East 63rd branch (CTA)

East 63rd (Jackson Park) branch
Overview
Type	Rapid transit
System	Chicago 'L'
Status	Operational
Locale	Chicago, Illinois, USA
Termini	King Drive Cottage Grove
Stations	2
Services	Green Line
Operation
Opened	1893
Operator(s)	Chicago Transit Authority (1947–present) Chicago Rapid Transit Company (1924–1947) South Side Elevated Railroad (1893–1924)
Character	Elevated
Rolling stock	5000-series
Technical
Line length	1.5 mi (2.4 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	Third rail, 600 V DC
Route map Legend South Side Main Line to Loop 61st 61st Yard Lower 63rd Yard King Drive Cottage Grove University Dorchester Metra Electric and South Shore Line Jackson Park Jackson Park

The East 63rd branch (Jackson Park branch) is a 1.5 mi (2.4 km) long branch operated by the Green Line 'L' of the Chicago Transit Authority, serving the Woodlawn neighborhood of the city of Chicago, Illinois.

History

The first station on the Jackson Park branch, 61st Street, opened January 22, 1893. Service was extended to Madison Avenue (later renamed Dorchester) on April 23, 1893, and to Jackson Park on May 12, 1893, to serve the World's Columbian Exposition, which was held in Jackson Park. On October 31, 1893, the World's Columbian Exposition ended and the Jackson Park station was closed. Stony Island was then made the terminus and was renamed Jackson Park.

On March 4, 1982, structural defects in the Jackson Park branch's bridge over the Illinois Central Railroad forced its closure south of the 61st street stop. When the branch reopened on December 12, 1982, service was only restored as far east as the University stop. On January 9, 1994, the Green Line closed for renovation. When the line reopened on May 12, 1996, the Cottage Grove stop was the new terminal, and the Jackson Park branch was renamed the East 63rd branch. On September 27, 1997, the portion of the branch east of Cottage Grove was demolished with less than 24 hours public notice.^[1]

Station listing

East 63rd (Jackson Park) branch [2]
Station	Location	Points of interest & notes
61st	61st Street and Prairie Avenue	Opened January 22, 1893, closed January 9, 1994.
King Drive	Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and 63rd Street	Woodlawn, Inbound boarding only ↑
Cottage Grove	Cottage Grove Avenue and 63rd Street	University of Chicago, University of Chicago Medical Center, Jackson Park, Oak Woods Cemetery, Woodlawn
University	University Avenue and 63rd Street	Opened April 23, 1893, closed January 9, 1994.
Dorchester	Dorchester Avenue and 63rd Street	Opened April 23, 1893 as "Madison," closed January 13, 1973.
Jackson Park (Stony Island)	Stony Island Avenue and 63rd Street	Opened May 12, 1893, closed March 4, 1982.
Jackson Park	Hayes Drive and Cornell Drive	World's Columbian Exposition Fair Grounds, opened May 12, 1893. Transfer point to the Intramural Railway. Closed October 31, 1893

See also

• Green Line (CTA)

References