On the Square Blog

Ronn grew up in Normal, Illinois. Working in his father’s tavern as a young man, Ronn feels, shaped him and helped prepare him for the workforce.

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Adam Lovell, of Reedsville Wisconsin, has been named the new Executive Director at the McLean County Museum of History.

The McLean County Museum of History announced on Tuesday four recipients of the 2018 History Makers award to be presented during the Museum’s sixth annual History Makers Gala on Thursday, June 28 at the DoubleTree by Hilton.

This highly anticipated second volume of Pages from the Past: Stories from the Sunday Pantagraph, is now available for purchase. Volume 2 includes 77 new installments from Bill Kemp’s weekly feature.

Dear Museum members and friends,

You have likely heard the news that I will be leaving the McLean County Museum of History next year for a new opportunity with the Town of Normal. I wish I could have personally delivered the news to each of you in person, and perhaps I am in this moment. I hope you’ll allow me a minute to share a little more about this decision and what is next for the Museum.

I believe in lifelong learning and after a career in broadcast news, I took a chance and joined the museum world. I have loved every single day of it.

The McLean County Museum of History has been my home for five very important years. Not only have I grown as a museum professional, I have formed a deeper bond with this community in a way that only a history museum can inspire. I also have a new appreciation for our many cultural opportunities thanks to our community partnerships, board members, and volunteers. In these past five years, we have grown our programs, built new exhibits, upgraded our digital capacity, and successfully transitioned into a new era for the Museum. My exit is bittersweet for me, but I am entirely confident our staff, our board, and volunteers won’t miss a step. They’re a pretty amazing team!

Taking on a leadership role with the Cultural Arts Department and the Children’s Discovery Museum in Normal is a chance for more professional growth. And, I’m happy to say our two museums will continue to partner on education programs throughout the year.

I will strive in my final weeks here to prepare the staff and work hard so that our board can focus on finding the Museum’s next leader. Thank you for your support of this invaluable institution. I will continue as a member and participate in learning and loving local history.

Sincerely,

Beth Whisman
Executive Director
McLean County Museum of History

The State of Illinois will celebrate its 200th birthday on Dec. 3, 2018. To help kick off a yearlong celebration of the Illinois Bicentennial, communities across the state hosted a simultaneous Illinois Bicentennial Flag Raising Ceremony at noon on Monday, Dec. 4, 2017.

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This holiday season, the McLean County Museum of History is raising $5,500 to upgrade our collections storage space to meet museum and archival standards and ensure our collections are preserved for future generations. Our collection contains more than 20,000 objects donated from local residents of McLean County and beyond.

In celebration of the organization's 100th anniversary, the Central Illinois Antique Dealers Association (CIADA) presented a generous donation of $825.00 to be used towards scholarships and expenses for Futures in History Camp 2018. CIADA webmaster and vendor Mary Lynn Edwards presented Museum educator Hannah Johnson with the check at the CIADA's Fall Antique Show at the Interstate Center on October 28. The Museum would like to express its thanks to the CIADA for their support and extend that thanks to the past and future campers who make Futures in History Camp a program worth supporting. The Museum looks forward to another summer exploring futures in history. Stay tuned for 2018 camp dates.