As visitors descended upon the Pullman neighborhood to delight in the vintage lavish homes that threw open their doors last weekend for the Historic Pullman House Tour, a few notable structures remained closed due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, now well into its third week.

One favorite site, the Administration Clock Tower Building in Pullman National Historical Park, remained closed as the park’s seven rangers, who typically staff the site and offer tours and other programming, were furloughed.

Organizers of the 52nd annual Historic Pullman House Tour, held on October 10 and 11, reported a roughly 30% decrease in ticket sales. They speculated this drop was a direct result of the shutdown and the park closure, with potential visitors possibly assuming the event had been canceled.

“Everyone sees there’s a closed sign across the street,” said Lynn McClure, vice president of the Historic Pullman Foundation. “We have no rangers.”

McClure noted the closures had a significant impact on the neighborhood, its residents, and visitors alike. “Traditionally, national parks have been the first place many people experience the shutdown as a personal impact,” she said. “It’s personal.”

The timing of the shutdown is particularly unfortunate, McClure added. “This is the fall, when schools start setting up programs and tours with educational components,” she explained, while helping out at the recent House Tour. “This is high travel season.”

To help mitigate the effects of the shutdown, the Historic Pullman Foundation has been stepping in to fill gaps. They are assisting with some school tours after being informed by the Park Service which schools had already signed up.

As a “National Park friends group” with official partnership status, the Foundation sees this as a vital way to support Pullman National Historical Park and its mission. “So when something like the government shutdown happens, we have to spring into action, and we’re doing what we can,” McClure said.

More visitors are expected in Pullman on Saturday when several buildings are featured in Chicago Architecture Foundation’s Open House Chicago 2025. Participating sites include the Historic Pullman Foundation headquarters at 614 E. 113th St., Greater Tabernacle Cathedral at 11300 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Pullman Artspace Lofts at 11137 S. Langley Ave., and Pullman Tech Workshop at 11314 S. Front Ave.

However, similar to last weekend’s home tour, the visitor center inside the Clock Tower—operated by the National Park Service—will remain closed during Open House Chicago, according to Alfonso Quiroz of the Historic Pullman Foundation.

“However, the rest of the Pullman National Historical Park will be open, including the grounds around the Clock Tower (operated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources), as well as the Exhibit Hall and the Florence Lowden Miller Center, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Collections will be on display throughout the day,” he said.

Despite the decreased attendance last weekend, the Historic Pullman House Tour was still a hit among Pullman fans. The tour started at the Historic Pullman Exhibit Hall and included visits to eight homes, a home under restoration, and the Block House Gallery—with its homes, gallery, classrooms, community areas, and storage spaces. The tour also featured the historic Greenstone Church and the George M. Pullman School.

Additional highlights included live jazz performances, a classic car show, and food options. Visitors could also stop by the Pullman House Project Welcome Center, located inside the former home of Henry Sessions, the first general superintendent of the Pullman Palace Car Company. The house was later used as a social club for Pullman executives and as the Pullman Club Coffee Shop.

Cindy McMahon, co-chair of the House Tour, mentioned that even before the shutdown, rangers’ hours had been reduced in May. To help compensate for these cutbacks, the Exhibit Hall extended its hours to be open to the public Thursday through Sunday.

“We did have a lot of people call to see if the House Tour was still going to take place,” said McMahon, whose home was showcased on the tour. “People can still come and visit the partner sites and still get a Pullman experience, and hopefully they’ll return when the park is open.”

Alongside the Historic Pullman Foundation, other neighborhood organizations such as the Pullman House Project are stepping up to support visitors.

“We’re here to give everyone who comes to Pullman a good visitor experience,” McMahon emphasized.

Nancy Johnson, a Pullman resident of 12 years who volunteered during the tour, expressed her love of the area’s history, architecture, and friendly neighbors.

“There’s a lot of misinformation; people think Pullman is closed altogether,” Johnson said. “People show up baffled.”

—
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/17/pullman-historic-park-government-shutdown/