Top 10 Things To See And Do In Pullman, Chicago

Known for its luxury and elegance, the Hotel Florence, named after George Pullman’s daughter, was opened in 1881. A veranda extends around the front of the building. When it opened, the hotel included a gentlemen’s reading room, a billiard room, lunch room and saloon. The hotel is now part of the Pullman State Historic Site.

This sanctuary is unchanged, being built in cherry wood with the original pews. The first tenants, in 1887, of the Greenstone Church were Presbyterian, but the church was sold to the Methodists in 1907. The distinguished Steere and Turner organ is one of the very few manual track organs remaining in the US; the organ has had little repair over the last 100 years with the exception of being powered originally by hand bellows. The organ contains 1,260 pipes with two manuals for the hands, and while it can be a physical challenge to play, it is a treasure for experienced musicians and listeners alike.

The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum hosts various special events celebrating black history and the importance of A. Philip Randolph and the Pullman Porters who made a real impact in African-American union history. In 1937, they established the nation’s first black labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, with Randolph as president.

Complete your tour with a cozy seat at the Pullman Cafe, where you can dine on fresh fruit, homemade lemon bars, and dreamy bread pudding. The ambience of the Pullman Cafe provides a wonderful conclusion to your trip to historic Pullman.