Remember When? Southport’s Original CTA ‘L’ Station Before the 2008 Renovation

Before the modern entrance, elevators and longer platforms, the Southport “L” stop was a modest neighborhood station tucked beneath the elevated tracks. These historic photographs capture a Southport Avenue that longtime Lakeview residents may remember.

Historic Southport Avenue beneath the CTA Brown Line elevated tracks in Chicago — Southport Avenue and the elevated tracks before the station’s 2007–2008 renovation.

Southport’s “L” dates back to 1907

Southport station opened May 18, 1907, as part of the Ravenswood branch of the Northwestern Elevated Railroad—decades before the Chicago Transit Authority existed. Located at 3411 N. Southport Avenue, it connected a growing residential and commercial neighborhood with Chicago’s larger rapid transit network. What we now call the Brown Line was historically known as the Ravenswood Line.

Remember the original stationhouse?

The old Southport station was considerably more compact than today’s accessible facility. Its brick stationhouse stood beneath the steel elevated structure, with an entrance that was easy to miss among the businesses along the street.

Original-era brick Southport CTA stationhouse before 2007 reconstruction — A close-up of the former brick stationhouse beneath the elevated tracks, before reconstruction.

When Southport was a “B” station

From 1949 until 1995, the CTA used an A/B skip-stop system on parts of the “L.” Southport was designated a B station, meaning some trains skipped the stop during periods when the system was in effect. The system eventually gave way to the all-stop service familiar to today’s riders.

The station closes in 2007

On April 2, 2007, Southport closed for a major reconstruction as part of the CTA’s approximately $530 million Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project. The nearby Belmont and Paulina stations remained open while the work was underway. The project was intended to allow longer, eight-car trains and make stations accessible to people with disabilities.

At Southport, crews rebuilt the stationhouse, expanded the platforms, installed elevators and accessible turnstiles, widened stairways and added improved lighting, signage, passenger amenities and canopies.

Southport reopens in 2008

The renovated Southport station reopened to passengers on March 30, 2008. Mayor Richard M. Daley and CTA officials formally dedicated the new station on April 11, 2008—101 years after the original station opened. The modernized stop became a more welcoming gateway to the Southport Corridor.

A 6000-series 'L' train stopped at the Southport CTA station platform in 1962, Southport Corridor, Chicago — A 6000-series train stopped at Southport on September 6, 1962, beneath the “Board Here” sign. Photo: Roy G. Benedict / Chicago-L.org.

Interior of the original Southport CTA stationhouse with 'To City' and 'From City' signs and glazed brick walls, Southport Corridor, Chicago — Inside the original stationhouse: the “To City” and “From City” signs lit up and sounded a bell as trains approached. Note the glazed brick walls and tongue-and-groove ceiling. Photo: Ernie Baudler / Chicago-L.org.

The original Southport CTA station platform canopy with latticework in 2002, Southport Corridor, Chicago — The old platforms’ curved canopy roofs and elaborate latticework, looking west on May 13, 2002. Photo: Graham Garfield / Chicago-L.org.

Sunflower casting in the original Southport CTA station platform railing, Southport Corridor, Chicago — A sunflower cast into the original platform railings, May 13, 2002 — a signature detail of the 1906–07 Ravenswood branch stations. Photo: Graham Garfield / Chicago-L.org.

Southport CTA station platform sign at sunset in December 2002, Southport Corridor, Chicago — The Southport platform sign at sunset, December 2002, looking east over the neighborhood. Photo: David Wilson (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

Original blue enamel 'Look Where You Step' sign at the Southport CTA station, Southport Corridor, Chicago — One of the original blue-and-white enamel signs that survived at the old station: “Look Where You Step,” at the top of the platform stairs. Photo: Ernie Baudler / Chicago-L.org.

Green Southport station sign on the old wooden platform in September 2006, Southport Corridor, Chicago — The green Southport sign on the old wooden platform, September 27, 2006 — about six months before the station closed for reconstruction. Photo: zesmerelda (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

Southport CTA station platforms stripped down during reconstruction in May 2007, Southport Corridor, Chicago — Mid-reconstruction, May 23, 2007: the platform decking removed so the steel structure could be refurbished. Photo: Graham Garfield / Chicago-L.org.

More historic and modern Southport station photos

For a broader visual history, explore the Wikimedia Commons Southport CTA station photo collection, with photographs of the older station and more recent views. For archival transit photography and detailed station history, visit Chicago-L.org’s Southport station history. Individual photo rights and credits should be checked before reusing archival images.

Historic Ravenswood Line photo gallery

These additional archival images illustrate the trains, platforms and atmosphere of the Ravenswood Line over the years. Not every photograph has been confirmed as depicting Southport station.

A historic Ravenswood B train with passengers on a Chicago elevated platform. Station and year not confirmed.

Ravenswood Line trains in 1966. Photo: Jerry Appleman.

CTA train traveling along the elevated line. Photo: Graham Garfield / Chicago-L.org. Exact location not confirmed.

Snow-covered elevated platforms and trains in historic Chicago. Exact station and date not confirmed.

A neighborhood landmark for more than a century

Whether you remember the little brick stationhouse, the construction fences of 2007, or only today’s Brown Line entrance, the elevated tracks have been a defining feature of Southport Avenue for generations. The neighborhood around them keeps changing—but the “L” remains part of Southport’s identity.

Do you remember the original Southport station before the renovation? Share your memories in the comments.