Forgotten landmarks from Chicago's Elsdon neighborhood. Chicago Illinois USA. 1983.

I took this photo looking west on West 51st Street toward South Lawndale Avenue way back in 1983. The Grand Trunk Western Railroad operated and maintained the wooden 2 story Elsdon depot on West 51st Street, on the west side of the rustic 14 track intercity Elsdon Yard on Chicago's southwest side. Behind the depot, is Baca's Cook Shop and Bar. Baca's was a local bar and grill that served many transportation workers from railroaders to truck drivers. Baca's also had small hotel rooms for transient workers upstairs. Elsdon Yard was closed in October of 1983, and the Elsdon depot was demolished in November of that year. The GTW had moved their Elsdon operations to the Belt Railway of Chicago Clearing Yard in Bedford Park Illinois. A small portion of Elsdon Yard served as a small locomotive and crew terminal untill September of 1986. Baca's Cook Shop and Bar was more than likely demolished a few years later. Today, the site of the Elsdon depot and Baca's Cook Shop is a large vacant lot slated for redevelopment on the southside of west 51st street.