Address: TBD
Established: 1902
"L" Service Inaugurated: October 1, 1926
"L" Service Withdrawn: December 9, 1951
Original Line: Aurora Elgin & Chicago Ry
Rebuilt: TBD
Previous Names: Madison Street
Flag stop

History:

Madison Street opened in 1902 as a small, local station serving what-was-then rural Bellwood. The station consisted of two low level platforms located on the east side of 25th Avenue.

In 1925, the Chicago Aurora & Elgin began construction on a new bypass route leaving the main line heading south immediately east of Bellwood Avenue. The line was intended to turn west, pass through what is now Oakbrook, and join the Aurora Branch near Weisbrook Road.¹ Local service to and from the city of Westchester would be operated over the eastern portion of this route which would be provided by the rapid transit lines. The intermediate stations between Forest Park and Bellwood would also become rapid transit stations.

Although the route had only been constructed to Roosevelt Road, the new rapid transit service to Westchester began October 1, 1926.² With the inauguration of "L" service to Westchester, CA&E trains ceased stopping at 25th Avenue and the "L" began providing all service to the station.

Sometime prior to November 1942, the CA&E once again began providing some service to 25th Avenue. As with other "L" stations, the CA&E only picked up passengers from this location who were traveling west and only discharged those who had been traveling eastbound.

In October 1947, the newly formed Chicago Transit Authority took over operation of the surface and rapid transit systems in Chicago and began cutting back poor performing services in order to economize. The Westchester branch, which had little population density to support it, was viewed as one of these and on December 9, 1951, CTA discontinued rapid transit service west of Desplaines Avenue, replacing the line with the #17 Westchester bus.³ Concurrent with CTA’s withdrawal of service, the CA&E resumed full service to the station.⁴ Tickets were sold at the Tower Inn Restaurant, located at 2501 Madison St., and were available for purchase from 6:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Monday through Saturday. At all other times, a passenger paid his or her fare onboard the train.

On July 3, 1957, passenger service on the CA&E abruptly ended at 12:13 PM. The station was eventually demolished.