The Living Legacy of the Empire Builder
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For much of his life, America knew James Jerome Hill as a titan of business – a railroad tycoon, Wall Street mogul, shaper of cities. But when the creator of the Great Northern Railway turned his attention to the matter of legacy, he built a modern-day athenaeum to carry forth his memory; and he endowed it with far more than a prized collection and magnificent architecture.
Hill contended that knowledge is not gathered, it is mined. He believed reason is honed by debate, and wisdom has value only when shared. The convictions that built his empire, Hill imbued in the James J. Hill Library. And he charged it with a mission not to immortalize his achievements, but to help future generations eclipse them.
Few men did more to unite this nation, and fewer still bequeathed to it an asset as extraordinary as the institution that bears his name. As the stewards of his library, we invite you to discover how the Empire Builder’s legacy lives on today – and how it will thrive for generations to come.