Hudson Illinois Central Railroad Depot
The original charter for a railroad, signed by President Millard Fillmore, was granted to the State of Illinois on September 20, 1850. The Illinois Central Railroad was incorporated January 10, 1851. It was the first railroad built in Illinois. It's purpose was to open up the state and the midwest to development and to promote the settlement of the prairie. The railroad had a profound effect on the growth of Illinois. It is said that Abraham Lincoln rode the train through Hudson c. 1854.

The Mail Bag
The bag was carried by the postmaster to the train station from the post office and placed on a high hook from which the train engineer snatched it with a hook as the train passed by the station.

Viaduct Stone
A photograph of a stone from the viaduct that carried the Illinois Central Railroad tracks over Franklin Street. This memorial stone placed by the Hudson Bicentennial Commission in 1987 is located in Veterans Park in Hudson. The plaque's inscription reads, "This is the remaining original stone from the viaduct constructed by the Illinois Central Railroad through Hudson in 1853."