The Hudson History Room is home to a number of books relating to Hudson and the surrounding areas. Topics range from atlases and maps to Buffalo Jones to historic homes. Some of these books are fragile and would be considered rare.
The copies housed in the History Room are not available for check out but can be accessed anytime the library is open. Collections of books include:
Hudson/Visiting Authors
Early Books of the Hudson Area Public Library District
United States
Illinois
McLean County
Bloomington/Normal
Hudson
Elbert Hubbard
The Hudson Area Public Library and Hudson History Room have several titles for sale that you can add to your collection at home. These include:
Images of America: Hudson by Judith Lampert and Sue Keeran
The Hudson Colony by Ruth B. Hamm
Illinois McLean County Cemeteries Vol. 21, Hudson Cemetery published by the McLean County Genealogical Society
The Hudson History Room has a large collection of subject binders on various topics relating to Hudson. These binders contain newspaper articles, pictures, and some primary documents such as business receipts and correspondence. These also include family history binders for several early and prominent families to the Hudson area.
These binders can be accessed anytime the library is open. Staff is available to help if assistance is needed.
The History Room staff is in the process of digitizing the binder collection so they may be viewed and searched online. Titles that are underlined are linked to a searchable PDF. When open, use Ctrl-F to search the binder's contents.
Binder subjects include:
Subject Binders:
4-H of Hudson
Aerial Views of McLean County, Illinois 1955
Agriculture
Cemeteries of Hudson Township
Churches of Hudson
Civil Defense 1961-1986
East Bay Camp-Lake Bloomington
Evergreen Lake and Comlara Park
HCE Homemakers Extension 1920-2008
History Programs at HAPLD
History Scavenger Hunts
Homes and Farms of Rural Hudson Township
Homes of Hudson
Hudson 175th
Hudson History Club
Hudson Township and Hudson Town Hall
Hudson Woman’s Club 1895-1918 and Hudson Junior Woman's Club 1967-1977
Hudson Junior Woman's Club 1978-1988
Hudson Woman's Club 1989-present
Lake Bloomington Association (1950's-1960's)
Lake Bloomington
Lake Bloomington Churches and Camps
The Lake Breeze
Library
Lions Club
Lions Club - Hudson Prairie Days
Current Organizations of Hudson
Paintings Donated by Local Artists
Schools of Hudson Village
Unit 5 Schools
Seniors of Hudson 1980-2010
Scouts of Hudson
Veterans of Hudson Township
Village of Hudson
Family Binders*:
Ambrose
Anderson, Gildersleeve, Hinthorn, Punke, Trimmer, Vandegraft, Zimmerman
Andres, Blough, Cox, Forney, Fuller, Hughes, Littell, Lohr, Lyon, Neher, Prahm, Ramsey, Sager, Schneider/McKinney, Snavely, Stagner
Burtis (Includes information on Samuel and Lewis Family)
Cope, Hitch, Humphries, Patton
Gastman
Gildersleeve (Stotler/Stevenson/Sunkel/ Gildersleeve Seed Company)
Hamm, Ham, Greer, Wilson
Dr. Silas Hubbard
Elbert Hubbard (Includes Roycroft)
Havens, Wheeler, Johnston
Kaufman, Ropp, Troyer, Ummel
McClure
Messer
Melville Stone
Shiner, Skinner, Day, Rathman
Swope, Abrams, Harper, Hinshaw, Jewell (Silvey), Stephens, Thomas
Trimmer
*If more than one family is listed, they are closely connected and are physically in the same binder.