Two bronze medallions are affixed to an Indiana limestone boulder set on a concrete pad in front of the Hardin County Courthouse in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. These disks celebrate the centennial of one of the major American railroads of the 19th century, now a "fallen flag," being having been gobbled up by the Canadian Pacific on the eve of the 21st.
Left disk reads:
"For 100 Years
1851 1951
ILLINOIS CENTRAL
Main Line of Mid-America"
The right disk is a map of the railroad in the 1951, which stretched from Omaha, NE, east to Chicago IL, Indianapolis IN, and Louisville KY, then from Chicago headed south along the Mississippi River to New Orleans LA, with a smaller branch leaving the river south of Chicago to end in Birmingham AL, and then branching off again east and west from Shreveport LA to Marshall TX on the west and to Jackson and Meridian MS on the east.
Apparently, many of these monuments were created for the Centennial, and distributed to the major towns along the railroad. One of those, given to Marion KY, was apparently enough of a mystery that a blogger wrote a post about it, raising awareness of it. Because of that post, the monument be relocated to a place of pride at the county courthouse downtown: (
visit link)
"THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2009
Illinois Central Centennial Marker
This is a picture of the Illinois Central Centennial Marker that was shown in the previous post. The marker has been relocated and now sets of the side of the Court House facing Farmers Bank. The front faces Main Street.
I bet if you showed most of the people in Marion and Crittenden County a photo of this marker, they would not have a clue what it is, or where it is located.
Marion, once proud, and thankful for having a thriving Depot and the use of the railways was honored to received this monument. The railroad, once such a vital part of our history, is now just a memory of the past, as this once distinguished marker is.
The history of this markers is as follows: [article from local newspaper dated 27 Sep 1951]
'This 1500 pound Indiana Limestone Boulder, symbolizing a century of service to Mid-America, was presented to our community on Thursday, September 27, 1951 in the Courthouse yard, in a dedication ceremony by the Illinois Central Railroad.
The two 11-inch bronze medallions set in the face of the boulder are the work of the famed sculptor Julio Kilenyl.
Lon Kavanaugh, Agent for the Illinois Central Railroad and chairman, made and interesting talk and C. S. Collier, Train master, of Princeton, presented the marker to Crittenden County. Acceptance for the county was made by our County Attorney C. D. Chick, and for the City of Marion Hollis C. Franklin, Vice-President of the Farmers Bank & Trust Company.'"
The history of the Illinois Central RR, from founding in 1851 to acquisition in 1999 can be found here:
(
visit link)