Past Events

Lunch and Learn - Trees: the EAC's Tree Corps Ecology Action Center Initiative as a Public Health and Economic Development Strategy

Thursday, January 12, 2023
12:10 PM

Ecosystem Services From Michael Brown, Executive Director

Trees: the EAC's Tree Corps Ecology Action Center Initiative as a Public Health and Economic Development Strategy

EAC Executive Director Michael Brown will give an overview of the rapid growth of the Tree Corps, the EAC's effort to plant at least 10,000 trees annually for at least 10 years in a row. Trees are the most cost-effective means to improve local air quality and simultaneously help ensure continued economic growth in the Bloomington-Normal and McLean County community.  To watch the live stream please click on the link.  https://www.youtube.com/@mchis...

Museum Closed for New Years

Friday, December 30, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum and the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed from Friday, December 30, 2022 through Monday, January 2, 2023 for the New Years holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

Museum Closed for Christmas

Friday, December 23, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum and the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed from Friday, December 23 through Monday, December 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, December 27.

Museum will be closed due to incoming inclement weather on Thursday Dec 22

Thursday, December 22, 2022
9:00 AM

Museum will be closed due to incoming inclement weather on Thursday Dec 22

Bloomington- the McLean County Museum of History and Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed on Thursday, December 22 due to the incoming inclement weather later in the day.  

Please have a safe and enjoyable holiday and do not travel if you do not need to during the storm.

Christmas Schedule:

The Museum and the Visitors Center will be closed from Friday, December 23 through Monday, December 26 in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, December 27.

New Year’s Schedule:

The Museum and the Visitors Center will be closed from Friday, December 30, 2022, through Monday, January 2, 2023, for the New Year’s holiday. We will reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

My Museum: a Museum Themed Storytime

Tuesday, December 20, 2022
2:00 PM

The McLean County Museum of History is partnering with Bloomington Public Library to present My Museum, a virtual program helping children learn about museums. Children will participate in activities and discussions about museums and exhibits based on the books, A Girl in a Museum World by Tellie Simpson and Milo’s Museum by Zetta Elliot. Participants will then create their own self-portrait and explore curation by gathering and labeling personal items that tell their story.

Beginning December 6, registration can be completed online at bit.ly/bplmymuseum, by calling 309.590.6155, or in person at the Children’s Services Desk at the Library.

Stocking Stuffing Saturday

Saturday, December 17, 2022
10:00 AM

Stuck on what to put in those holiday stockings? Come shop downtown Bloomington to get some fantastic stocking stuffer ideas. The Cruisin with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center will be hosting a Pop-Up shop by Labyrinth Made Goods from 10-2. Shop and smell Labyrinth's uniquely scented 100% soy wax premium candles. You will also have the opportunity hear the empowering message behind Labyrinth Made Goods from the women of Labyrinth themselves.

Here's another stocking stuffer idea for you -- RGW Candy! RGW Candy Company has a long history in Central Illinois… and you know we love to support local! These Atlanta, Illinois-made candies are a sweet addition to any stocking. We carry mixed berry bark, dark chocolate mint, peppermint bark, sea salt caramel, and more! To be honest, it’s impossible to pick a favorite because they are all melt-in-your-mouth delicious. You can't go wrong!

Lunch and Learn - Seasonal Choral Music with Scott Ferguson, Professor of Music, the Illinois Wesleyan Director, IWU Collegiate Choir

Thursday, December 8, 2022
12:10 PM

Seasonal Choral Music with Scott Ferguson, Professor of Music

the Illinois Wesleyan Director, IWU Collegiate Choir

University Collegiate Choir

The Illinois Wesleyan University Collegiate Choir will present a brief program of

seasonal choral music featuring compositions by Palestrina, Sweelinck, Mendelssohn,

Dunphy, Wishart, Thalben-Ball, and others. The audience will be invited to join the

choir in singing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," and "O Come, All Ye Faithful."

The performance will be live streamed on the Museum's Youtube channel.

Christmas under the Dome

Saturday, December 3, 2022
11:00 AM

The Museum is excited to once again host this community event, which begins immediately following the Jaycees’ Parade and the arrival of Santa. Join us for activities at BOTH the Museum and The Hangar Art Co. on the Museum’s Square. Stop by the Museum for musical performances on the first floor rotunda, Christmas cookies, and hot apple cider. Greg Koos will also be on hand to sign copies of his book. Then, walk over to The Hangar Art Co. on Jefferson Street to visit Santa, make a beaded snowflake craft, and grab a bag of cookies to take home! Don’t miss this free family friendly event!

Music at the Museum will be as follows

11:00 - 11:30 Marcos Mendez

11:30 - 12:15 pm Windsong

12:30 - 1:15 pm Loving Missionary Choir

1:30 - 2:15 Sound of Illinois Chorus

First Friday: Once Upon a Holiday

Friday, December 2, 2022
5:00 PM

Join the Museum for a variety of free, family friendly activities including our Santa on the Square photo op, Tree Lighting on the lawn with the City of Bloomington, and live holiday music by Marcos Mendez. We will have adult eggnog, hot apple cider, and Christmas cookies in the Museum’s rotunda, plus celebrity readings of “Twas the night before Christmas” with Dr. Kristen Weikle, Unit 5 Superintendent, at 6:00 and Dr. David Mouser (District 87 Superintendent) and Amie Mouser (Media Specialist at Tri Valley schools) at 7:00 p.m. 

You don’t want to miss this evening filled with free fun for the whole family! 

From McLean to Mobile: A History of the “The McLean County Regiment”

Tuesday, November 29, 2022
6:30 PM

The Museum, in partnership with the McLean County Genealogical Society and Bloomington Public Library, are pleased to host author and historian William Iseminger, for a presentation on his newest book, From McLean to Mobile: A History of the 94^th Illinois Infantry Regiment Volunteers, 1862-1865, “The McLean Regiment” on Tuesday, November 29 at 6:30 p.m. This free, hybrid program will be held in the Museum’s second floor courtroom and live streamed through the Museum’s YouTube channel

Iseminger’s book follows “The McLean County Regiment” from their commissioning in Bloomington, Illinois, in August 1862, through their three years of service in the Union Army. They began training and skirmishing in Missouri, participated in the Battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, conflicts in Louisiana, garrison duty in Brownsville, Texas, and finally the sieges and battles of Fort Morgan and Spanish Fort in Mobile Bay, Alabama. They mustered out of service in Galveston, Texas, and returned home to McLean County in August 1865.

Iseminger’s research for the book began many years ago when he transcribed the letters and diaries of two of his great-grandfathers who were in the regiment; Tubal Wile Iseminger of Heyworth and Harrison H. Clark of Randolph Station. Over the years, Iseminger located eight more diaries and 257 letters from 22 additional soldiers in the 94^th, as well as two oral histories by soldiers, and other sources. Using all of these, he has written a day-by-day account of the regiment’s journey, using the diary entries to create a daily narrative of their activities, battles and encounters, travels, health, the weather, and their thoughts and observations about the people and places they saw. The narrative is enhanced by inserting the transcriptions of their letters on the days they were written, providing more details about their experiences.

William Iseminger was born in Bloomington, Illinois, and grew up in Arlington, Virginia. He majored in anthropology in college, receiving his BA from the University of Oklahoma and his MA from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He participated in excavations in South Dakota and several locations in Illinois. Bill began working in Illinois archaeology in 1967 when he began his career on a crew at Dickson Mounds. In 1971, he began a 48 ½ year career at Cahokia Mounds as an archaeologist and was instrumental in the research, planning, and implementation of the exhibits of both the on-site museum in the 70s and the Interpretive Center, which opened in 1989. He retired as Assistant Site Manager in December 2019. In addition to this publication, he is the author of numerous magazine articles, book chapters, and Cahokia Mounds: America’s First City (2010) and Identifying and Understanding Artifacts from Illinois and Neighboring States (2014).

Rather than being a detailed military history of the unit, the book is more of a personalized history of the Regiment, from their own views and mostly in their own words. The book has over 100 full-color and black-and-white illustrations, photos, and maps, and includes a roster of all the soldiers in the Regiment. Copies of the book will be available for purchase for $35.00 plus tax, and book signing will immediately follow the program. For more information, please contact education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

Museum Closed in Recognition of Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 24, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum and the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed in recognition of Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 24.

Zoom Lunch and Learn- Wastewater Today with Tim Ervin, Executive Director Bloomington Normal Water Reclamation District (BNWRD)

Thursday, November 10, 2022
12:10 PM

On Thursday, November 10 at 12:10 p.m., join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the second Lunch and Learn of the 2022-2023 season, which will explore the wastewater treatment process in our community with Tim Ervin, Executive Director of the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District (BNWRD). This installment will be held via Zoom. To register to attend, please click here.

Wastewater treatment is a process to reduce pollutants from sewage and transform the sewage into an effluent that can be returned to the water cycle. This program will discuss the origin of wastewater treatment in Bloomington-Normal and its evolution to the modern wastewater treatment facilities in operation today. The presentation will also provide a glimpse of the current and future challenges faced in the wastewater industry, and local actions currently underway to address these issues.

Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab some lunch from your favorite restaurant and join us from wherever you are for this fascinating program!

