Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago's historic Pullman neighborhood soon may be closer to becoming a national park.
National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis tells The Associated Press that he plans to recommend that the Interior Secretary ask President Obama to declare the southeast Chicago neighborhood a unit of the national park system.
Supporters say it is unlikely Congress will act on bills in the House and Senate. So, they want Obama to use his authority to act independently under the Antiquities Act.
The neighborhood's ornate brick homes were built in the 1800s by industrialist George Pullman as a blue-collar utopia to house workers from his sleeper-car factory.
Supporters say the neighborhood also is significant for its place in revolutionizing the railroad industry and its contributions to the African-American labor movement.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.