Thomson, Illinois

Thomson
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad depot in Thomson in November 2016, serving as a museum.
Nickname: 
The Melon Capital of the World
Location of Thomson in Carroll County, Illinois.
Coordinates: 41°58′46″N 90°07′15″W / 41.97944°N 90.12083°W / 41.97944; -90.12083
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyCarroll
TownshipYork
Government
 • Village PresidentVicky Trager
Area
 • Total
2.22 sq mi (5.75 km2)
 • Land2.22 sq mi (5.75 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
604 ft (184 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,610
 • Density725.7/sq mi (280.19/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
61285
Area code815
FIPS code17-75172
GNIS feature ID2399974
Websitehttp://www.thomsonil.com

Thomson is a village along Illinois Route 84 near the Mississippi River in Carroll County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Thomson had a population of 1,610. Just north of the village is the United States Penitentiary, Thomson, a mostly-unused former state prison, purchased by the Federal Bureau of Prisons in 2012. Currently USP Thomson houses over 100 low-security inmates as it remodels to federal maximum-security standards.

Thomson is known for wonderful watermelons, and it has the nickname "Melon Capital of the World."