World War II Memorial Rededication

Saturday, November 5, 2022
1:00 PM

The Museum invites the public to a rededication of the World War II memorial at 1:00 p.m. November 5, 2022, on the east side of the Museum Square. This will be the 25^th anniversary for the Memorial. Plans include a military flyover, music, reading of names, and a Military Honor Guard and flag presentation. Plans are in the works to also dedicate a Korean and Vietnam memorial for those soldiers who gave their lives in support of freedom. Bronze tablets have been added to the WWII memorial with raised lettering to better honor our fallen heroes. Additional finishing touches will take place before the November ceremony. We will also be announcing additional historic marker renovation projects in the county. Donations from the community may be made online at http://weblink.donorperfect.com/MarkerMatch

Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Friday, November 4, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum, in partnership with Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, are thrilled to be able to continue offering the Evergreen Cemetery Walk online! From November 4 through 6, 2022 the Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be streaming online through the Museum's YouTube channel. Click here to access the video recording of the Walk, which will be viewable for FREE to anyone, anywhere. 

This would not have been possible without support from this year's sponsors: Featured Sponsors - Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, Cumulus Radio Bloomington, Pantagraph Media; Premium Sponsors - Deanna Frautshi & Alan Bedell, CEFCU, Heartland Bank & Trust, WGLT, Illinois Farm Bureau, MCK CPAs & Advisors, Bloomington-Normal Convention & Visitors Bureau; Basic Sponsors - McLean County Chamber of Commerce, Dunbar, Breitweiser & Company, LLP., The Painted Wraith Curiosity Shoppe, LLC, and support from our members.

If you would like to make a donation to support the Museum and our ability to continue to present the Evergreen Cemetery Walk online in the future, please click here.

Questions? Or for more information, please contact the Museum's Education Department at education@mchistory.org. 

Trapped: The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster

Tuesday, November 1, 2022
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. for the final installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2022. This hybrid discussion will be held in the Governor Fifer Courtroom at the McLean County Museum of History and online via Zoom to discuss Trapped! The 1909 Cherry Mine Disaster by Karen Tintori. Visit bit.ly/bplhistoryvirtual1122 to register for the online discussion or bit.ly/bplhistoryinperson1122 to participate in person.

Inspired by a refrain of her girlhood—”Your grandfather survived the Cherry Mine disaster”—Karen Tintori began a search for her family’s role in the
harrowing tragedy of 1909. She uncovered the stories of victims, survivors, widows, orphans, townspeople, firefighters, reporters, and mine owners, and wove them together to pen Trapped, a riveting account of the tragic day that would inspire America’s first worker’s compensation laws and hasten much-needed child labor reform.

On a Saturday morning in November of 1909, four hundred and eighty men went down into the mines as they had countless times before. But a fire
erupted in the mine shaft that day and soon burned out of control. By nightfall, more than half the men would either be dead or trapped as officials sealed the mine in an attempt to contain the blaze. Miraculously, twenty men would emerge one week later, but not before the Cherry Mine disaster went down in history as the worst ever coal mine fire in the US—and not before all the treachery and heroism of mankind were revealed.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-828-6093 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Light up the Museum Square for Halloween

Friday, October 28, 2022
5:01 PM

Head down to the Museum Square to check out our festive Halloween light display, using our very own building to light the night! Lights start at dusk on October 28 and will stay on through October 30. Grab some treats (but hopefully no tricks) and head down to check out the display!

Downtown Trick or Treat

Friday, October 28, 2022
5:00 PM

Don your best costume, grab your candy bucket, and head to Downtown Bloomington where a variety of businesses will be handing out lots of treats! Stop by the Museum's booth on the Museum Square where we will be handing out non-candy treats as part of the Teal Pumpkin Project, and hosting some Halloween Trivia where you can win fabulous prizes!

Look for a complete listing of all participating businesses and local nonprofits coming soon by visiting the Downtown Bloomington's website at https://www.downtownbloomington.org/

Día de los Muertos Ofrenda

Monday, October 24, 2022
10:00 AM

Visit the first floor of the McLean County Museum of History from Monday, October 24 through Thursday, November 3 to view an ofrenda in celebration of Día de los Muertos!

During Día de los Muertos, the spirits of deceased loved ones return to the mortal world to visit their family and friends. An ofrenda (Spanish for offering) is an altar created to honor those loved ones and welcome them back for the celebration of life. They are often designed as tiered displays of photos, food, drinks, and items significant to the deceased. This year, our ofrenda is modeled after the trajinera boats of Xochimilco instead, though it contains many of the same offerings. The Xochimilco region is well known for its canal system and colorful trajineras, both of which have become important parts of their Día de los Muertos traditions. A big thank you to Miriam Padilla and her family for creating this year’s incredible display. 

For more information, contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Wood Grain Elevators and Their Legacy - A Case Study using JH Hawes Grain Elevator

Sunday, October 23, 2022
2:00 PM

A free program brought to you by The City of Atlanta, Illinois with the Illinois Humanities Activate History Grant. Bill Kemp of the McLean County Museum of History will be presenting about wooden grain elevators, with emphasis on JH Hawes Wooden Grain Elevator, the only fully operational grain elevator in Illinois. After the presentation, stick around for a tour inside the JH Hawes Wooden Grain Elevator.*entrance available on the backside of Missy's Sweet Shoppe and through the Welcome Center on 114 SW Arch Street.
Missy’s Sweet Shoppe at the Palms Grill Cafe
110 SW Arch St, Atlanta, Illinois

This is a FREE event. Light refreshments will be provided.10% off your meal order from Country-Aire on the 23rd will benefit the Grain Elevator Committee.

Illinois Main Street Conference Thurs. Oct 20 Day 3

Thursday, October 20, 2022
8:00 AM

Powered by community, dedicated professionals, volunteers, and civic leaders, historic Main Street districts and neighborhood commercial corridors are at the heart of, and essential to, thriving communities.

The 2022 Illinois Main Street Conference brings together leaders, advocates, and cheerleaders to learn from each other and industry experts on how to grow and sustain downtown districts as centers of economic and social opportunity.

Please click to register and see schedule:

https://www.ilmainstreet.org/i...

Illinois Main Street Conference Wed. Oct 19 DAY 2

Wednesday, October 19, 2022
8:00 AM

Powered by community, dedicated professionals, volunteers, and civic leaders, historic Main Street districts and neighborhood commercial corridors are at the heart of, and essential to, thriving communities.

The 2022 Illinois Main Street Conference brings together leaders, advocates, and cheerleaders to learn from each other and industry experts on how to grow and sustain downtown districts as centers of economic and social opportunity.

Please click to register and see schedule:

https://www.ilmainstreet.org/i...

Illinois Main Street Conference Tues. Oct 18 DAY 1

Tuesday, October 18, 2022
3:00 PM

Powered by community, dedicated professionals, volunteers, and civic leaders, historic Main Street districts and neighborhood commercial corridors are at the heart of, and essential to, thriving communities.

The 2022 Illinois Main Street Conference brings together leaders, advocates, and cheerleaders to learn from each other and industry experts on how to grow and sustain downtown districts as centers of economic and social opportunity.

Please click to register and see schedule:

https://www.ilmainstreet.org/i...

Pop Up Space Activities with Bloomington Public Library

Tuesday, October 18, 2022
10:45 AM

Kids will enjoy space-inspired activities featuring Melvin the Giraffe, Bloomington Library's unofficial mascot. This program will take place at the McLean County Museum of History (200 N. Main St), where admission is FREE on Tuesdays.

Lunch and Learn- November 2022 Elections with Robert Bradley

Thursday, October 13, 2022
12:10 PM

The Fall 2022 election season is shaping up to be one of the more interesting and complex campaigns

in recent history. With just over 3 weeks before election, local political commentator and retired

professor, Bob Bradley, will offer his insights into how the local and national races are unfolding and

what we might observe on Election Day.

Pop Up Story Time Bloomington Public Library

Tuesday, October 11, 2022
10:00 AM

Join Bloomington Public Library every Tuesday in October at the Museum for music and movement, stories, and fun! These programs are free and open to the public.

This program is intended for children ages birth to 11 years and their caregivers. Registration is required and is limited to 20 families.

This program will take place in the Museum's second floor courtroom at 10:00 a.m. Masks are recommended but are not required. Please note that parking may be limited.

During the registration window for this program, registration can be completed by calling 309.590.6155. or in person at the Children's Services Desk at the Library.

Pop-Up Lego Construction with Bloomington Public Library

Saturday, October 8, 2022
10:00 AM

Join Bloomington Public Library for a Pop-Up Lego Construction. This program is free and open to the public.

Children ages 5-11 years are encouraged to build creative and independent projects using a wide variety of Lego bricks and books that will be provided. Also, STEM challenges will be presented throughout the program to inspire creative thinking.

This program will take place in the second floor courtroom at the Museum. (Note: Blocks will be provided. Please leave your own blocks at home. This program is not suitable for groups. Masks are recommended but not required. Museum entry is FREE during Farmers' Market hours on Saturdays. Parking will be limited.)

Registration for each session opens 2 weeks before and can be completed in person at the Library's Children's Services Desk, or by calling 309.590.6155.

Dine with the Dead: Cemetery Customs and Traditions of Days Gone By

Friday, October 7, 2022
11:00 AM

The Museum, in partnership with Normal Public Library, is pleased to host a program that explores when picnicking in cemeteries was common place. Enjoying a picnic in a cemetery was not always a taboo activity. Quite the contrary—a graveside lunch was a leisure activity for many. People often dined while visiting their dearly departed, and city residents regularly took advantage of cemeteries for strolls and carriage rides too. In the spirit (pun intended) of the age, enjoy a picnic lunch on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery (one of Bloomington’s oldest cemeteries) and embark on a one-hour guided tour with Candace Summers, Senior Director of Education at the McLean County Museum of History to learn about funerary customs of the Victorian-era, explore the types of monuments that populate the cemetery, and hear stories of some of the McLean County citizens who reside there. After the tour, you can stay and enjoy your own picnic lunch. So grab a blanket, a box lunch from your favorite local restaurant (or from home too!) and enjoy spending some time in the cemetery like days gone by. Attendees should wear comfortable walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. Please park outside on the side streets around Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

Registration is required and space is limited to 30 people. Click here to register to participate. 

