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Finding Aids

Detailed inventories of archival collections in the Museum, organized alphabetically and able to be filtered by topic, from the 1820s to the present.

Show all 657 items

4-H Federation / McLean County Fair Collection
The 4-H Federation is an aggregate of 4-H members from clubs in McLean County, grouped int...
9/11 Collection
The 9/11 attacks were a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic group,...
A Touch of Glass
Terry Garbe established “A Touch of Glass” in 1974 in Bloomington. He moved the business t...
Abraham, Paul J. Collection
Paul J. Abraham (1909-1989) was born in Flint, Michigan to Gregory and Elizabeth Nameth Ab...
Abstracts of Title
An abstract of title, or title abstract, briefly summarizes the various activities affecti...
Adlai Stevenson Lecture Series 1965-1981
Adlai E. Stevenson, former Illinois Governor and two-time presidential candidate, grew up ...
Adult Education
The Adult Education program in Bloomington-Normal had its origins in 1935 and the New Deal...
Airline Timetable Collection
...
Aldrich, Frank W.
While Frank Aldrich was a banker by trade, he was remembered by many, locally and internat...
All About Normal
The Normal City Council approved creating the “All About Normal” Civic Academy on October ...
Almanac
Almanacs are annual publications that include information such as weather forecasts, farme...
Almon Morrow
The collection consists mainly of correspondence from Almon Morrow, a private in the Union...
Alton Railroad Community Band
The Alton Railroad Community Band was established to boost ticket sales during the Great D...
Amateur Musical Club
This collection contains programs (1897-1993), yearbooks (1893-1993), financial records, a...
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Founded in 1926, the American Civil Liberties Union is the largest national voluntary orga...
American Foundry and Furnace Company Collection (Soper Foundry)
Soper Foundry (then known as Flagg Foundry) began in Bloomington in 1874, producing gray i...
American Legion
This collection includes various Legion programs and publications, plus newspaper articles...
Amtrak Timetables
Amtrak schedules for routes around the country, including Illinois and surrounding states....
Angler’s Lake
The citizen effort to preserve Angler’s Lake, located in southeast Bloomington, began in 1...
Annette, Mme
Perhaps the best local newspaper reporter at the turn of the century wrote for the Bulleti...
Antique Study Group
The Antique Study Groups were sponsored by the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service...
Apollo 11 Pantagraph Run
This collection of The Daily Pantagraph covers the Apollo 11 space flight and Moon landing...
Armstrong, Bea
Born in Hudson to William Campbell and Alma Belle Cope Blagg, Beatrice “Bea” Armstrong (19...
Arthur Drake School Band of America Collection
The School Band of America – School Chorus of America was founded July 1, 1959 and establi...
Arthur Pillsbury Collection
Arthur L. Pillsbury designed schools, churches, businesses, and homes, in the early 20th c...
As You Like It Club
Organized in 1914 with twelve members, this women’s literary group has programs in members...
Augsperger, LaRue
LaRue Augspurger’s diary records her observations, experiences, and adventures at Mennonit...
Auth Family
The Auth family opened a grocery in Bloomington around 1931 and operated it for many years...
Aviation Collection
The file contains various newspaper clippings, advertisements, personal accounts, and ephe...
Baas, Bea Diaries
Berneice Emma “Bea” Baas began a career at State Farm Insurance in 1952 as a stock clerk i...
Baby Fold
Nancy and Allen Mason were pioneers in Normal–moving here just after the Civil War. Nancy ...
Bach, William
William R. Bach, son of William and Sophia (Koehler) Bach, was born December 10, 1871 in B...
Bagosy, John Jr.
John Bagosy, Jr (1949-2016) was born in Bloomington, IL. He served from 1966 to 1972 in th...
Baldini, John
The parents of John Baldini emigrated from Italy to the United States during the major inf...
Barbara Findley Stuart/McLean County Board Collection
...
Barbershoppers
The Bloomington Chapter of the SPEBSQSA was originally named the Bloomington Harmony Club....
Barn Keepers
Barns are the most important structure on a farmstead. The earliest barns in Central Illin...
Barth, Pat
Pat Barth donated this collection which contains materials from her early school days and ...
Bartman, Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae Bartman was born in 1910 on a farm near New Holland, IL, to Koert and Sunkea Ja...
Barton House Archaeology and Family History
Milton Barton worked for Jesse Fell (founder and developer of Normal) and reportedly plant...