Puff puff puff. That’s how transportation sounded near Drexel & Cottage Grove in the early 1880s. The “dummy” engine and car offered hourly rides to Oakwood Cemetery. Here at 39th street was its terminal. Travel-stained tourists changed for horse-drawn bob-tails to the city. Drexel & Cottage Grove was an important junction then.
Before automobiles, these corners were rolling prairies. Wooden buildings appeared. Old settlers arrived. The late 1870s saw this area become lively. It beckoned buggy boulevardiers.
Until 1889, 39th street marked Chicago’s southern boundary. Then, Hyde Park was annexed. 39th street lost its distinction but not its business. Hyde Parkers kept visiting.
There’s a story about the old boundary line of Chicago near Drexel & Cottage Grove. The city’s edge ran east to the lake. East of Cottage Grove Avenue, 39th street swerved north. The boundary cut through houses. Officially, saloons could open here. Their bar mirrors had to run parallel to the boundary line.
Around annexation, authorities declared prohibition limits. They extended 39th street to the lake. The old map still shows a dotted line running due east. Householders trip over this geographical ghost.
Drexel Boulevard itself is a unique treasure. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. Frederick Law Olmstead designed it. Calvert Vaux was the designer. He also designed Central Park in New York. The boulevard features a wide park area. Lush foliage and meandering paths are present. Dramatic planting beds enhance the space.
Civiltech upgraded the asphalt paths to concrete sidewalks. They replicated the original intent and location of the paths. Sidewalks were upgraded for ADA compliance. Ramps at intersections enable pedestrian travel. Access at 49th Street includes a raised crosswalk.
Landscape areas were in disrepair. The CDOT Landscape Architect designed nine historic landscaped areas. Irrigation systems were installed. New trees were planted.
Developers responded to the Kenwood Line. They built new apartments along Drexel Boulevard. Single-family homes converted into multifamily dwellings. The neighborhood included German Jews, Irish, and English workers.
By the 1930s, transients and single persons arrived. African Americans followed in the 1940s. Stock Yards workers were common.
In 1956, the CTA planned to streamline the stations. They minimized costs. The Cottage Grove entrance had sealed side doors. Floor-to-ceiling transit walls partitioned the station house. Lamps were upgraded. Half the platform and canopy were to be retained. The Drexel station house was sealed off and abandoned.
Despite plans, ridership remained low. The Kenwood branch discontinued service on December 1, 1957.
Today, Drexel & Cottage Grove reminds us of Chicago’s evolution. From prairie to bustling junction to historic boulevard. Its story reflects the city’s constant change. It embodies both preservation and progress.