The elevated station house
Opened on September 3rd, 1897, the Quincy station stands over Quincy Street and Wells Avenue (formerly Fifth Avenue), just east of the Sears Tower. Quincy showcases how the ‘L’ system appeared back at the turn of the century when rapid transit was in its infancy. Unlike other stations in the Chicago Loop, Quincy was rebuilt with replicas of the original wood and tin panelling, lighting mounts, and signage. Of course, the station features modern amenities such as turnstiles, fare card machines and digital marquees, which all fits nicely into the magnificent character of the structure.
The platform canopies feature corrugated metal roofs with decorative supporting posts. Along the fences guarding the platform edges, there are period advertisements and maps of the ‘L’ system. The lighting fixtures are not originals, but are shaped like canes and alternate with newer box-shaped mounts to provide illumination.
The station serves the Brown Line on the outbound (western) platform, while Pink, Purple and Orange Line trains are served on the inbound (eastern) platform.
All in all, it’s a very beautiful station and perfect for the history buff who’s curious to take a trip back in time on this bustling metropolitan transit system.
Quincy is one of my favourite stations along with Armitage up in Lincoln Park. Stop by and take a look!
Sources: Chicago-L.org, Chicago Transit Authority
