National Register of Historic Places

Dearborn Station

Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Listed
March 25, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76000688

About this property

Dearborn Station (also called Polk Street Depot) was, beginning in the late 1800s, one of six intercity train stations serving downtown Chicago, Illinois. It remained in operation until May 1, 1971. Built in 1883, it is located at Dearborn and Polk Streets, adjacent to Printers Row in South Loop. The station was owned by the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad, which itself was owned by the companies operating over its line. The station building headhouse now houses office, retail, and entertainment spaces, and its trackage yard and train sheds, behind the headhouse, were removed and redeveloped into part of the Dearborn Park neighborhood.

Location

47 W. Polk St.
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
41.87219, -87.62835

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTCOMMERCETRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Dearborn Station

This page lists Dearborn Station. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Dearborn Station report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Lakeside Press Building
Industrial
0 mi
Fairbanks, Morse and Company Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Pontiac Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Blackstone Hotel
Industrial
0.2 mi
Crane Company Building
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Fort Dearborn Massacre August 15 1812
1812Early Republic
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Dearborn Station listed on the National Register?

Dearborn Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 25, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Dearborn Station?

Dearborn Station is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Dearborn Station?

The period of significance for Dearborn Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Dearborn Station?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Dearborn Station will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Cook County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Cook County.

Explore CookCounty ›

More historic places in Illinois

Browse all historic places in Illinois.

View Illinoishistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Illinois history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Illinoishistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Dearborn Station will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report