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Union Stockyards Gate: A Testament to Chicago's Meatpacking Legacy

Visit the Union Stockyards Gate in Chicago, a historic landmark and reminder of the city's meatpacking past, featuring unique architecture and a firefighters' memorial.

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The Union Stockyards Gate, a historic landmark in Chicago, stands as a reminder of the city's dominant role in the meatpacking industry. Designed by Burnham and Root in the late 19th century, the gate is one of the few surviving structures from the once-sprawling Union Stock Yards, offering a glimpse into Chicago's past.

A brief summary to Union Stockyards Gate

  • W Exchange Ave &, S Peoria St, Chicago, New City, IL, 60609, US
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Local tips

  • Visit the Firefighters Memorial located directly behind the gate to pay respects to those who perished in the 1910 Stockyards fire.
  • Take a moment to examine the limestone steer head, thought to represent "Sherman", the prize-winning bull.
  • Read the historical markers and plaques around the gate to learn about the history of the Stockyards and its impact on Chicago.
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Getting There

  • Public Transport

    The Union Stockyards Gate is accessible via public transportation. Several CTA bus routes serve the area, including routes 9, 43, and 47. Bus fare is $2.25 per ride. From downtown, you can take the Red Line to the Sox-35th station and transfer to the #35 bus, which stops near the gate. The train fare is $2.50.

  • Walking

    If you are in the vicinity of the Bridgeport neighborhood, the Union Stockyards Gate is accessible by foot. From Halsted Street, walk west on Exchange Avenue for about one block. The gate is located on a plaza at the intersection of Exchange Avenue and Peoria Street.

  • Taxi/Ride-share

    Taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft are readily available in Chicago. A ride from downtown Chicago to the Union Stockyards Gate will typically cost between $15 and $25, depending on traffic and surge pricing.

  • Driving

    If driving, you can reach the gate by taking Halsted Street (Route 1) or Interstate 90/94 to the 43rd Street exit. Limited street parking is available near the gate. Parking garages are available in the surrounding areas, with hourly rates typically ranging from $2 to $10. Be aware of residential parking restrictions in the area.

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Discover more about Union Stockyards Gate

The Union Stockyards Gate, located on Chicago's South Side, marks the entrance to what was once the world's largest livestock market. Established in 1865, the Union Stock Yards centralized Chicago's meatpacking industry, earning the city the moniker "hog butcher for the world". The yards operated for over a century before closing in 1971. The gate, designed by Burnham and Root around 1875 and constructed in 1879, served as the principal eastern entrance to the stockyards. This limestone structure features a central arch flanked by two smaller arches, with conical limestone turrets atop the central arch piers. A bust of "Sherman," a prize-winning bull named after John B. Sherman, a founder of the Union Stock Yard and Transit Company, adorns the central arch. Restored in the 1970s, the gate is a visual reminder of Chicago's past. Just west of the gate is a memorial statue honoring the firefighters who died in the 1910 Chicago Union Stock Yards Fire, the deadliest building collapse in American history until 9/11. A plaque on the gate, titled "The Fallen 21," tells the story of the fire. The Union Stock Yard Gate was designated a Chicago Landmark on February 24, 1972, added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 27, 1972, and designated a National Historic Landmark on May 29, 1981.

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