Wells Street (Chicago)

Wells Street is a major north–south street in Chicago. It is officially designated as 200 West, and is named in honor of William Wells, a United States Army Captain who died in the Battle of Fort Dearborn.[1] Between 1870 and 1912, it was named 5th Avenue so as not to tarnish the name of Wells during a period when the street had a bad reputation.[2]

Not to be confused with Ida B. Wells Drive.
Wells Street
William Wells Street
200 West
Former name(s)5th Avenue
South endWest 59th Street in Chicago
North endLincoln Avenue in Chicago
Other
Known forWilliam Wells
A sign for Wells Street. The former Chicago Stock Exchange is in the background.
Chicago Transit Authority signal tower 18 guides elevated Chicago 'L' north and southbound Purple and Brown lines intersecting with east and westbound Pink and Green lines and the looping Orange line above the Wells and Lake street intersection in the loop.

Wells Street is interrupted by Guaranteed Rate Field,[3] Interstate 55, and Lincoln Park. Wells Street crosses the Chicago River at the Wells Street Bridge.

Some downtown blocks of Wells Street are located beneath the Chicago 'L' train system. The first Crate & Barrel store, which opened in 1962, was located on Wells Street.[4]

Wells Street was named in Time Magazine's 1976 article "The Porno Plague".[5]

Old Town Neighborhood

Wells Street on the north side often refers to a strip of retail shops, bars and restaurants in the Old Town neighborhood in the Near North neighborhood.[6]

Intersections

This only shows part of Wells Street between the North Side and the Loop.

The entire route is in Chicago, Cook County.

mi[7]kmDestinationsNotes
0.00.0Lincoln AvenueNorthern terminus
0.30.48 IL 64 (North Avenue)North border of the Near North neighborhood
0.81.3Division Street
1.32.1Chicago Avenue
1.52.4Ontario StreetTo Kennedy Expressway
1.62.6Ohio Street
1.652.66Grand AvenueWestbound road only; one-way road
1.72.7Illinois Street
1.72.7Kinzie StreetMerchandise Mart
1.93.1Wells Street Bridge
2.03.2Upper Wacker Drive
2.13.4Randolph StreetWestbound only; one-way road
2.23.5Washington StreetEastbound only; one-way road
2.33.7Madison StreetWestbound only; one-way road
2.54.0Adams StreetWestbound only; one-way road
2.64.2Jackson BoulevardEastbound only; one-way road
2.84.5




 Ida B. Wells Drive to I-290 west / IL 110 (CKC) west		To Jane Byrne Interchange
2.84.5Harrison Street
3.25.1Cul-de-sac near Roosevelt RoadCurrent southern terminus
Wentworth AvenueFuture southern terminus (under construction through The 78)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  •       Unopened

References
  1. Hayner, Don; McNamee, Tom (1988). Streetwise Chicago : a history of Chicago street names. Chicago, IL: Loyola University Press. p. 132. ISBN 0-8294-0597-6.
  2. "Ask Chicagoist: Wells Street or 5th Avenue?".
  3. whitesox.com accessed 5 February 2019
  4. Sweeney, Brigid (2014-07-14). "Former Crate & Barrel CEO Barbara Turf dies". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 2014-08-11.
  5. "The Porno Plague". Time Magazine. 5 April 1976. Archived from the original on May 1, 2007. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  6. "Old Town Visitors Info". The Old Town Merchants & Residents Association.
  7. "Wells Street Overview".


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