in order:

• Library-State/Van Buren: Although not a historic station, Library (built in 1997) is architecturally interesting and provides excellent aboveground views of several old Loop buildings. It was primarily for some introductions and Chicago transit general history.
• Madison/Wabash: Built in 1896, Madison/Wabash is one of the Loop's last remaining original stations and the last on the Wabash leg to retain its station house.
• State/Lake: State/Lake is the Loop's oldest "L" station. Built in 1895, it retains much of its architectural character despite some unfortunate alterations.
• Armitage: A station typical of several along today's Ravenswood Line, this 1900-vintage station retains its original station house, platforms, and canopies. At the mouth of the State Street Subway, a switching tower was added to the SB platform in 1943. A lunch/snack break was taken here.
• Rockwell: One of the few stations where the "L" is at grade, Rockwell (built in 1906) is a rare example of simple, clapboard station design and construction. It retains the majority of its details on the station and platform, not to mention all of its character.

• Tour leader John Craib-Cox points out an architecturally interesting building in the neighborhood next to the Armitage station on the Brown Line. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

  Belmont: This station was mostly a layover while switching from the Brown to the Red Line. Although the station house (built: 1900) is identical to Armitage, the dual island platforms and transfer bridge betray its importance as a high-traffic station and transfer point on the elevated.
• Wilson: The original terminus of the Northwestern Elevated when it opened in 1900, the current 1923 station once served not only the "L" but the North Shore Line as well. Its ornate and extravagant Beaux Arts architecture is both extraordinary for a transit facility as well as handsome.
• Thorndale: The Prairie School architecture of this 1921 facility is typical of many of the Howard Line stations north of Lawrence. The station house is intact, as well as the island platform and canopy.
• Quincy: Returning to the Loop, Quincy (built in 1897) has been restored by the CTA to a near-original appearance. Reproduction signage (in addition to period-looking signage) and advertising posters adorn the platform.
• LaSalle/Van Buren: The last station on the tour, LaSalle/Van Buren (built: 1897) has nearly as many intact features as Quincy did before restoration, making it a good candidate for preservation and restoration. Both track-level station houses and platforms are intact.

After the conclusion of the tour, participants were able to use their one-day passes to ride home or one more station east to return to Library, where the tour began. (Participants also had the option of leaving the tour early from another station, if necessary.) In all, approximately twenty people participated in the first tour, with many asking for information on when the second tour would be held!

	tour99c.jpg (69k) Tour participants view the magnificent Beaux Arts architecture of the 1923-built Wilson station on the Red Line. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	tour99d.jpg (64k) Keith Letsche speaks to the tour group at the 1906 grade-level Rockwell station on the Brown Line. (Photo by Graham Garfield)