The main Chicago post office was built in 1921 and opened in 1922. Chicago Union Station opened in 1925 after a ten year construction time frame that started in 1915. Theoretically then both structures were being constructed simultaneously with the post office constructed over the south Chicago Union Station tracks. The facility complex then was designed to function to serve both passenger traffic and mail service in and out of Chicago.
The post office was originally a one story terminal in 1922 but the footprint was maintained with 9 stories added in 1935 to accommodate the massive increase in mail volume that was being encountered.
Referencing the CB&Q Chicago Division Station Plat dated November 17, 1933 the building on the right in the flickr photo is labeled as “Railway Express Agency- Inbound Freight House”. The building is located along the west side of the railroad right of way. This indicates the photograph in the flickr link provided in the e-mail is looking south. The bridge crossing the right of way is Polk Street. If the view were to the north the structure would have to be Harrison Street with the post office building immediately behind it, which is not the case.
The REA building was expanded in later years to be cantilevered over the western most track on concrete piers between the tracks with trains visible under the overhang.
The elevated tower on the left side of the photo is labeled as “CUS Signal Tower”. The freight house to the left of the tower is labeled as “Alton (GM&O) Express Office and Freight House”.
For anyone that has the book by Patrick C. Dorin “Everywhere West The Burlington Route” the top photo on page 70 has an excellent view of this exact location with a north view looking at the Harrison Street overpass with the main Chicago post office behind it to the north.
Dennis Popish
On Sep 28, 2021, at 8:59 PM, Leo Phillipp via groups.io <qutlx1=aol.com@groups.io> wrote:
I don’t mean to be disagreeable. But in my opinion the view that comes up with the email chain looks North into Union Station. That’s the Q freight house on the left with the Pennsy house on the right.
This is Harrison street tower, owned and operated by CUS.
I base this my passing the CUS test and on years of passing by and communication with this tower to depart CUS.
The much later built combined Chicago REA house was at Roosevelt Road.
The view that comes up in the link is indeed reversed.
This photo apparently predates the building of the post office on air rights over the CUS train shed. Much later Harrison street tower itself was covered by further building on air rights. If this view looked south there would be no buildings on either side.
The G.M&O. Freight house was a bit further north and a little east of this scene between the expressway (Columbus drive) to the North and Van Buren to the south.
The platform under the tower and running northward was one of the mail platforms.
Respectfully,
Leo Phillipp
On Sep 28, 2021, at 12:32 PM, Michael Woodruff <mwoodruff54@gmail.com> wrote:
Would that have been a CB&Q tower, though? Your description makes it sound more like the PRR Harrison Street tower. There's a photo in the Barriger Archives, but it's reversed as so many of them are:
I've attempted to correct and attach it, not sure if the attachment will be stripped off.
msw
wa
Subject: Question
Comments:
Good morning!
Im looking for photos of the CB&Q tower in Chicago between the PRR freight
warehouse (Polk St I think) and the CB&Q REA freighthouse. The only photos I
can find are from a vehicle bridge and only of one end. I wish I could
insert a photo here to show which one Im talking about.
Im curious as to the size and lower support structures.
Im looking to incorporate a similar scene on my N-Scale passenger terminal
and this tower is very interesting to me.
Thank you in advance. Any help or reference would help.
<PRRHarrisonStTower-001jwb.jpg>