Place

Administration-Clock Tower Building

A red brick building with a tall clock tower stands against a bright blue sky.
The west entrance of the Administration Clock Tower Building.

NPS Photo/Daniel Ples

Quick Facts
Location:
610 E 111th St, Chicago, IL 60628
Significance:
Administrative Building of Pullman Palace Car Company
Designation:
National Historical Park

Audio Description, Baby Changing Station, Benches/Seating, Bicycle - Rack, Bus/Shuttle Stop, Captioned Media, Cellular Signal, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Information - Maps Available, Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Public Transit, Restroom, Restroom - Accessible, Restroom - Family, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Tactile Exhibit, Water - Bottle-Filling Station, Wheelchair Accessible, Wheelchairs Available

Built in 1880, the Administration Clock Tower Building formed the central mass of a monumental structure seven hundred feet long. As the manufacturing center of Pullman, the Administration and Factory Complex was an unusually ornate industrial building designed to sit in a park-like setting. The structure overlooked the artificial Lake Vista, which was a cooling reservoir for the Corliss steam engine. The main facade faced the Illinois Central tracks, and thus was one of the first buildings a visitor would see. The Pullman Company stood as both a real and symbolic expression of the great economic power of the railroad industry, it was essential the building display a strong sense of formal ordering.

In 1991, the State of Illinois purchased the Administration Clock Tower Building to comprise the Illinois Pullman State Historic Site. The 12.66-acre site is at the northeast corner of 111th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, directly north of the Hotel Florence.

After standing for 117 years as a Pullman landmark, the Administration Clock Tower Building was seriously damaged by a fire set by an arsonist on December 1, 1998. The tower and clock were rebuilt and installed on site in late 2005. The district was named a National Monument (now National Historical Park) on February 19, 2015, making it a component of the National Park System. Now, as of Labor Day 2021, the building hosts the National Park Service's Visitor Center. 

Pullman National Historical Park

Last updated: May 10, 2024