President Obama declares Pullman district a national monument

As of  Feb. 19, 2015, President Barack Obama proclaimed that the Pullman district is now one of the three newest national monuments in the United States; the Pullman National Monument is located in Chicago.

President Barack Obama signs a proclamation regarding the establishment of the Pullman National Monument at the Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy in Chicago, Ill., Feb. 19, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama signs a proclamation regarding the establishment of the Pullman National Monument at the Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy in Chicago, Ill., Feb. 19, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

From The White House Blog: “The Pullman National monument will preserve and highlight America’s first planned industrial town, and a site that tells important stories about the social dynamics of the industrial revolution, of American opportunity and discrimination, and of the rise of labor unions and the struggle for civil rights and economic opportunity for African Americans and other minorities.”

Pullman Wheelworks was built in 1920 and was originally used as a manufacturing facility in the Southside Chicago Pullman neighborhood. In 1980, Mercy Housing converted the historic Pullman Wheelworks property into the Pullman Wheelworks Apartments, multi-family affordable housing with 210 units.

The rehabilitation of the property ensured that all the historically significant features of the building were preserved, and not forgotten. The renovation included many green upgrades and some of the apartments were converted to accessible units for people with disabilities.

Congratulations to Mercy Housing Lakefront for redeveloping the historic building and ensuring to help better the community by providing affordable housing for 452 people!