Historic Photos

Photo of the Week, 126: ‘Fab Four’ in Bloomington, 1950

July 23rd, 2015

The Beatles didn’t arrive in the U.S. until February 1964, but some 14 years earlier Bloomington-Normal experienced its own British Invasion of sorts. Seen here are British foreign exchange students (left to right) Anthony Lodge, Ian Humphreys (though in local news coverage Ian’s last name was also spelled Humphries), Michael Wasilewski, and Alan Evans. They’re posing for The Pantagraph photographer at the McLean County Courthouse Square in downtown Bloomington, sometime on June 30 or July 1, 1950. The four young men were staying in the Twin Cities until August 11, and while here were enrolled at either Illinois State Normal University or Illinois Wesleyan University.

Bill Kemp

Librarian

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