The best camping near Pullman National Monument

Welcome to idyllic factory living thanks to the Pullman's Palace Car Company. This Chicago neighborhood was a master-planned industrial community where workers lived in a factory-owned development. George Pullman thought the best way to have the best workers was to create a utopian living situation.

The Pullman monument was the first planned industrial town in America. It was built 13 miles south of Chicago from 1880 to 1884. Pullman wanted to give his workers better working conditions. His idea was to avoid urban centers where safety, crime, and decay threatened people's safety and livelihoods. In this Chicago neighborhood, Pullman wanted to build it all. There would be industrial, cultural, religious, recreational, and residential facilities. Workers would never have to leave. Whatever the community lacked, Pullman would import.

Pullman was also a champion of human rights. He hired African-Americans as porters, waiters, and maids in prestigious positions. They earned wages comparable to their white counterparts. Pullman's influence helped spur the Civil Rights movement well into the 20th century.

Driving tours are the easiest way to explore this historic district. The Pullman Factory Clock Tower is perhaps the most prominent monument in the area. The building also served as the administrative center to the 4,000-acre town. A lush parkland surrounded the factory complex, which was unusual for its day.

Hotel Florence showcases the wealth of the people who stayed there. The higher up your room was, the more opulent your surroundings became.

Find the Pullman district by looking for a large collection of red brick buildings. Each building tells a story of people trying to live the American dream while building the world's foremost rail cars.