Amboy, Illinois, while a small town, has a surprising number of unique historical facts and hidden gems. Here are some unknown or lesser-known facts about Amboy:
- Birthplace of Carson Pirie Scott & Co.: The famous department store chain, Carson Pirie Scott & Co., had its very humble beginnings in Amboy. Samuel Carson opened his first dry goods store there in 1854.
- Early Mormon Settlement and Significant Conference: Amboy was briefly considered a potential “Mormon Settlement” after the death of Joseph Smith Jr. While it didn’t become the main headquarters, a significant general conference of the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) was held in Amboy on April 6, 1860, where Joseph Smith III reorganized the church. There’s a Mormon Cemetery on Rockyford Road and a historic marker at the site of the conference.
- Abraham Lincoln’s Haircut and Campaign Stop: Abraham Lincoln, a lawyer for the Illinois Central Railroad, stopped in Amboy to get a haircut. He also campaigned in Amboy and stayed overnight on his way to Freeport for one of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. A memorial stone at the Depot Museum marks where he gave a speech.
- Green River Ordnance Plant and the Invention of Modern Duct Tape: During World War II, Amboy was home to the massive Green River Ordnance Plant, an ammunition factory that employed 4,500 people. It was here that Vesta Stoudt is credited with inventing modern duct tape. She wrote to President Roosevelt suggesting a waterproof cloth tape to seal ammunition boxes.
- Longest Railroad Line in the World: The Illinois Central Railroad, which had its division headquarters in Amboy, completed its “Charter Line” in 1855. This line, running from Cairo in the south to East Dubuque in the northwest, was reportedly the longest railroad line in the world at the time of its completion.
- Amboy’s First Settler and Unique Mortar: It’s claimed that a Frenchman named Filamalee was the first settler in Amboy Township, living in Palestine Grove. He reportedly used a burr oak stump as a mortar to pound grain into meal and flour for bread.
- Historic Amboy Public Hospital: Amboy had a public hospital that served the area from 1917 until 1974. It was once recognized as the smallest hospital in the state, with 16 beds and two children’s beds. Community efforts and civic groups supported it, with the Amboy Evening Women’s Club even providing funds for a baby incubator.
- Notable Resident: Augustus Newnham Dickens: The brother of famous author Charles Dickens, Augustus Newnham Dickens, lived in Amboy for a time.