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The Amboy Depot Museum is a 19-room former depot and division headquarters, now converted to a museum of Amboy and the Illinois Central Railroad. The museum is located in a unique, completely restored two-story brick and stone depot that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside are artifacts of the railroad dating back to 1856, with artifacts from the settlement of the Midwest dating to the 1830's. The exterior of the museum is restored to it's original 1876 design, while the interior largely retains the original configuration of this large railroad headquarters. This includes the rooms from which the dispatchers, telegraphers, accountants, baggage handlers, division superintendents and others worked to manage a 250 mile portion of the railroad. In addition, outside the museum is a steam engine, one of the group of last steam engines used in daily freight service in America, along with a recently acquired 1915 caboose. Another building (under restoration) is the Amboy freight house, containing an additional 1800 square feet of collections. Finally, the museum complex contains a completely restored country schoolhouse, giving an authentic look at this vanished piece of Americana. Hours: Wed, Thu, Sun 1-4pm Fri & Sat 10am-4pm (Not open Fall and Winter Holidays Admission: Donations requested East and Main St. Amboy, IL. For more information call 815-857-4700. |