California (2800W/400S)
California Avenue and Van Buren Street, East Garfield Park

Service Notes:

Garfield Line

Quick Facts:

Address: TDB
Established: June 19, 1895
Original Line: Metropolitan West Side Elevated, Garfield Park branch
Previous Names: none

Skip-Stop Type:

Station

Rebuilt: n/a
Status: Demolished

History:

The California station was opened in 1895 as part of the initial stretch of the Met's Garfield Park branch.

California station consisted of a station house at street level and dual side platforms at track level. The station house was probably typical of the Met designs on the Northwest and Garfield Park branches. Constructed of red pressed brick with stone sills and foundations, their vernacular style might best be described as Queen Anne-influenced with some Romanesque features. The stations' original design was highlighted by a semicircular bay/portico, a lattice pattern in the brick cornice, extensive terra cotta work including the word "entrance" above one door in the portico and "exit" above the other, dentals above the doors' story lights, and carved wooden beads flush with the building between the wooden brackets which support a wooden canopy over the portico. The stations' dual side platforms had canopies and railings typical of all Met stations: Designed into the railings were larger cast iron square plates with a stylized diamond design. Each platform had a short canopy in the center of the platform, covering the stairs and a small waiting area. The canopy frame was iron, with arched latticed supports and bracketed rafters, and hipped roofs of corrugated tin.

In 1953, the Garfield Park branch was rerouted via temporary grade-level trackage east of Sacramento Avenue along Van Buren Street due to construction of the Congress [Eisenhower] Expressway, returning to the old elevated main line at Aberdeen, a block east of Racine. California station was one of several stations that closed on September 27 that year, allowing the old Met elevated to be demolished between Sacramento and Aberdeen.

A replacement station at California was opened on the Congress Line in 1958.