Chicago Blues at Union Station May 8

Chicago Blues at Union Station May 8

Date Posted: May 01 2010

Written By: chicago blues

Bookmark it!

CHICAGO BLUES MUSEUM “CHICAGO BLUES LEGENDS” EXHIBIT AT UNION STATION MAY 8


The Chicago Blues Museum will present segments from its “Chicago Blues Legends” exhibit at Union Station on May 8, 2010, in conjunction with Amtrak’s third annual National Train Day to celebrate America‘s love for trains with events across the country.

Train travel played an important role in the emergence of blues as a major American art form and the development and migration of the sound from the Mississippi Delta north. On National Train Day at Chicago‘s Union Station, the Chicago Blues Museum will celebrate the blues journey and connection to the railroad with its display including a special blues exhibit and footage presentation at the station along with a historical presentation by the museum‘s curator, Gregg Parker at 12:00 p.m.

This will be the last stop in a five-state tour aboard Amtrak’s City of New Orleans, originating in New Orleans, traveling through Muddy Waters’ birthplace in Mississippi and making several stops along the way to perform concerts and make appearances. Big Bill and Larry ―Mud Morganfield, the sons of celebrated blues musician Muddy Waters, will be joined by Mississippi Delta blues musician Bobby Rush to perform train-themed blues songs such as Leadbelly’s ―The Midnight Special.

Large-scale, family-friendly free events will be held, in four of its gateway stations across the U.S.: Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles from 11:00am – 4:00pm., featuring experiential exhibits that narrate each region‘s rich history with trains.


As part of National Train Day, each major market event will feature live entertainment, interactive and educational exhibits, kid‘s entertainment, food demonstrations, model train displays, and tours of notable private railroad cars, Amtrak equipment, freight, and commuter trains. Train enthusiasts attending National Train Day events will enjoy the exhibits including “Trains Move our Economy Exhibit”, “Go-Green Express: Eco Exhibit”, “National Park Service Trails & Rails Exhibit”, a culinary exhibit, train equipment displays, model train displays and the AmtraKids Depot.


National Train Day commemorates the 141st anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad‘s inception by bringing to life the rich narrative of how trains transformed America. National Train Day marks 141 years of connecting travelers coast to coast and commemorates the day the first transcontinental railroad was created. On May 10, 1869, in Promontory Summit, Utah, the golden spike was driven into the final tie that joined 1,776 miles of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railways, transforming America by creating the nation‘s first transcontinental railroad.

This act united the country and provided adventure for businessmen who saw fortunes to be made, created jobs for thousands of Americans and sparked the creative imaginations of storytellers in songs, movies and novels.

Don't miss anymore Chicago Blues Entertainment Information.
Subscribe to our Chicago Blues Entertainment weekly newsletter.