Discover the Buried Railroad- Peerless Confection Traditional Cache

Not many people know about the buried railroad system right here in the city of Chicago. Built from 1885-1889 the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company (same company that built the Bloomingdale line aka the 606) operated between Chicago and Wilmette. Starting at the Chicago river freight trains rumbled down Kenzie Street, up Kingsbury Street and Lakewood Avenue before curving eastward just south of Addison towards Wrigley Field. The trains carried loads of coal, bricks, lumber, and even ingredients to make candy. Sections of the train line were slowly abandoned over time. The last customer was the Peerless Confectionery factory which after 93 years of business ceased operations in 2007. This series of cashes of takes you on a journey to discover some of the surviving abandoned train tracks proudly revealing their history to everyone who passes. It is incredible to imagine steam powered trains snaking through the side streets of Chicago delivering the vital pieces that built this city.

Special thanks to Will Haley’s article “Uncovering the Lakewood Train Line”

and Dennis McClendon’s post on Curious City.