The station, originally named Woodlawn, was built by the Illinois Central Railroad (ICRR) in 1903, and served both ICRR commuter trains and long-distance passenger trains until the railroad relinquished its passenger train service to Amtrak in 1971. A large combination station and office building for the Illinois Central was built in 1917, and demolished in the 1980s. The station had another island platform between the two non-electrified tracks on the eastern side to serve Illinois Central and some New York Central long-distance trains.[2] It is now removed, but evidence still remains.
This also serves as a stop for Mount Carmel High School students, which is directly across from the station. The station was originally used as a local and express station until the schedules were shifted in 1975 to make 55th–56th–57th Street station the express station.[5]
This is the last stop on the main line for trains of the South Chicago branch, which splits off south of the station. Prior to 1982, the Jackson Park branch of the South Side 'L' crossed the Metra Electric tracks on a bridge just north of this station. Trains stopped at nearby Dorchester station.