Illinois Central Railroad Central Station at about Roosevelt Road in Chicago, Illinois on an unknown day in June 1973, Ektachrome by Chuck Zeiler. The Romanesque Revival structure, designed by Bradford L. Gilbert and built by the Illinois Central Railroad, opened April 17, 1893 to meet the traffic demands of the World's Columbian Exposition. The nine-story building featured a 13-story clock tower and housed the general offices of the railroad. The station closed in 1972 when Amtrak rerouted services to Union Station. The station building was demolished in 1974. |