FORMER CARHOUSES IN CHICAGO

PHOTOS

Most of Chicago's old carhouses have gone the way of Lawndale, shown being demolished during summer, 1999. Lawndale was built in 1910, housed buses starting in 1941, and was closed in 1994 when the new Chicago Ave. Garage opened.

Also closing in 1994 was Limits, which also was demolished a few years later. Limits had housed buses since 1938, but retained the look of an old carhouse up to the end. Because the original streetcar servicing lanes were too narrow, none of the newer CTA lift equipped buses could be accommodated there. A horse car barn was originally constructed at this site in 1880, which until 1889 was just north of the Chicago city limits. Thus the name "Limits". Between 1888 and 1896, the Clark Street cable car route operated out of Limits. This carhouse was constructed in 1910. Photo was taken in 1997 prior to demolition.

Some carhouses subsequently were taken over by small industries, including part of the Armitage carhouse. This part of the carhouse opened in 1885, Armitage closed for streetcars in 1952.

The Burnside carhouse also remains for a small industry, and the streetcar tracks remain visible leading into the carhouse. Burnside opened in 1880, and closed for streetcars in 1949.

The main buildings of the Blue Island carhouse have been demolished. But still standing is a building constructed for the West Chicago Street Railroad Co. in 1892. The building extends between Blue Island Ave. and Coulter Ave., and dates from the days of horse cars. In 1893, the Blue Island car route was converted to cable cars. View is on Coulter Ave.

A baseball field exists at the location of the former Lincoln carhouse. But on Lill Street immediately south of the baseball field, a Chicago Railways substation remains standing. The substation was built in 1909, one year before the carhouse was built.