MACOMB, IL – The City of Macomb held a dedication ceremony at the Amtrak Train Station on Wednesday, revealing that they would be naming the Macomb station in honor of Thomas C. Carper.
Carper, the former Mayor of Macomb from 1991 to 2003, was honored for his unwavering dedication to public service and commitment to the City of Macomb, the State of Illinois, and the nation’s rail infrastructure
The announcement was made during a special city council meeting held at the station on Thursday morning. City council members approved the renaming resolution quickly in front of Amtrak officials, city employees, and other community members who gathered for the event, including Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner.
Carper was born and raised in Buda, Illinois, and served in the Army during the Vietnam War from 1967 to 1970 following which time he came to Macomb and attended Western Illinois University. Carper went on to become a local business owner and entrepreneur.
In 2008 Carper was appointed by President George Bush to serve on the Amtrak Board of Directors, and in 2009 became the Chair of the Amtrak Board of Directors. Carper was subsequently appointed by President’s Obama, Trump, and Biden to become the longest serving Amtrak Board member in the Corporation’s history before retiring from the board recently.
