Hidden Foundations - Part 1

Intrigued by my findings in the previous post, I decided to follow the path of the old track towards the 91/303 intersection at the center of town. It didn't take much walking to find more clues of Hudson's past. I stumbled upon several foundations that are connected to the old railroad. Both contain actual section of track. The first, pictured below, sits next to the Turner's Mill parking lot on the western side of the building.

Several noticeable characteristics stand out at first glance. The foundation channels towards the track and seems to indicate that this was part of the original Turner's Mill, which began as a granary. This remnant, easily missed by most pedestrians, gives intricate clues to Hudson's past and provides a glimpse of its old economic structure, particularly how reliant the town was on quick and easy access to railroads.

Notice the triangular shape. The tracks, barely noticeable,
run horizontally across the picture and travel through
the small rectangular portion of the foundation.

Lincoln's Visit & Hidden Railroads

A modest commemoration to Lincoln's visit,
tucked away behind the new police station

Many Hudsonites do not know that Abraham Lincoln stopped through Hudson on his way to Washington, DC. On February 16, 1861, his convoy arrived at the old depot and engine house, located at the corner of S. College Street and Maple Drive. At the village green he delivered a speech to over 6000 onlookers eager to capture a glimpse of the president elect. The convoy then headed north to Cleveland and eventually continued on to DC.

I became aware of this fact not by the marker above but by a casual chat with the archivist at Hudson Library and Historical Society. She brought to my attention the interesting fact that Hudson's railroad landscape changed greatly over time and that tracks used to run right through the middle of town. I was hooked when she mentioned that portions of the track remain buried today.

The pictures below show my findings of the track, all located in the area around the Lincoln marker, in the sliver of land north of Ravenna Road and south of 303.

Portion of the old railroad track, facing west.
The intersection of 91 and 303 looms in the distance.

Looking north.

Welcome to Hudson's Hidden History

I've created this blog with the intention of researching and revealing various hidden historical gems in my beloved hometown of Hudson, Ohio. My current list of places to research includes...

- Stone Gatehouse - James Ellsworth's Evamere Estate & Farms
- Hidden remnants of the Evamere Estate & Farms
- Remnants of Western Reserve Academy's old barns and farmlands
- Old inscriptions across WRA campus (North Hall, Hayden Hall, The Atheneum, Chapel, etc...)

Many more are to come! I encourage Hudson history buffs and general readers alike to please contact me with any ideas that you may have. I also plan to create and include reference maps of my research, findings, and pictures so that others may easily find them as well.

Until next time...