Conversando Entre Nosotros: What’s in a Label? Hispanic, Chicano/ Chicana, Latina/o, Latinx, Latine, or None of the Above

Tuesday, October 4, 2022
7:00 PM

Conversando Entre Nosotros: What’s in a Label? Hispanic, Chicano/ Chicana, Latina/o, Latinx, Latine, or None of the Above

This is a panel/ conversation will take place at the McLean County Museum of History and is in collaboration with Illinois State University and the City of Bloomington Latinx Heritage Month Celebration the converse about the politics of labeling. how are the labels deployed to construct community and identity? How do labels erase communities and identities? The idea is to gather to “conversar” across to share with local community that one label is not enough to understand the diversity of issues we face as a community.
Presenters: Rocio Rivadeneyra, Illinois State University Alejandro Enriquez, Illinois State University Raylene Gomez, Illinois Wesleyan University Maura Toro-Morn, Illinois State University Lourdes Concepcion, Illinois State University.

This program will be live streamed to the Museum's YouTube channel.

Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Saturday, September 24, 2022
11:00 AM

Over the course of the past two years, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk has been forced to navigate some major challenges, including being forced to go fully remote in 2020, and then last year, reducing capacity through a hybrid format due to the continued COVID 19 pandemic. But the Museum and our partners, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes, met those challenges head on and none of that ever stopped the Walk from happening. In fact, these challenges forced organizers to enhance the event to continue to meet the needs of new audiences who had not been able to experience the Walk before due to barriers such as geography and mobility.

Because of all of this, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk is back and better than ever before for another monumental year, and we are pleased to announce a continued commitment to providing a live in-person Walk in conjunction with a pre-recorded online offering thanks to our partner Broadleaf Video Management.

This year’s Walk will feature five new voices and bringing back two well-known names to share a new story. Our featured characters are: Helen Clark McCurdy (1866-1962), the first woman to run for elected office in Bloomington municipal government and one of 10 candidates to make it onto the ballot for commissioner in 1915; James Preston Butler (1838-1918), best known for his work as a detective in high profile murder cases, he tracked murders across the state to bring them back for justice; Alexander G. Erickson (1863-1950), of Swedish heritage, spent much of his life living and working on Bloomington’s West Side as a businessman and politician; Ella Lee Stokes (1912-1996), a Black woman born in Mississippi, she came to Bloomington as a young girl and worked jobs largely in the service industry, including Williams-Oil-O-Matic during World War II and as a housekeeper in Bloomington’s “Red Light District;” Paul F. Beich (1864-1937), a guest voice from Park Hill Cemetery in Bloomington, Beich was a German immigrant who worked in the candy-making business. After convincing Milton Hershey to move his caramel-making division to Bloomington from Chicago, Beich’s Candy Company became known for its “Whiz Bar, the best nickel candy there iz-z!” And finally, Sarah (1814-1879) and David Davis (1815-1886) who spent much of their married life states apart while David worked away from home as a lawyer, judge, and statesman. The Davises maintained their loving relationship through letters, while Sarah managed the affairs of their estate and construction of their new home in Bloomington–which celebrates its 150th Anniversary this year!

The 2022 Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be held in-person on September 24-25 and October 1-2 with performances at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day. Ticket sales will begin on Tuesday, August 30 and can be purchased online by clicking this link, or by visiting the Museum’s Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center and Gift Shop or Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Individual tickets to participate in the in-person event will be $20 for the General Public, $18 for Museum Members, and $8 for Children or Students w/ ID.

If you have any questions or need special accommodations, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428, via email at education@mchistory.org, or visit the Evergreen Cemetery Walk page on the Museum’s website at mchistory.org/learn/evergreen-cemetery-walk.

pt.fwd presents Daniel Wyche

Saturday, September 17, 2022
7:00 PM

To kick off pt.fwd's fifth season, we're thrilled to welcome Daniel Wyche to the Museum! Daniel will perform a live, stereo version of the title piece from his new record “Earthwork” on American Dreams Records. The piece will be followed by an open improvisation featuring local high school students performing extended techniques, random objects, and "whatever other weird stuff anyone wants to bring and use." This free concert is open to the public and will be held in the Museum's first floor rotunda. Space is limited to 50 people.

Daniel Wyche is a Chicago-based guitarist, composer and improviser. Working with a wide range of physical preparations, extended techniques, and pedal instruments, his solo recordings and live performances are characterized by long-form structured improvisations and multichannel guitar. He has been a curator with the Elastic Arts Foundation in Chicago since 2013, where his work has been described as “crucial” by Dusted and “vital” by the Chicago Reader. In March of 2020, Daniel co-founded The Quarantine Concerts in collaboration with Chicago’s Experimental Sound Studio. The series has been widely praised as a model for online/streaming live music. Along with his solo guitar work, Daniel is involved in several ongoing collaborations, most notable the trio of Wyche, Mark Shippy, and Ben Baker Billington. His new solo record, “Earthwork,” is out now on American Dreams Records. https://danielwyche.bandcamp.com/album/earthwork

pt.fwd is an independent, artist-run 501c3 non-profit that organizes contemporary music and sonic arts performances in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois. pt.fwd's mission is to celebrate the communal experience of coming together to listen to powerful new sonic art. In partnership with the McLean County Museum of History, pt.fwd promotes new work by local and regional artists in a historic, acoustically curious setting.

For more information about this event, please visit https://www.ptfwd.org/ or contact the Museum's Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

MCGS Zoom - Three Cool Cases Solved with Lisa Louise Cooke

Saturday, September 17, 2022
1:00 PM

September 17, 2022 at 1:00 pm –via ZOOM –

Lisa Louise Cooke

“Three Cool Cases Solved”

Lisa Louise Cooke is the author of several books including The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, 3^rd edition. She produces and hosts the popular Genealogy Gems Podcast, and the free weekly YouTube show Elevenses with Lisa at the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89690418237?pwd=cWVwcHhuaWIybTFmRXoxMVVCbHJJQT09

Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Meeting ID: 814 1178 1991
Passcode: 552884
Find your local number: Local Numbers

ZOOM MCGS Board Meeting

Tuesday, September 13, 2022
6:00 PM

Regular McLean County Genealogical  Society board meeting and agenda.  Visit https://tmcgs.org/ for more information.

The Saints and the State: The Mormon Troubles in Illinois

Saturday, September 10, 2022
1:30 PM

The Museum is pleased to host Dr. James Simeone, professor of political science at Illinois Wesleyan University, for an illustrated presentation exploring the 1846 expulsion of Mormons from the State of Illinois. The program will be held on Saturday, September 10 at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum’s second floor courtroom. This program is free, hybrid program will be open to the public.

When members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (known as Mormons) settled in Illinois in 1839, they had been persecuted for their beliefs from Ohio to Missouri. Illinoisans viewed themselves as religiously tolerant egalitarians and initially welcomed the Mormons to their state. However, the old settlers of Hancock County who valued competitive individualism perceived the saints‘ western Illinois settlement, Nauvoo, as a theocracy with too much political power. Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, had used the writ of habeas corpus multiple times to evade arrest; it was said he could never be taken by the law. Amid escalating tensions in 1844, anti-Mormon vigilantes assassinated Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum. Two years later, the state expelled the saints. Illinois rejected the Mormons not for their religion, but rather for their effort to create a self-governing state in Nauvoo.

Mormons put the essential aspirations of American liberal democracy to the test in Illinois. The saints’ inward group focus and their decision to live together in Nauvoo highlight the challenges strong group consciousness and attachment pose to democratic governance. The Saints and the State narrates this tragic story as an epic failure of governance and shows how the conflicting demands of fairness to the Mormons and accountability to Illinois’s majority became incompatible.

James Simeone received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago. In 2022 he was named the Ben and Susan Rhodes Professor of Peace and Social Justice in political science at IWU. He is the faculty adviser to the campus Peace Garden. He has been with the university since 1992. Simeone is the recipient of several awards, including most recently the Gardner Faculty Scholar from IWU in 2021. He has authored several articles that have appeared in academic publications such as Journal of Political Science Education, American Political Thought, and Journal of Illinois History. Simeone is also the author of Democracy and Slavery in Frontier Illinois: The Bottomland Republic (2000).

PLEASE NOTE: Capacity for this event is limited to 80 people in person. Face masks are recommended but not required to attend this program. This program will also be live streamed via the Museum's YouTube channel. Click here to access this program line.

Questions? Or for more information, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428.

Pop-Up Lego Construction with Bloomington Public Library

Saturday, September 10, 2022
10:00 AM

Join Bloomington Public Library for a Pop-Up Lego Construction build at 10:00 a.m. This program is free and open to the public.

Children ages 5-11 years are encouraged to build creative and independent projects using a wide variety of Lego bricks and books that will be provided. Also, STEM challenges will be presented throughout the program to inspire creative thinking.

This program will take place in the second floor courtroom at the Museum. (Note: Blocks will be provided. Please leave your own blocks at home. This program is not suitable for groups. Masks are recommended but not required. Museum entry is FREE during Farmers' Market hours on Saturdays. Parking will be limited.)

During the registration window for this program, registration can be completed in person at the Library's Children's Services Desk, or by calling 309.590.6155.

