Chicago Historical Museum
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Chicago History Museum (formerly known as the Chicago Historical Society) was founded in 1856. It is currently located in a building at the corner of Clark Street and North Avenue in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago. It will be renamed the Chicago History Museum on September, 2006.
Much of the early collection amassed by the museum was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, but like the city, the museum rose from the ashes.
The current museum contains standing exhibits on the fire, Fort Dearborn, and the American Civil War. Other items in its collection, which are shown at various times include the bed in which Abraham Lincoln died, George Washington's second inaugural suit, Al Capone's mugshot, and the initial letter P from the old Playboy Building.
In addition to the exhibits, the museum houses a research library which is open to the public.
On January 19 2006, the first passenger car to operate on the Chicago 'L' system in 1893 was transported to its new display location at the Chicago Historical Society. Passengers were allowed to ride the 1893 'L' from the Loop to Hyde Park station for 5 cents to attend the World's Columbian Exposition upon the line's opening. The car, known as CTA 1, was cosmetically restored into its 1893 appearance before being transported to the museum where it was lifted and inserted into an opening through the museum's second floor wall. The car's interior features include mahogany and rattan seats and etched glass windows. CTA 1 joins Pioneer, the first locomotive to operate in Chicago; a redesigned exhibit space to showcase the car and locomotive is scheduled to open on September 30 2006.<ref>Trains NewsWire (January 24 2006), Chicago Transit Authority ‘L’ car makes historic move. Retrieved January 26 2006.</ref>
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