GALESBURG, Ill. – The National Railroad Hall of Fame project has been awarded a $478,414 state tourism grant toward construction of a building in Galesburg. Plans call for construction of a new building next to the Amtrak station that would celebrate railroading history and bring in tourism dollars, Tri States Public Radio reported. The proposal to build the National Railroad Hall of Fame in Galesburg was first announced in 2006.
“We’re just very grateful to the state of Illinois for these funds as well as to the city and county for the confidence that they’ve shown in the project,” Julie King, executive director of the National Railroad Hall of Fame told Tri States. King said that with the state grant, a $1 million pledge from the city of Galesburg, $250,000 from Knox County and other donations, nearly $5.6 million has now been raised. Now a national capital campaign is being reactivated.
“We’ll be seeking the balance of the funding from private sector donors both nationally and ultimately here in our community,” King said. “Our goal for that portion of the campaign is $4 million.” That should cover the cost of inflation on the project as well as contingencies and an endowment. Once the funds are in place, it’s expected construction would take 18 months.
The organization has been inducting members since 2002. Among the inductees from the modern era are W. Graham Claytor, former President of Amtrak and Southern Railway, Louis W. Menk of Burlington Northern, Mike Haverty of Kansas City Southern and Santa Fe, and A. Phillip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
Congress passed resolutions officially designating Galesburg as the site in 2003 and 2004. More information can be found at www.nrrhof.org.
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