Cancelled!!! Lunch and Learn- Trees: the EAC's Tree Corps Ecology Action Center Initiative as a Public Health and Economic Development Strategy with Exec Dir. Michael Brown

Thursday, September 8, 2022
12:10 PM

We hope to reschedule this program in the near future.  We apologize for any inconvenience

EAC Executive Director Michael Brown will give an overview of the rapid growth of the Tree Corps, the

EAC's effort to plant at least 10,000 trees annually for at least 10 years in a row. Trees are the most

cost-effective means to improve local air quality and simultaneously help ensure continued economic

growth in the Bloomington-Normal and McLean County community.

Pop-Up Story Time with Bloomington Public Library

Every Tuesday 10:00 AM

Join Bloomington Public Library every Tuesday in September and October at the Museum for music and movement, stories, and fun! These programs are free and open to the public.

This program is intended for children ages birth to 11 years and their caregivers. Registration is required and is limited to 20 families.

This program will take place in the Museum's second floor courtroom. Masks are recommended but are not required. Please note that parking may be limited.

Registration for each session opens 2 weeks before each session meets and can be completed by calling 309.590.6155. or in person at the Children's Services Desk at the Library.

Museum Closed for Labor Day

Monday, September 5, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum and the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day.

Heartland Jazz Orchestra on the West Steps

Friday, September 2, 2022
7:00 PM

The Heartland Jazz Orchestra will be performing at 7:00 p.m. on the West steps of the Museum of History ( Center Street) as part of the Downtown Bloomington First Friday

The Heartland Jazz Orchestra will present the next in its series of Pop-Up Concerts at the McLean County Museum of History, west steps. HJO is an auditioned 20-piece jazz orchestra whose members include professional musicians, music educators in high schools and colleges, music students, and accomplished musicians with other “day jobs,” under the direction of David Hoffman. This concert is made possible by the McLean County Museum of History, the Heartland Jazz Orchestra Foundation, and through a Mirza Arts and Culture grant from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation. The Foundation encourages and facilitates philanthropy in McLean, Livingston, DeWitt, and Logan counties by connecting donors who care with causes that matter to them.

Evergreen Cemetery Walk Tickets Now on Sale

Tuesday, August 30, 2022
9:00 AM

Ticket sales for the 2022 Evergreen Cemetery Walk are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Museum or Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Tickets can also be purchased online by clicking this link. Tickets to participate are $20 for the General Public, $18 for Museum members, and $8 for children or students w/ID.

If you have any questions or need special accommodations, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428, via email at education@mchistory.org, or visit the Evergreen Cemetery Walk page on the Museum’s website at mchistory.org/learn/evergreen-cemetery-walk.

Project XV Museum Block Party

Saturday, August 20, 2022
5:00 PM

The Museum is thrilled to participate in the second annual David Strother Block Party!

Free Admission

All Ages Welcome

Complimentary Cake (in honor of Mr. Strother, whose birthday we are celebrating)

Show Choir Performance

Dinner By Kiwanis (for purchase)

Vendor Booths

Games

Beer Garden (21+)

Project XV Museum is working on building the first voting rights museum in the state of Illinois, and tell the story of the first Black man to vote in Illinois, David Strother. Seating is limited. BYOLawnchair.

Friday on the Square - STYLE IN STEREO with special guest KYLE YAP

Friday, August 19, 2022
6:00 PM

STYLE IN STEREO with special guest KYLE YAP on FRIDAY, AUGUST 19th in Downtown Bloomington. These FREE concerts on the Square are produced in partnership with the City of Bloomington and Pantagraph Media. Located on the Museum Square in Downtown Bloomington. 200 N. Main St. Bloomington, IL. The event starts at 6 PM with music beginning at 7 PM. This event is FREE to the public and all ages are welcome. Alcohol will be available for guests over 21 with a valid ID.

Light up the Musuem Square for Pride Fest

Friday, August 12, 2022
5:00 PM

Head down to the Museum Square to check out our lighting display to celebrate Pride Fest (which will be held on Saturday, August 13). Lights start at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 12 and will stay on through Sunday, August 14. So head down to the Museum Square to check them out and celebrate PRIDE this weekend!

The " Lost Speech " with Librarian Bill Kemp at El Paso District Library

Thursday, August 11, 2022
7:00 PM

Join Museum Librarian Bill Kemp this Thursday evening at the El Paso District Library for an illustrated talk on Abraham Lincoln's May 29, 1856 "Lost Speech," which marked the formation of the Illinois Republican Party. This program is sponsored by the Woodford County Historical and Genealogical Society. Things get underway at 7:00 p.m.

"The Bad Guys" Party with Bloomington Public Library

Tuesday, August 9, 2022
4:00 PM

The Bad Guys Party

Calling all fans of Aaron Blabey's book series The Bad Guys and the subsequent movie! The fifteenth book in this series was released in July and we think that is cause for celebration, so we are throwing a party with games, prizes, crafts, and of course, copies of the books available to check out!

This program will take place in the Courtroom at the McLean County Museum of History. Museum entry is FREE on Tuesdays. Masks are recommended but are not required. Please note that parking may be limited.

This program is intended for kids going into 2nd through 5th grade. Registration is required and is limited to 20 children - caregivers are welcome to stay for the party or explore the Museum.

During the registration window for this program, registration can be completed by calling 309.590.6155. or in person at the Children's Services Desk at the Library.

Saturdays on the Square -- Free Concert

Saturday, August 6, 2022
7:00 PM

Presented by Pantagraph Media and the Castle Theatre in partnership with the city of Bloomington, the series brings regional acts to perform free, family-friendly concerts on the Museum Square in Downtown Bloomington. Seating begins at 6:00 p.m. with music starting at 7:00 p.m. The Museum is happy to once again be a sponsor for this music series.

This year's lineup is:

June 25: Style in Stereo with Kyle Yap

July 9: Wedding Banned, "the world's greatest wedding band"

July 16: Dan Hubbard, full band show with Leah Marlene

Aug. 6: Southern Accents, a tribute to Tom Petty

Latinos in Illinois and the USA: Music as a Cultural History at Normal Public Library

Saturday, August 6, 2022
1:00 PM

The Museum and Normal Public Library are pleased to host Catalina Maria Johnson, Ph.D., a Chicago-based journalist, for an illustrated presentation (augmented with musical samplings) exploring how Latino music is a source of history about the Latino community. The program will be held on Saturday, August 6 at 1:00 p.m. in the community room at Normal Public Library. This program is free, and open to the public, and sponsored by a grant from Illinois Humanities.

Music can be viewed and “read” as a tool that shares the cultural values, roots, and history of peoples. Over the years, numerous Latino musical genres share the concerns of Latinos throughout the years. For example, there are songs about immigrant woes of the early 20th century to today. Recently, Latinos around the U.S. commented on the 43 student-teachers murdered in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero by creating various songs in different genres. This program focuses on a broad overview of milestones the last 75 years of music in the Latino U.S. as a way of understanding the history, roots, and concerns of Latinos in this land, with a special emphasis on Mexican and Puerto Rican musicians in Illinois as Latino populations that have profoundly marked the state’s culture and music.

Johnson hosts and produces her own radio show, Beat Latino, which airs in Chicago on Vocalo (Chicago Public Media). She is also a regular contributor to NPR, Bandcamp, Downbeat and other outlets and a member of the editorial board of Revista Contratiempo.

Johnson credits the tenacious insistence of a Mexican mom and a German/Swedish dad for the extraordinary gift of a bilingual and bicultural heritage. Thanks to them, she grew up between two cities; St. Louis, Missouri and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Johnson’s music journalism explores the extraordinary diversity of the global music scene with an emphasis on Latin and Latino music—from the most traditional roots music to cutting-edge electronic grooves. It is also very important to her to focus on the cultural riches that immigrants bring to the country of destiny, an invaluable and often unrecognized gift.

PLEASE NOTE: Capacity for this event is limited to 80 people. Face masks are recommended but not required to attend this program. Questions? Or for more information, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428.

Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council Agency (IACA)], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, IACA, our partnering organizations, or our funders.

Photo credit: Caroline Sanchez

Seasons on Henry's Farm: A Year of Food and Life on a Sustainable Farm

Tuesday, August 2, 2022
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, August 2 at 7:00 p.m. for the third installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2022. 

This hybrid discussion will be held in the Governor Fifer Courtroom at the McLean County Museum of History and online via Zoom to discuss Seasons on Henry’s Farm: A Year of Food and Life on a Sustainable Farm by Terra Brockman. 

Visit bit.ly/bplhistoryvirtual822 to register for the online discussion or bit.ly/bplhistoryinperson822 to participate in person.

Henry’s Farm, run by Henry Brockman, is in central Illinois — some of the richest farming land in the world. There, he and his family — five generations of farmers, including sister Terra, the author — have bucked the traditional agribusiness conventional wisdom by farming in a way that produces healthy, nutritious food for local people in ways that enhance soil, water, air, and all living things in and around the farm. Terra Brockman tells the story of her family and their life on the farm in the form of a year-long memoir (with recipes) that takes readers through each season of life on the farm. Studded with vignettes, digressions, photographs, family stories, and illustrations of the farm’s vivid plant life, the book is a one-of-a-kind treasure that will appeal to readers of Michael Pollan, E. B. White, Gretel Ehrlich, and Sandra Steingraber.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-590-6168 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Construction Story Time with Bloomington Public Library

Tuesday, August 2, 2022
10:00 AM

We'll read our favorite construction books, sing songs, and play during this special story time. Kids will also receive a plastic hard hat and a craft to take home!

This program is intended for children ages birth to 11 years and their caregivers. Registration is required and is limited to 20 families.

This program will take place in the Courtroom at the McLean County Museum of History. Museum entry is FREE on Tuesdays. Masks are recommended but are not required. Please note that parking may be limited.

During the registration window for this program, registration can be completed by calling 309.590.6155. or in person at the Children's Services Desk at the Library.

