Many of us look forward to the long weekend that comes with Labor Day, but we don't pause to remember why we have the holiday in the first place or where it all started. Though it is often overlooked, Labor Day is rooted in the labor strikes that occurred in the early 1890's at the Pullman Palace Car Company.

"Much of labor history here in Chicago, and really around the world, is centered around this factory," said Bob Reiter, secretary/treasurer for the Chicago Federation of Labor.

For the first time since becoming a national monument, Pullman hosted a variety of labor day celebrations and activities. Read more about the festivities and Pullman's role in the creation of Labor Day in the Chicago Tribune.