To increase the efficiency of their train service, the Rock Island elevated their main line tracks from 16th Street to Gresham. Many stops were abandoned and their ornate stations demolished. This did not occur on the branch line, leaving us a legacy of train stations unrivaled in any other part of the city. In 1995 the Chicago Landmarks Commission recognized this fact when six of the stations were incorporated into a landmark district. In 1999 Metra, the public agency that provides commuter train service, began an ambitious program to rehabilitate and restore these historic depots to their original condition.

Metra has embarked on a project that will rehabilitate the 111th Street station, and restore it to much of its original condition. The project planners have chosen the post-cyclone configuration of the station as their model for the restoration. The most pressing problem was the deterioration of the foundation, which consisted of limestone blocks. This meant that the building had to be lifted off of the foundation. To facilitate lifting, the station's sheds and roof overhangs were removed from the main structure. Steel beams were inserted beneath the floor joists. The original foundation is being carefully removed piece by piece and replaced by concrete. Once the station has been lowered onto its new base, the remainder of the restoration will take place. Over 1 million dollars is being spent to return the station to its rightful place as a community treasure. This restoration process will be repeated over the next five years on all of the landmark stations.

One can only hope that this thoughtful use of public funds will help leverage private investment and will bring new development to the area. Our community and the stations that serve it show a remarkable resilience to the deprivations of time. As landmarks, they serve as an important touchstone to our past and as a bright promise for our future