Zoom Genealogy Treasures In Cemetery Records with Suz Bates

Tuesday, July 19, 2022
6:30 PM

"I have found cemeteries I need to visit. How do I even start?" Cemetery, funeral home, and stonecutter records hold clues to your family history whether you are searching online, locally or out of state. Suz Bates, a local genealogist will teach some onsite and online hints for this unique research including often overlooked cemetery record treasures. She has been researching her family history for over 45 years. After a full career in education, she now combines teaching skills with extensive genealogy research experience and training in work as a presenter, researcher, and consultant. Suz's presentation specialty is step by step instructions for various researching, archiving and technology skills for genealogists and family historians.

This is a McLean County Genealogical Society event. Any questions about this program should go to pperkins73@yahoo.com or visit https://tmcgs.org/

Saturdays on the Square -- Free Concert

Saturday, July 16, 2022
7:00 PM

Presented by Pantagraph Media and the Castle Theatre in partnership with the city of Bloomington, the series brings regional acts to perform free, family-friendly concerts on the Museum Square in Downtown Bloomington. Seating begins at 6:00 p.m. with music starting at 7:00 p.m. The Museum is happy to once again be a sponsor for this music series.

This year's lineup is:

July 16: Dan Hubbard ( Full Band) with Taylor Steele 

Aug. 6: Southern Accents, a tribute to Tom Petty

Pop-Up Lego Construction with Bloomington Public Library

Saturday, July 16, 2022
10:00 AM

Join Bloomington Public Library for a Pop-Up Lego Construction build at 10:00 a.m. This program is free and open to the public.

Children ages 5-11 years are encouraged to build creative and independent projects using a wide variety of Lego bricks and books that will be provided. Also, STEM challenges will be presented throughout the program to inspire creative thinking.

This program will take place in the second floor courtroom at the Museum. (Note: Blocks will be provided. Please leave your own blocks at home. This program is not suitable for groups. Masks are recommended but not required. Museum entry is FREE during Farmers' Market hours on Saturdays. Parking will be limited.)

During the registration window for this program, registration can be completed in person at the Library's Children's Services Desk, or by calling 309.590.6155.

Saturdays on the Square -- Free Concert

Saturday, July 9, 2022
7:00 PM

Presented by Pantagraph Media and the Castle Theatre in partnership with the city of Bloomington, the series brings regional acts to perform free, family-friendly concerts on the Museum Square in Downtown Bloomington. Seating begins at 6:00 p.m. with music starting at 7:00 p.m. The Museum is happy to once again be a sponsor for this music series.

This year's lineup is:

June 25: Style in Stereo with Kyle Yap

July 9: Wedding Banned, "the world's greatest wedding band"

July 16: Dan Hubbard, full band show with Leah Marlene

Aug. 6: Southern Accents, a tribute to Tom Petty

Museum Closed in Recognition of July 4th holiday

Monday, July 4, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum and the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed in recognition of the Fourth of July on Monday, July 4.

First Friday: Get Your "Kicks" on Route 66

Friday, July 1, 2022
5:00 PM

Downtown Bloomington is lucky enough to be positioned along Mother Road, and we look forward to celebrating another unique First Friday with all of you! Come down and Get Your "Kicks" on Route 66! Stop by the Museum's tent at the corner of Jefferson and Main Street to test your knowledge at Route 66 trivia and pick up some of your favorite local products too!

Pop-Up Story Time with Bloomington Public Library

Tuesday, June 28, 2022
10:00 AM

Join Bloomington Public Library every Tuesday in June at the Museum for music and movement, stories, and fun! These programs are free and open to the public.

This program is intended for children ages birth to 11 years and their caregivers. Registration is required and is limited to 20 families.

This program will take place in the Museum's second floor courtroom at 10:00 a.m. Masks are recommended but are not required. Please note that parking may be limited.

During the registration window for this program, registration can be completed by calling 309.590.6155. or in person at the Children's Services Desk at the Library.

Back 2 School Supply Drive at the Farmers' Market

Every Sunday 8:30 AM

Back 2 School Supply Drive – We Need your Help!

The McLean County Museum of History and the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market teaming up and bringing the Back 2 School Supply Drive to the Farmer’s Market again this summer! Every Saturday a donation bin will be stationed at the Museum's tent at our main entrance on Washington Street from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. for anyone to drop off donations to the Back 2 School Supply Drive!

The Back 2 School Supply Drive, organized by the Back 2 School Alliance in coordination with Bloomington District 87, Normal Unit 5, and the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, is an effort to collect school supplies for the 2022-2023 school year that will be given to local students in need. Thus ensuring that all students start the school year off right, with all necessary supplies and an awesome backpack to boot! Supplies will distributed throughout District 87 and Unit 5 to those who meet eligibility guidelines.

Backpack- 13 inches to 18 inches in height

Zippered Binder- 1.5 inches or 2 inches

3-Ring Binder- 1.5 inches

Divider Tabs- 5 count per package

2-Pocket Folders

Index Cards- 3x5, lined

Loose Leaf Paper- wide ruled

Spiral Notebook- wide ruled, 70 count pages

Ruler- standard/metric 12 inches

Colored Pencils- 12 count

Markers- washable, thick, classic colors

#2 Pencils- 12 count

Black or Blue Pens- 10/12 count

Glue Sticks- washable

Crayons- 24 count (greatest need) Highlighters

Fiskar Scissors (blunt and pointed tip)

Pink Erasers

For more information, please contact the Museum’s Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428, or visit the Back 2 School Alliance’s website at back2schoolalliance.org/.

Please Donate! Every pen, pencil, binder and notebook you donate helps the Museum support our local teachers by getting students the tools they need for the new school year!

Saturdays on the Square -- Free Concert

Saturday, June 25, 2022
6:30 PM

Presented by Pantagraph Media and the Castle Theatre in partnership with the city of Bloomington, the series brings regional acts to perform free, family-friendly concerts on the Museum Square in Downtown Bloomington. Seating begins at 6:00 p.m. with music starting at 7:00 p.m. The Museum is happy to once again be a sponsor for this music series.

This year's lineup is:

June 25: Style in Stereo with Kyle Yap

July 9: Wedding Banned, "the world's greatest wedding band"

July 16: Dan Hubbard, full band show with Leah Marlene

Aug. 6: Southern Accents, a tribute to Tom Petty

Viral Silence: Six Words Concert

Friday, June 24, 2022
7:00 PM

Six Words is a concert-length composition by Edward Breitweiser inspired by local Covid-19 experiences and in collaboration with McLean County non-profits and youth organizations.

This in-person and live-stream public performance at the McLean County Museum of History features music and words by area residents who shared their personal stories with the project. Live-stream will begin at 7pm on the Experimental Sound Studio’s YouTube Channel.

This event is FREE, though due to the pandemic, reservations are requested.

Viral Silence: Community Portraits in Response to Covid-19, is a statewide collaborative community commissioning and virtual touring program that captures local experiences and responses to Covid-19. This second year of programming partners three new artists and Illinois communities: JoVia Armstrong, composer and sound artist, with Chicago’s Austin neighborhood and Saint Martin’s Episcopal Church; Eddie Breitweiser with pt.fwd and the McLean County Museum of History; and X, an indigenous futurist, who will create a geolocated augmented reality soundscape app.

Using archival research, community dialogue, and collaborative music-making, Six Words engages directly with Central Illinois residents to reflect on our collective experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. Six Words takes place at the McLean County Museum of History’s “COVID-19: The McLean County Experience” as a starting point to ask local residents about their pandemic experiences, and to preserve them for future generations. Breitweiser is collaborating with local non-profits and youth organizations—including the McLean County Museum of History and pt.fwd—to create a communal space for telling and hearing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Bloomington-Normal area. These diverse experiences are shared in a concert-length public performance at the Museum of History, featuring music and words by area residents who contributed to the project.

Questions or for more information, please contact the Museum’s Education Department at education@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428.

WGLT Summer Concert

Saturday, June 18, 2022
5:30 PM

The WGLT Summer Concert presented by CEFCU will return to Downtown Bloomington on June 18 for their 20th annual celebration. After a two-year COVID-imposed hiatus, WGLT is thrilled to come back “home” to the Museum Square. Get ready to party - music begins at 5:30 p.m.!

The 2022 show will feature, for the first time, an all-women lineup:

Peoria-based Tambora, fronted by Cindy Youngren

New Orleans folk rock diva Lilli Lewis

Singer songwriter Carsie Blanton

Complete details at wglt.org/SummerConcert

BPL Pop Up Lego Construction

Saturday, June 18, 2022
10:00 AM

Join Bloomington Public Library for a Pop-Up Lego Construction build at 9:00 a.m. This program is free and open to the public.

Children ages 5-11 years are encouraged to build creative and independent projects using a wide variety of Lego bricks and books that will be provided. Also, STEM challenges will be presented throughout the program to inspire creative thinking.

This program will take place in the second floor courtroom at the Museum. (Note: Blocks will be provided. Please leave your own blocks at home. This program is not suitable for groups. Masks are recommended but not required. Museum entry is FREE during Farmers’ Market hours on Saturdays. Parking will be limited.)

During the registration window for this program, registration can be completed in person at the Library’s Children’s Services Desk, or by calling 309.590.6155.

Museum and BPL Celebrates Juneteenth at Farmers' Market

Saturday, June 18, 2022
10:00 AM

On Saturday, June 18 the Twin Cities area Juneteenth Celebration will take place at Miller Park in Bloomington from noon to 6:00 p.m. Activities, performances, and vendors will be onsite at the Pavilion and tents in this section of the park.

