The South Shore Line began stopping at 57th Street on October 16, 1966, at noon.[2] Prior to this, the South Shore Line had stopped at 53rd Street. The switch was made to better serve the University of Chicago and the Museum of Science and Industry.[3]
This station, and the adjacent 53rd Street station, were rebuilt in 2002 with concrete platforms to replace wooden platforms built in the 1920s.[4]
Until November 2014 (when the staffed station closed), this was the only station along the route outside of Downtown Chicago's two main stations that had a staffed ticket office, as many express trains on both lines stop at the station and it is the South Side's main station.