Commonwealth Edison Substation Photographs
SPEC.RARE.0377
Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
0.282 Cubic feet
circa 1947-1953
As of 2026, Commonwealth Edison continues to be the largest electric utility company in Illinois, and the primary electricity provider in Chicago, Illinois. Substations convert electricity into different voltages so it can be transmitted to the electrical grid and distributed throughout local neighborhoods. The Commonwealth Edison Substation Photographs, dated circa 1947-1953, contain photographs of buildings throughout Chicago, Illinois that house Commonwealth Edison electrical substations. The buildings were designed in a variety of architectural styles, and several were designed by noteworthy Chicago architects and architectural firms.
(2) flat boxes
English
Commonwealth Edison Company
Arrangement of Materials
The Commonwealth Edison Substation Photographs are arranged alphabetically by substation name, followed by substations named after numbered streets (arranged in numerical order).
Acquisitions Information
Accession No. RARE.2026.0014: Purchased, 2022 December
Preferred Citation
[identification of item], Commonwealth Edison Substation Photographs, SPEC.RARE.0377, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
Access to Materials
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Use of Materials
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processing Information
Processed by: David Mezick, 2026 February; Finding aid written by: David Mezick, 2026 February
Historical Note
As of 2026, Commonwealth Edison continues to be the largest electric utility company in Illinois, and the primary electricity provider in Chicago and much of Northern Illinois. The company was established in 1907 after the merger of Chicago Edison and Commonwealth Electric.
Substations convert electricity into different voltages so it can be transmitted to the electrical grid, distributed throughout local neighborhoods, and into homes, businesses, and other locations. The equipment used to convert the voltages are called transformers. In areas like Chicago, substations are often housed in buildings designed to hide that they hold electrical equipment and to blend with surrounding buildings.
Scope and Contents
The Commonwealth Edison Substation Photographs, dated circa 1947-1953, contain photographs of buildings throughout Chicago, Illinois that house Commonwealth Edison electrical substations. The photographs have captions with the names of the substations, and these captions have been listed in the collection inventory. Each substation is named after the street or neighborhood where it is located. Many of the buildings pictured were designed to hide that they hold electrical equipment and to blend with surrounding buildings. The buildings often include fake doors and windows that provide ventilation. The buildings were designed in a variety of architectural styles in addition to utilitarian brick buildings, such as Prairie School, Classical Revival, Tudor Revival, Art Deco, and mid-century modern. Several buildings pictured were designed by noteworthy Chicago architects and architectural firms. Herman von Host, a notable German architect who was a colleague of Frank Lloyd Wright and worked in the Prairie School style, designed the substations at Carroll Avenue, Kenwood Avenue, South Lowe Avenue, Marquette Park, Washington Park, and others. Holabird & Root, which as of 2026 is one of Chicago’s oldest architectural firms, designed the Garland substation on North Wabash Avenue. Graham, Anderson, Probst, & White, one of the largest architectural firms in Chicago in the early 20th century, also designed one of the substations.
General Note
Forms part of the Herman J. Albrecht Library of Historical Architecture.
Commonwealth Edison Company
Architects--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
Architectural photography--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
Architecture, Industrial--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
Architecture--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
Black-and-white prints (photographs)
City planning--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
Electric substations--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
Electric utilities--Illinois--Chicago--20th century
Adams Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Austin Substation
1
1947 July 27
Besly Court Substation
1
1947 June 19
Brookdale Substation
1
1947 June 16
Burnside Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Campbell Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Canal Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Carroll Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Center Substation
1
1947 June 19
Cheltham Substation
1
1947 June 14
Clifton Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Columbus Park Substation
1
1949 July 5
Cragin Substation
1
1947 June 24
Division Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Farwell Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Fillmore Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Frankline Substation
1
1948 July 21
Front Substation
1
1947 June 16
Fulton Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Galewood Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Garland Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Goose Island Substation
1
1947 June 19
Grand Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Grand Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Grand Crossing Substation
1
1947 June 16
Harding Substation
1
1947 June 24
Harper Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Harrison Park Substation
1
1947 September 28
Haymarket Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Hegewisch Substation
1
1947 June 14
Hermitage Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Hyde Park Substation
1
1947 June 24
Irving Park Substation
1
1947 June 19
Jefferson Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Kenwood Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Kingsbury Substation
1
1952 February 11
Kingsbury Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Laflin Substation
1
1949 June 14
Lake Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Lakeview Substation
1
1948 April 15
Lakeview Substation
1
1948 April 15
Laramite Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
La Salle Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Lawrence Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Lowe Substation
1
circa 1947-1953
Malta Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
Marquette Park Substation
2
1947 June 24
Marshfield Substation
2
1947 June 16
Merrimac Substation
2
circa 1947-19553
Newport Substation
2
1947 September 24
Norwood Park Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
Oakland Substation
2
1947 June 14
Ohio Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
Ontario Substation
2
1947 June 19
Pershing Substation
2
1947 September 28
Plymouth Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
Prairie Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
Ravenwood Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
Rogers Park Substation
2
1947 June 14
Roseland Substation
2
1948 May 14
Rush Substation
2
1947 June 19
Sauganash Substation
2
1951 July 30
School Substation
2
1947 June 19
Sedgwich Street Substation
2
1947 September 28
South Chicago Substation
2
1947 June 12
Southern Supervisory Control Center
2
1950 August 7
State Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
Throop Substation
2
1947 June 30
Vernon Park Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
Walton Substation
2
1947 June 19
Washington Park Distribution Station
2
circa 1947-1953
Washtenaw Substation
2
1947 June 19
Waveland Substation
2
1947 September 24
Wendell Substation
2
1947 September 28
Whipple Substation
2
1947 June 19
Windsor Park Substation
2
1948 May 14
Wrightwood Substation
2
1948 April 21
E. 16th Street Substation
2
1947 September 28
17th Street Substation
2
1949 September 19
27th Street Substation
2
1947 September 28
56th Street Substation
2
1947 June
62nd Street Substation
2
1947 September 28
63rd Street Substation
2
circa 1947-1953
82nd Street Substation
2
1947 June 16
111th Street Substation
2
1948 May 7
119th Street Substation
2
1948 May 7