Before heading out to the park, stop by the Museum for a Juneteenth Pop-Up Library and Story Time at 10:00 a.m. in the Courtroom. This is a partnership with Bloomington Public Library.

City of Bloomington Honorary Street Sign Celebration

Friday, June 17, 2022
6:00 PM

The City of Bloomington would like to cordially invite you to the Honorary Street Sign Celebration in honor of local civil rights and social justice leaders Mr. Henry Gay Sr. and Merlin Kennedy. The celebration will take place Friday, June 17 at 6:00 p.m. in the Museum's historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom.

Please contact Nikita Richards at nrichards@cityblm.org to RSVP by June 8, 2022. Limited Seating

History Makers Gala

Wednesday, June 15, 2022
5:30 PM

Each year, the History Makers Gala recognizes long-standing residents whose outstanding, life-long contributions of time and talents have helped to make McLean County a better place to live. The Gala dinner will feature live entertainment that celebrates the honorees and their service to the community. The 2022 History Makers Gala and the Annual Meeting of the McLean County Historical Society will take place on the evening of June 15th at the Brown Ballroom at Illinois State University. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the program beginning at 6:15 p.m.

Tickets for the 2022 History Makers Gala are now on sale! 

Reservations can be made by clicking here, at the Museum in downtown Bloomington, or by calling (309) 827-0428. Tickets are $60 for the general public and $50 for Museum members. Proceeds support the Museum’s free educational programs in the community.

Pop-Up Stories with Bloomington Public Library

Every Tuesday 10:00 AM

Join Bloomington Public Library every Tuesday in June at the Museum for music and movement, stories, and fun! These programs are free and open to the public.

This program is intended for children ages birth to 11 years and their caregivers. Registration is required and is limited to 20 families.

This program will take place in the Museum's second floor courtroom at 10:00 a.m. Masks are recommended but are not required. Please note that parking may be limited.

During the registration window for this program, registration can be completed by calling 309.590.6155. or in person at the Children's Services Desk at the Library.

Cogs and Corsets: Dine with the Dead

Saturday, June 4, 2022
11:00 AM

Back by popular demand! Enjoying a picnic in a cemetery was not always a taboo activity. Quite the contrary—a graveside lunch was a leisure activity for many. People often dined while visiting their dearly departed, and city residents regularly took advantage of cemeteries for strolls and carriage rides too.

In the spirit (pun intended) of the age, enjoy a picnic lunch on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery (one of Bloomington’s oldest cemeteries) and embark on a one-hour guided tour to learn about funerary customs of the Victorian-era, explore the types of monuments that populate the cemetery, and hear stories of some of the McLean County citizens who reside there. 

Candace Summers, Director of Community Education at the Museum, will facilitate the tour. Come experience how cemetery life is for the living!

Cogs and Corsets: A Central Illinois Steampunk Happening

Friday, June 3, 2022
5:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to once again participate in the now fifth annual Cogs & Corsets festival. The Museum will be the site of history presentations, Tea Dueling, Vendors, and a variety of activities held on the Square. Area galleries will feature the work of local and visiting artists alike, and the streets will be bustling with costumed visitors, teapot and dirigible races, and more! We can’t wait to see you here! For registration, full schedule and more information, please visit www.cogsandcorsetsil.org.

"Adopt" a Non-Profit: The Back 2 School Alliance School Supply Drive

Wednesday, June 1, 2022
9:00 AM

For this quarter (June through August 6), the Museum will be collecting items for The Back 2 School Alliance School Supply Drive. The Back 2 School Alliance (BTSA) is a group of volunteers and community partners dedicated to supporting students in need. Since 1999, they have been working with Bloomington District 87, Normal Unit 5, and Illinois Prairie Community Foundation to bring kids and community together by putting backpacks and school supplies into the hands of the children who need them most. For more information about the Back 2 School Alliance, visit back2schoolalliance.org/.

Individuals who donate items from the Back 2 School Alliance's School supply list below will be entered into a drawing to win a pair of tickets to the 2022 Evergreen Cemetery Walk! (Limited to one entry per person).

The donation bin to drop off your items will be located on the ground floor of the Museum. For more information or questions, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428. Thank you in advance!

Items needed are:

Backpack- 13 inches to 18 inches in height

Zippered Binder- 1.5 inches or 2 inches

3-Ring Binder- 1.5 inches

Divider Tabs- 5 count per package

2-Pocket Folders

Index Cards- 3x5, lined

Loose Leaf Paper- wide ruled

Spiral Notebook- wide ruled, 70 count pages

Ruler- standard/metric 12 inches

Colored Pencils- 12 count

Markers- washable, thick, classic colors

#2 Pencils- 12 count

Black or Blue Pens- 10/12 count

Glue Sticks- washable

Crayons- 24 count

Highlighters

Fiskar Scissors (blunt and pointed tip)

Pink Erasers

CANCELLED- Zoom Lunch & Learn: University-based Innovation Centers are "Making" a Difference

Thursday, May 19, 2022
12:10 PM

On Thursday, May 19, at 12:10 p.m. join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the final Zoom Lunch & Learn of the 2021-2022 season, which will explore how university-based Innovation Centers are “Making” a Difference with John Quarton, Director of the Petrick Idea Center at Illinois Wesleyan University.

It used to be that summer internships were the dominant means for companies to attract and engage students during their college years. Many universities across the country are now partnering with companies, not-for-profits, and communities throughout the entire year through the establishment of makerspaces to create win-win value propositions. Hear about these innovations in higher ed at this lunch and learn.

To register for this free, zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHMayLL. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Virtual 'Lost Speech' Found: Abraham Lincoln and the Founding of the Illinois Republican Party

Wednesday, May 18, 2022
7:00 PM

The ‘Lost Speech’ Found: Abraham Lincoln and the Founding of the Illinois Republican Party- On May 29, 1856, Lincoln gave the keynote address at a convention held in downtown Bloomington to establish a new political party opposed to the expansion of slavery—the Republican Party. Learn why this speech became to be known as the “Lost Speech” … and how it’s not really lost!

Zoom MCGS - Census Records from 1950 presented by Tina Beaird

Tuesday, May 17, 2022
6:30 PM

Census Records from1950 with Tina Beaird, author, historian, lecturer, owner of Tamarack Genealogy is a genealogy and local history librarian in the Chicago area.

Tina holds an MLS with a specification in Archives Preservation. She lectures at local, state and national seminars and conferences. Tina has served on numerous boards and volunteers her time when available with several Chicago area historical and genealogical societies. She occasionally still finds time to work on her own genealogy. The Mc McLean County Genealogy Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8892… ID: 889 2361 3436

Passcode: 511021

Meeting ID: 889 2361 3436

Passcode: 511021

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kVKBBa0tX

Zoom MCGS - Census Records from 1950 presented by Tina Beaird

Tuesday, May 17, 2022
6:30 PM

Census Records from1950  with Tina Beaird, author, historian, lecturer, owner of Tamarack Genealogy is a genealogy and local history librarian in the Chicago area. 

Tina holds an MLS with a specification in Archives Preservation. She lectures at local, state and national seminars and conferences. Tina has served on numerous boards and volunteers her time when available with several Chicago area historical and genealogical societies. She occasionally still finds time to work on her own genealogy. The Mc McLean County Genealogy Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting"">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8892... ID: 889 2361 3436

Passcode: 511021

Meeting ID: 889 2361 3436

Passcode: 511021

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kVKBBa0tX

Normal Community High School Experimental Ensemble

Friday, May 13, 2022
7:00 PM

On Friday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m., the Museum, is pleased to host the debut performance of the Normal Community High School Experimental Ensemble, with special guest Eddie Breitweiser. The event will be presented in the Museum’s first floor rotunda, and is free and open to the public.

The ensemble is lead by Stefen Robinson and Zachary Sargent, both teachers at NCHS who also perform with the group. Eleven students make up the group, and together with their teachers, they “make adventurous music together.” Student members include Matthew Beigie on cello, Cooper Jeb on piano, Lilly McClelland on bass guitar and trumpet, Ibrahim Muftee on electric guitar, John Nguyen on electric mandolin, Stefani Nguyen on bells and harmonium, Ram Paramatmuni on radio and record player, Audrie Schuller on violin, and Krishiv Sreejith on flute. Robinson performs on bass clarinet and percussion, and Sargent plays alto saxophone.

Selections for the performance will include Otomo Yoshihide’s arrangement of Eric Dolphy’s, Serene, and their own arrangement of Early Grave by The Contortionist. The program will conclude with their arrangement of Curtis Mayfield’s, Think. In between those songs, improvisations by smaller groups within the larger ensemble will be featured.
In-person attendance is limited to 50 people and will also be live streamed online. Visit https://www.ptfwd.org/ for more information.

Face masks are recommended, but not required. Questions? Or for more information, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428.

McLean County Barn Keepers: Lois Lenski and Corn-Farm Boy

Thursday, May 12, 2022
7:00 PM

Join Barn Keepers on Thursday, May 12 at 7:00 p.m. for a fascinating look at a classic 1950s children's book on Midwest corn farming. Guest speaker Bill Kemp, who serves as the Barn Keepers historian, will lead an illustrated program on beloved children's author Lois Lenski and her 1954 book Corn-Farm Boy.

Illinois State University’s Milner Library holds a collection of Lois Lenski papers, including the author’s correspondence and research relating to Corn-Farm Boy, a strikingly accurate portrayal of Corn Belt farming in the decade after World War II. Bill’s talk will make use of photographs, newspaper clippings, original illustrations, and other source material collected by Lenski as she researched Corn-Farm Boy.

