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Hubbard House

Historic building
In Hudson, Illinois
5.3 mi from Route 66
National Register of Historic Places

The Hubbard House in Hudson, IL, is where the writer and philosopher Elbert Hubbard grew up. He went to school in the village and lived there until he was 16. The house grew in two stages, from an 1857 wing to an 1872 two-story addition, and it has been on the National Register since 1979. It is a private home about 5 miles off the old road.

What is Hubbard House?

The oldest part of the house is a wing built in 1857 by Silas Hubbard, a doctor who had come from Buffalo, New York. In 1872 a two-story section in the I-house form was added, giving the home the tall, plain profile it shows today. The listing rests mainly on its link to Elbert Hubbard, who spent his boyhood here before leaving the village at 16.

Hudson once had two National Register houses on the same street; the other was the Gildersleeve House.

Visiting Hubbard House: tips

Hudson is about 5 miles off the old road, so this is a short detour rather than a roadside stop. The house is private, so view it from the street and respect the residents. A few minutes is enough. Duncan Manor is about 5.6 miles away, Sprague's Super Service about 6.3 miles, and the Normal Theater about 6.7 miles, so the house fits a loop through the Bloomington and Normal area.