Pres. Obama to designate Pullman site as national monument

CHICAGO (WLS) -- President Barack Obama will designate the Pullman State Historic Site as a national monument on Thursday.

The area was founded in 1880 and was known for making the Pullman Palace sleeper cars and for launching the country's first African-American labor union.

On Thursday, the president will designate the area to be Pullman Park, including the factory, administration building, and a hotel.

The executive order makes the area a national monument instead of a national park.