The book was part of Lenski's American Regional Series, which included Bayou Suzette (1943), Cotton in My Sack (1949), Coal Camp Girl (1959), and others. These books approached the lives children with an honesty and realism uncommon in children's literature at the time.

The program, free and open to the public, will be held at the Evergreen FS Building, 402 N. Hershey Road in Bloomington. Barn Keepers is a McLean County-based not-for-profit dedicated to barn education and preservation.

Zoom Lunch & Learn: University-based Innovation Centers are "Making" a Difference

Thursday, May 12, 2022
12:10 PM

On Thursday, May 12 at 12:10 p.m. join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the final Zoom Lunch & Learn of the 2021-2022 season, which will explore how university-based Innovation Centers are “Making” a Difference with John Quarton, Director of the Petrick Idea Center at Illinois Wesleyan University.

It used to be that summer internships were the dominant means for companies to attract and engage students during their college years. Many universities across the country are now partnering with companies, not-for-profits, and communities throughout the entire year through the establishment of makerspaces to create win-win value propositions. Hear about these innovations in higher ed at this lunch and learn.

To register for this free, zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHMayLL. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

'Tattooing Finds You:' How Tattooists Navigate their World

Tuesday, May 10, 2022
6:30 PM

On Tuesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m., the Museum welcomes Dr. David C. Lane, assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University, who will present the program ‘Tattooing Finds You:’ How Tattooists Navigate their World. This, free, public program will be held in the Governor Fifer Courtroom at the Museum. To register to attend, please click this link.

Have you ever wondered how tattooists learn to do their jobs, how their careers advance, or what they contend with in order to create tattoos? Tattooists have to navigate the world of work. In this presentation, David C. Lane will take you on a journey about how the contemporary tattoo world operates. Using vivid firsthand accounts from tattooists, and an art worlds perspective, this program will discuss the how these workers pursue meaningful labor. This discussion will explain the methods of learning to work, the hierarchy among tattooists, the mechanisms for maintaining social control, and how tattooists manage changes that threaten their control. Underlying these descriptions is an emphasis on the collective social processes needed to make art worlds operate. Ultimately, and as Lane argues, tattooists have created and sustained an art world that relies on an anachronistic model of organizing labor. Join us and have some fun.

Lane holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Delaware. His monograph, The Other End of the Needle: Continuity and Change among Tattoo Workers was recently released by Rutgers University Press. His research articles on tattoo work appear in Deviant Behavior and the Sociology Compass. Lane also has a forthcoming original research chapter in the Handbook of Social Organization titled, ‘Resistance and Resilience among Tattoo Workers’. Broadly, Lane’s research focuses on tattoo work and culture as a social process, labor and the changes to cultural production in capitalist systems, crime in relation to natural hazards, art theft, and constructionist approaches to social problems. He also serves as the Chair of the Body Art and Images area of the Mid-Atlantic Popular and American Culture Association. Lane’s research expertise has also been featured on “Inking of Immunity” podcast, Telemundo’s Radar 2021, Bloomberg Made, The Pantagraph, and WGLT.

Currently, Lane is researching the relationship between acquiring a tattoo in relation to experiences of trauma. For more information about this study, or if you are interested in being a participant go to www.tattoostudyisu.com.

... NOTE: Registration is required to attend and capacity for this event is limited to 75 people. Face masks are recommended but not required to attend this program.

Auditions for the 2022 Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Tuesday, May 10, 2022
6:00 PM

Announcing auditions for the 2022 Evergreen Cemetery Walk! Auditions will be held on Tuesday, May 10 from 6:00pm until 9:00pm at First Christian Church, 401 W. Jefferson Street, Bloomington. Performances for the Walk will be September 24 – October 2 at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. You must be available for weekday performance from 8:30-3 and weekends 10 – 4. You will be asked to read from sides provided at the audition. Performers at the Walk receive an honorarium for their time and talent.

Questions or concerns about audition time? Email Susan Thetard (Artistic Director of Illinois Voices Theatre Echoes) at satheta@gmail.com.

The characters portrayed this year are:

Paul F. Beich (1864-1937) was a German immigrant who worked in the candy-making business, first as a salesman and later launching his own company in St. Louis. After purchasing a company in Bloomington, Beich convinced Milton Hershey to move his caramel-making division there from Chicago. Just as Hershey’s is known for its chocolate, Beich’s is known for its Whiz Bars, Katydids, and Laffy Taffy. A visitor to Evergreen Cemetery, where two of his children are buried, Beich is buried at Park Hill Cemetery. (Visiting Voice)

James Preston Butler (1838-1918) was a tinsmith, butcher, grocer, policeman, tax collector, alderman, constable, deputy sheriff, and hotel owner, perhaps best known for his work as a detective in high-profile murder cases. He tracked down Patsey Devine, who was later hung for the crime of murder in Clinton, Illinois, and helped convict the murderer of Zura Burns in Lincoln, Illinois. A small but powerful man, Butler could defend himself against attackers—both physically and verbally—and did.

Alexander G. Erickson (1863-1950), of Swedish heritage, worked in coal mines on Bloomington’s west side as a child and grew up to be an alderman, mayor, and commissioner of public health and safety for the City. A Republican precinct committeeman for forty years, he was on the Bloomington Board of Education for twelve. As the public health commissioner, he guided the city through such difficult events as a 1916 polio outbreak, the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919, and a garbage strike.

Helen Clark McCurdy (1866-1962) was the first woman to run for elected office in Bloomington municipal government, one of ten candidates to make it onto the ballot for commissioner in 1915. She campaigned heavily to literally clean up the city, as garbage collection had been a huge issue! The daughter of a merchant, McCurdy worked as a store clerk, but later married a prominent businessman, rising in social class. Intensely civic-minded, she worked with the Women’s Club, the Red Cross, and the Salvation Army.

Ella Lee Stokes (1912-1996) was born in Mississippi and moved to Tennessee with her mother when she was four. First educated in one-room schoolhouses in the South, she attended several local grade schools and half a semester at Bloomington High School. A Black woman employed largely in the service industry, she aspired to achieve more. She worked for Williams-Oil-O-Matic, cleaning parts for ships and airplanes during World War II; and as a housekeeper in Bloomington’s “Red Light District.

Sarah (1814-1879) and David Davis (1815-1886) were married in October of 1838 and lived at Clover Lawn, then a farm at the edge of town, now an elegant mansion and grounds celebrating its 150th anniversary. As David often worked away from home as a lawyer, judge, and statesman, the couple spent much of their marriage apart, maintaining their loving relationship through letters, while Sarah managed the affairs of their estate and construction of their home in Bloomington. (Weekends Only)

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Meet the Author! Greg Koos

Saturday, May 7, 2022
9:00 AM

The Museum is pleased to host author and historian Greg Koos, who will be signing copies of his new publication Freedom, Land, and Community: A History of McLean County Illinois, 1730-1900. The book signing will be held on Saturday, May 7 from 9am until 11am on the Museum’s Plaza (located on Washington Street) during the Farmers’ Market.

Freedom, Land, and Community: A History of McLean County Illinois, 1730‐1900 tells the story of the diverse peoples and events of this county. Using sources contemporary with the events described, it relates the struggle to shape the land, build community, and secure freedom as these communities knew and defined it. Native peoples, women and men, African Americans, Irish and German immigrants all sought and contested for their freedom. People whose voices have not been heard in previous works about Central Illinois are included here.

Greg Koos served and led the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, Illinois from 1977 to 2016. His work there was recognized with numerous state and national awards. His historical research has been published in the United States and Ireland. Koos lives with his wife, Carol, in his hometown of Bloomington, Illinois.

Copies of Koos’s book will be available for purchase for $54.95 plus tax. For more information about this event, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

Museum Open Early for Farmers' Market

Every Saturday 8:30 AM

Our Museum opens at 8:30 a.m. to all visitors, with free admission until noon! Tour the Museum’s latest exhibits and shop at the surrounding Farmer’s Market.

High-Risers: Cabrini-Green and the Fate of American Public Housing

Tuesday, May 3, 2022
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, May 3 at 7:00 p.m. for the second installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2022.

This hybrid discussion will be held in the Governor Fifer Courtroom at the McLean County Museum of History and online via Zoom to discuss High-Risers: Cabrini-Green and the Fate of American Public Housing by Ben Austen.

Joining the ranks of Evicted, The Warmth of Other Suns, and classic works of literary non-fiction by Alex Kotlowitz and J. Anthony Lukas, High-Risers braids personal narratives, city politics, and national history to tell the timely and epic story of Chicago’s Cabrini-Green, America’s most iconic public housing project.

Built in the 1940s atop an infamous Italian slum, Cabrini-Green grew to twenty-three towers and a population of 20,000—all of it packed onto just seventy acres a few blocks from Chicago’s ritzy Gold Coast. Cabrini-Green became synonymous with crime, squalor, and the failure of government. For the many who lived there, it was also a much-needed resource—it was home. By 2011, every high-rise had been razed, the island of black poverty engulfed by the white affluence around it, the families dispersed.

In this novelistic and eye-opening narrative, Ben Austen tells the story of America’s public housing experiment and the changing fortunes of American cities. It is an account told movingly through the lives of residents who struggled to make a home for their families as powerful forces converged to accelerate the housing complex’s demise. Beautifully written, rich in detail, and full of moving portraits, High-Risers is a sweeping exploration of race, class, popular culture, and politics in modern America that brilliantly considers what went wrong in our nation’s effort to provide affordable housing to the poor—and what we can learn from those mistakes.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-590-6168 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Old Time Music (Jam Session)

Every Tuesday 5:00 PM

Join the Old Time Music group every Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the Museum. A laid back and diverse group of musicians that try to get together once a week. The genre of music they play is called Oldtime, which is the music from the Appalachia region of the U.S. from before the time of radio and phonograph. People would play these “fiddle tunes” at house parties and square dances. Some of the tunes originally come from Scotland and Ireland. There are pockets of Oldtime players all over the U.S. and Canada. The music is mostly unwritten and learned and played by ear. They welcome any instrument to come and play, but the group is primarily composed of fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and banjo. All are welcome to come and play with them or just come and listen!

