This article is not intended to be a history of the Bloomingdale Line; that has been covered elsewhere.
Instead, the author examines how the Bloomingdale Line interacted with and affected the lives of Chicago citizens and businesses during its time in service. To that end, Part I attempts to put the remainder of the article in context by discussing the Bloomingdale Line’s establishment, the community’s vehement opposition to its presence during the first 40 or so years it existed and its eventual elevation. Part II is really the heart of the matter. In that section, the author examines how the Bloomingdale Line was, for many years, an integral part of the daily operations of many industrial and manufacturing businesses that existed next to the railway. To illustrate the point, the author profiles seven companies that were adjacent to the Bloomingdale and used it for shipping and receiving. Finally, Part III is essentially a coda reflecting upon the Bloomingdale Line’s disuse and abandonment.
via The Bloomingdale Line | Forgotten Chicago | History, Architecture, and Infrastructure.
From: The 606 park to open in June
A long-planned Chicago park stretching along abandoned Northwest Side train tracks will debut June 6, the city announced Monday.