The author was the president of the Illinois-Central Railroad. This paper begins with a history of the first railroad in Great Britain, and then the first railroads in the U.S. The early history of Illinois railroads here includes State Government discussions, initiatives and acts for construction of railroads, and stories about building the first railroads. The article is followed by an appendix with correspondence on the inception and origin of the Illinois-Central Railroad, a revised article from the Chicago Tribune called “The Oldest Railroad in Illinois”, and a list of station names with explanations of their origins.