Cermak branch

Initially known as the Douglas Park branch, construction began in June 1893 and the line was inaugurated on April 28, 1896 between Marshfield Avenue and 18th Street. The branch started off with four stations and was the shortest of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated. Construction time was longer than in other sections.[2] On August 7, 1896, the Douglas Park branch was extended to Western.[3]

On June 29, 1900, the City of Chicago approved an extension of the branch to Pulaski (then 40th Avenue) and construction took place in mid-June 1901. On March 10, 1902, the Douglas Park branch was extended to Lawndale Avenue, which allowed the opening of four new stations: California, Kedzie, Homan, and Clifton Park (Drake).

On May 22, 1907, the Douglas Park branch was extended to 46th Avenue (Kenton Avenue), which is the Chicago city limits. The station was a few meters from the Hawthorne plant of the Western Electric which was one of the largest employers in the area of Chicago at the time. On December 16, 1907, the Douglas Park branch was extended to Cicero (then 48th Avenue), extending service to the town of Cicero, Illinois.

On August 20, 1910, the Douglas Park branch was extended to Laramie (then 52nd Avenue Avenue).[2] On August 1, 1912, service was extended to 56th Avenue (Central Avenue)[4] and extended again to Lombard Avenue exactly three years later. The final stretch on the branch was to Oak Park Avenue, in Berwyn, which opened on March 16, 1924.[5]

On December 9, 1951, during the establishment of skip/stop A/B, the Chicago Transit Authority l, which had taken over operation of the "L" system in 1947, streamlined service on the line and shut down five stations: 14th Place, Homan, Drake, Lawndale and Kenton, while opening a station at Central Park. On February 3, 1952, service on the Douglas line was suspended to all stations west of 54th/Cermak. Service to these areas was replaced by a bus route.[6]

The stations at Roosevelt and Douglas Park were closed three months later.[2] On June 22, 1958, Douglas trains were rerouted to the West-Northwest route, the Congress branch, the new line in the middle of the Eisenhower Expressway and connecting routes to the Milwaukee-Dearborn Subway, heading north to Logan Square.[7] The new system changed the service and it was decided that all stations on the Douglas branch would now be "B" and the Congress branch would now be "A". In 1973, due to budget cuts, the 50th Avenue station closed.[2]

• 
  An art wall sitting just outside the entrance at Western
• 
  The 18th station is built with art walls and structures
• 
  The Kedzie station has a wide-wooden platform with passenger shelters
• 
  The side entrance and small plaza at Central Park.

• Douglas branch at Chicago-l.org