Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) stopped in Hudson on his way to Washington, D.C. for his Presidential inauguration in 1861. The President-Elect’s whistlestop tour from Springfield to Washington, D.C. included over 90 stops in towns throughout Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. While Lincoln’s stop in Hudson on February 15, 1861, lasted no longer than three minutes, a local newspaper reported that over 6,000 individuals arrived at the Hudson Railroad Depot clamoring to catch a glimpse of Lincoln.
"Mr. Lincoln stepped upon the platform of the rear car, and bowed gracefully to the assembled multitude, who greeted him with tumultuous applause. When silence was restored he spoke as follows: 'Ladies and gentlemen:--I stepped upon the platform to see you, and to give you an opportunity of seeing me, which I suppose you wanted to do. You can tell by my voice that I am quite hoarse. You will not, therefore, expect a speech from me.' The whistle sounded and the train shot forward, Mr. Lincoln bowing and smiling to the people as he sped onward, while they, in return, gave such a loud and repeated tokens of applause as must have been cheering to the heart of our glorious standard bearer."
