Thomson’s history is
mostly unwritten
The public archives hold only 2 old photos of Thomson. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.
The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗The United States Penitentiary, Thomson (formerly Thomson Correctional Center) was opened in 2001, but as of 2009 has never had a prisoner in its main, 1600-bed maximum-security unit; the only prison population has been in the 200-bed minimum-security unit, which was populated in 2006 and averages about 150 prisoners. The minimum security unit has an annual budget of $7 million. State budget constraints, as well as labor union opposition to closing other state prisons, prevented the maximum-security prison from opening.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Start Thomson’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Thomson’s history is told.
1 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 🔁Retake an old view19960106 18 BNSF Thomson, IL (539…, 1996: stand where they stood+15 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Thomson, decade by decade
Nothing in Thomson is on the National Register yet
That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Thomson has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is Onawa IOOF Opera House in Sabula, 3.6 miles away.
Thomson and the nearest listed places
How a place gets listed
Then & now
When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.
From Wikimedia Commons (4) and the Library of Congress (3). Images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.