When the original 1870 station was constructed, Morgan Avenue was a residential street with few homes. As the community developed, schools such as the Mount Vernon Military Academy, the Chicago Female College and the Baptist Theological Union were built on top of the Ridge. An observation tower was erected, and early photographs of the area were taken from this vantage point.

The expansion of the branch line, and the commercial needs of a growing population, began to change Morgan Avenue into a business thoroughfare. One of the most notable buildings in the area was Silva Hall erected by real estate moguls, the Silva brothers. This building served as a focal point for social life in Morgan Park.

The business area changed over the years, with the older turn-of the-century structures replaced by one and two-story commercial buildings. By the 1960's changes in the ethnic make-up of the population and shifting patterns of consumerism placed the business district in jeopardy. An attempt to revive the area with a "Victorian Village" theme failed to capture the imagination of residents. The area was declared blighted, and urban renewal money was used to plow the remnants of the business strip into dust in the 1970's. While notable progress has been recently made in bringing some commercial life back to the street, this major entry point to our community continues to be a sad reminder of the problems that beset older neighborhoods. Even today, the proposed construction of a new police station threatens some of the oldest homes in the area with demolition.