The connection between railroads and the Chicago harbor was a close one. The Galena and Chicago Railroad, the first into the city, laid tracks right to the west bank of the North Branch of the Chicago River in 1848. A few years later, The Illinois Central Railroad laid tracks right up to the south bank of the main stem of the Chicago River along Lake Michigan. Seen here is an 1895 map of the railroad holdings, showing the use of the property as a transshipment point.

Creator: Western Insurance Survey Co.
Source: Chicago Historical Society (ICHi-37408)