With a legacy deeply rooted in railroading, North Judson once hosted four major rail lines, making it a hub of activity and industry. Founded in 1859, the town was renamed North Judson in 1860 and officially incorporated in 1888. At its peak about 150 trains passed through daily. Today, the town remains proudly connected to its rail heritage and is home to the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, where train rides and historic displays bring the steam-age story to life.

The former Erie Railroad Line became what is now the Erie Trail with its three hosted trans-American routes - the American Discovery Trail, the Great American Rail Trail and US Bike Route 35. The trail travels through clearings, farmland, and wooded areas for an added sense of scenery.  For the town, one focus is connecting pedestrians from town with the trail without the use of a vehicle. The Town also has been doing three major sidewalk projects made possible through the Indiana Dept. of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, and upon completion in 2030-2031, all neighborhoods and the area around our Town Park will feature sidewalks on at least one side of the street to better provide safe, accessible walking paths that lead from residences in Town and the school system, to our Town Parks, and to one of a number of trailhead locations that will be accessible at various spots along the Erie Trail and the northwest trail continuance to be completed in 2026, the one-mile start to the Grand Kankakee Marsh Trail. 

The Town of North Judson emblem has incorporated the Erie Trail as part of its imagery in recent years after seeing what a positive impact the trail continues to have on the local community. It being a source of great pride locally, the Town decided to use our growing trail system as a source of pride and designation which can help set apart our town from those nearby and in surrounding counties.