Francisco station
Francisco serves as a station on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Brown Line, located at street level with a single island platform in the Ravenswood Manor area, specifically at 4649 North Francisco Avenue. Positioned between Kedzie station, roughly 0.3 miles to the west, and Rockwell station, about 0.4 miles to the east across the Chicago River, it provides convenient access within this segment of the line.
History
The station commenced operations on December 14, 1907, as part of the Northwestern Elevated Railroad's Ravenswood route. It maintained its original structure and design until undergoing significant refurbishment in 2006.
Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project
As a component of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project aimed at increasing accessibility and lengthening platforms to fit eight-car trains, all stations on the Brown Line received upgrades. However, Francisco Station was exempt from complete reconstruction like its neighboring Kedzie and Rockwell stations due to its historical designation. Instead, renovations included rebuilding the platforms, adding a secondary entrance on Sacramento Avenue, and restoring both the station house and canopy. These enhancement works necessitated closing the station from September 15, 2006, until March 9, 2007.