The station and nearby Kimball Avenue are both named after Martin Kimbell, a 19th century farmer who owned land in the area that is today known as Logan Square.

[2] There is an inside joke in the 1993 film The Fugitive when the main character Dr. Kimble boards a Kimball-Belmont 'L' train.

The original station at Kimball was constructed by the Northwestern Elevated Railroad and opened on December 14, 1907.

Although Kimball Station was rebuilt in 1974 it was still upgraded as part of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project.

[5] During this closure, the two platforms were extended to support eight railcars, and the station entrance was reconfigured to be accessible to passengers with disabilities.