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| A streetcar runs down Clark Street near Wrightwood in the 1950s. |
by Michelle Stenzel
Do you remember streetcars in Chicago? Probably not. In the first half of the twentieth century, there were dozens of streetcar lines that reached into all corners of the city. They were a very popular and efficient means of transportation; however, as automobiles took over Chicago’s streets, the number of streetcar lines diminished and then were completely eliminated by the 1950s. In 1957, Lincoln Park’s streetcar lines #22 Clark and #36 Broadway were among the last to be “bustituted” -- substituted with buses. (Read more at the Wikipedia site for Chicago Surface Lines.)
John Krause, an active member and supporter of Bike Walk Lincoln Park, is trying to change that. He’s the founder of the Chicago Streetcar Renaissance, which is seeking to use the streetcar to bring back Chicago.
