Commonwealth Electric Company, Fisk Street Electrical Generating Station, 1111 West Cermak Avenue, Chicago, Cook County, IL

Significance: The original Fisk Street powerhouse, built in 1903, contained the world's most powerful Curtis steam-turbine generator. Manufactured by General Electric, this vertical steam-turbine generator produced 5,000 kilowatts of electricity. The steam-turbine unit soon became the standard of the industry, replacing the reciprocating steam-engine driven generators. The 5,000 kw Curtis turbine-generator was removed from the Fisk Street powerhouse and now resides at the General Electric headquarters in Schenectady, New York. This unit was designated a national engineering landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1975.

Survey number: HAER IL-105

chicago commonwealth electric commonwealth electric company fisk electrical fisk street electrical cermak west cermak avenue cook county illinois historic american engineering record photo ultra high resolution high resolution power generator power plants power generation library of congress

1969 - 1980

Library of Congress

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