Pullman, Illinois: A True Story

Some of you know that I love Chicago and have visited there many times over the years.  When I go, I'm usually working, but if time permits, on the last day before my plane leaves for home, I like to take a Greeter Tour.

Greeter Tours are FREE and awesome!  For more information about Chicago's Greeter Tours, click HERE.

On one such Greeter Tour I visited historic Pullman, IL, and found the history absolutely fascinating!  I took a lot of photos while I was there.  If you would like to see all the photos from my Pullman, IL tour, please click HERE. 

Pullman, IL today is an historic site.  Go HERE for more information or to plan your own visit.

I had no idea this town even existed!  Fascinating.

Now, let's talk a minute about the history of Pullman, Illinois.  Pullman was built to be similar to a southern "mill town" in that the town was owned and operated by the industry that was located there, which was a factory that built the luxurious Pullman railroad cars. 

The factory, the houses, well, basically everything in Pullman was built and owned and operated by the CEO and man in charge,  George M. Pullman.  

Everyone thought it was GREAT!  Until it wasn't.

Trying to exert too much control over your workers never ends well, and it didn't end well for Pullman either.

Oh...the town "looked" prosperous and healthy, but the unrest grew and grew as Mr. Pullman tightened his grip and tried to squeeze more and more work for less and less pay from his employees.  Never never never a good combination

Today though, Pullman looks lovely and quaint.

This is a mural on a wall near the town museum in Pullman, IL.

Photo in the Pullman Museum.
The Pullman Free School basically educated the worker's children in skills they would need to work in the Pullman factory.

Photos in the Pullman Museum. 
Pictured left: The Pullman Free School.  Pictured right: George Pullman

Left: Me!  Right: My Chicago Greeter Tour Guide

The Hotel Florence, Pullman, IL

Lake Vista and Illinois Central Railroad Depot as it was near the turn of the 20th Century

Hotel Florence, Pullman, IL

Yes.  There is a LOT to look at in Pullman.

Hotel Florence, pictured above, was named for George Pullman's favorite daughter. It first opened in November 1881 and still sits today an easy walk from the tree lined streets of neat brick homes.

Pullman was originally comprised of 1000 beautiful brick homes built by Pullman's employees in just less than four years time from 1881 to 1884.  The town was touted as an urban utopia, and, on the surface, it sure looked like that was true.  The homes were large and beautiful with both front and back yards, water and gas, and  access to sanitary facilities. The community spaces in town had parks and other green spaces to enjoy.  The town even picked the garbage  up once a day.  The rent for your home was taken out of your salary before you received your pay, so everything worked well at first.

At first.

But it only took ten years for that urban utopia cream to sour, and today Pullman, Illinois is best remembered for the Pullman Strike of 1894.  You want to watch this video:


Still curious?  Me too.  That's why I'm including this video for you as well.  Enjoy and feel free to share!