For more information, please contact the Museum’s Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428.

"Looking for Lincoln" Funeral Train Marker Dedication

Tuesday, May 3, 2022
1:00 PM

On Tuesday, May 3 at 1:00 p.m., the Museum, in partnership with Looking for Lincoln and the City of Bloomington, will unveil a new marker to honor the site where Lincoln’s funeral train made its final stop before reaching it’s final destination in Springfield. This event will be held at the intersection of Chestnut and Allin Streets in Bloomington, and is free, and open to the public.

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated 157 years ago on April 14, 1865. He died the next day on April 15th – Good Friday. Commemorating the 157th Anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination and death, the McLean County Museum of History will dedicate a new “Looking for Lincoln” historical marker near the site of the old Bloomington Train Depot for the Chicago & Alton Railroad. A special train dubbed “The Lincoln Special” transported the body of Abraham Lincoln from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois, during a 13-day journey that began April 21, 1865. The train passed through Bloomington early in the morning on May 3, 1865, stopping briefly to take on wood and water.

Experience the train’s journey for yourself by reading about it, and then join us on May 3rd for the dedication ceremony. Learn more through the book Lincoln’s Springfield, The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln, May 3rd and 4th, 1865; Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Death of Abraham Lincoln by Richard E. Hart; The Abraham Lincoln Association – Available for purchase at the Cruisin’ With Lincoln on 66 Gift Shop and Visitors Center at the McLean County Museum of History.

For more information about this program, please contact the Development Office at development@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

"Adopt" a Non-Profit: The Baby Fold

Monday, May 2, 2022
9:00 AM

Starting in March, during each quarter of the Museum’s fiscal year, we will be “adopting” a different local nonprofit to help collect much-needed items to assist fulfilling the needs of their patrons. Those who donate items to the Museum from the wish list of our “adopted” groups will be entered into a drawing for a special prize at the end of each quarter.

For this quarter (March through May), the Museum will be collecting items for The Baby Fold in Normal. Founded in 1902 (and celebrating their 120th anniversary this year), The Baby Fold was organized as a home to care for an increasing number of local orphaned children. Today, The Baby Fold serves over 1,200 individuals every year through 12 programs that wrap services around children and families across 28 counties in Central Illinois. The Baby Fold builds positive futures with children and families and strives to transform children’s lives through strong family and community partnerships.

Individuals who donate items from The Baby Fold’s wish list below will be entered into a drawing for a Museum-branded shoulder bag with several local history publications in it, and a voucher for tickets to The Baby Fold’s Festival of Trees this fall! (Limited to one entry per person).

Additionally, in May, the Museum will host a temporary display of archival materials related to The Baby Fold outside of our Library on the second floor in honor of the 120th anniversary.
For more information or questions, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428. Thank you in advance!

THE BABY FOLD WISH LIST
Pull-Ups (all sizes)
Crayons
Markers
Colored Pencils
Baby Gates
Gift cards for Big Box Stores (for clothing, bedding, etc.)

Registration Opens for Futures in History Camp

Sunday, May 1, 2022
1:00 PM

Futures in History Camp is back for two in-person sessions in 2022! This unique 5-day camp experience includes facilitation by Museum staff and other experts, all materials needed for hands-on learning, meals and snacks, friendship, fun, and more! Registration for FiHC is open to any area campers entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grades who are eager to explore the many futures a career in history can offer. From law, to archaeology, to architecture, to museum studies, and environmental science, there is a future for everyone at Futures in History Camp!

FiHC will take place Monday, July 11 - Friday, July 15 and Monday, August 1 - Friday, August 5. Registration for these (2) sessions of 16 campers each will open Sunday, May 1 at 1:00 p.m. For more information, click here.

Trades & Labor Fest 2022

Saturday, April 30, 2022
10:00 AM

To highlight industry and industriousness in McLean County—both past and present—the Museum, in partnership with the Bloomington & Normal Trades & Labor Assembly (AFL-CIO), and Livingston & McLean Counties Building & Construction Trades Council (AFL-CIO), is inviting local businesses, unions, trades people, skilled workers, and artisans to showcase their skills and the services they provide to our community as part of an interactive Trades & Labor Fest 2022 on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (weather permitting). 

This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.

Trades & Labor Fest 2022 will take place on the Museum Square in Downtown Bloomington (200 block of North Center Street, the 100 block of West Jefferson Street, and 200 block of North Main Street). Participating businesses/trades will offer thematic activities for attendees to observe and try for themselves. 

Visit the Museum’s booth to pick up a map complete with information about participating businesses/trades. Additionally, visitors are encouraged to go inside the Museum to explore the Museum’s permanent exhibit Challenges, Choices, and Change: Working for a Living, to learn more about McLean County’s local labor history.

Festival activities will include the following:

Musical performances will be held on the north side of the Museum.

10:30 a.m. Hopeful Voices

10:45 a.m to 11:15 a.m. Marcos Mendez

11:15 a.m to 1:00 p.m. She Said So

Bloomington Public Library will have a history of the Bookmobile in pictures, Library Expansion plans, kids’ Bookmobile crafts (Bookmobile origami & coloring page), prizes, and other giveaways too!

Bloomington Police Department will have a squad car and information about BPD.

City of Bloomington Economic and Community Development Department will have information about the Farmers’ Market and children’s activities.

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 99 will have information about area standard wages and benefits of being part of the Local 99 .

Dreams are Possible will have information about classes and have tools (both modern and historic) for people to try out!

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (Local Lodge 1000) IAM District 8 will have information and a City of Bloomington Water Department backhoe and cutout fire hydrant.

First Student will be bringing one of their school buses, have information about employment opportunities, learn what it is like to be a bus driver, and giveaways and treats.

Carpenters Local 237 will be building kids’ wooden tool boxes.

Meltdown Creative Works will be doing live screen printing and the opportunity for people to try and print a design themselves!

Bloomington-Normal JATC will have information about Electrical Apprenticeships and work in the electrical industry with a small pipe bending activity.

Illinois Laborers’ & Contractors JATP will have GPS & surveying, Virtual Reality goggles, and laborers work simulation.

Black Nurses Association of Central Illinois will have blood pressure checks, anatomy torsos with questions for younger participants, and educational health information for all.

Prairie Aviation Museum will have a Hughes Helicopter on display along with educational information regarding the following general aviation organizations at CIRA - Central Illinois Regional Airport: Synergy Flight Center, FedEx, CrossWinds Flying Club, and EAA Eagle Flights.

Evergreen FS will have a DEF Truck, pool of corn for kids, prizes and information about careers & benefits in agriculture.

Altorfer Ag Products will have a tractor display and information about agricultural equipment.

University of Illinois Extension- McLean County will provide a hands on activity using paper circuits.

Together Press of cometogetherspace featuring Lisa Lofgren print maker will feature a block printing family activity and the history of Pantagraph Printing Co. (a collaborative activity with MCMH).

Legacy Solar will bring a solar panel display and have educational materials about solar energy and what can be accomplished by putting solar panels on residential buildings.

McLean County Ag in the Classroom will have Illinois History Ag Mags and activities highlighting a variety of agricultural products grown in Illinois and careers in agriculture.

Illinois State Police will have information about employment opportunities for both civilian and sworn trooper positions.

StraightUp Solar will have a solar panel and installation equipment and information about how solar electric systems work for homes, businesses , nonprofits, and public facilities in McLean County.

OPCMIA Local 18 JATF (Cement Masons and Plasterers) will have hands-on hand tool work with wet sand.

University Galleries of Illinois State University will have examples of work from the 2022 Faculty Biennial art show to inspire participants to explore creating art with new forms, and patterns with letter stencils. Participants can then see how that art process is altered by manipulating their self-created art too!

AFSCME Local 699 City of Bloomington will have a recycle/garbage truck available where participants can dump a recycle can.

Otto Baum Company, Inc. will have a demonstration of the work they do and a slideshow.

Bloomington Fire Department will be bringing a Fire Engine or truck.

Nussbaum Transportation Services will have a semi-tractor on display, recruitment and information about careers opportunities, and give aways. Additionally, several veteran employees will be on hand to answer questions about truck driving, and will also share knowledge regarding the Nussbaum Trucking Academy (partnered with Heartland Community College), which offers CDL schooling to the public.

YouthBuild McLean County will have information about their program and services.

AFSCME Locals 1110 and 3236 Illinois State University will have a variety of activities and examples of the work they do on campus and giveaways!

Bloomington-Normal Spine will be demonstrating how they do spinal evaluation, and how they detect and correct issues with joints, nerves, muscles, and soft tissue, plus offering chair massages too!

Illinois Army National Guard will have information about careers in the Armed Forces and a vehicle display.

Heartland Community College will have information about training opportunities.

Painters District Council No. 30 will be painting the tool boxes created with the Carpenter’s Local Union 237.

Connect Transit will have information about the bus routes in Bloomington-Normal and the transit union.

Prairie Woodworks will have information about custom woodworking and examples to showcase their work (such as joinery, sanding, staining, and finishing).

Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans will have information about their programs and resources, and activities.

Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 6 will have hands-on bricklaying, tool demonstrations, and information about careers.

IDOT Highway Construction Careers Training Program will have information about their pre-apprenticeship program and career opportunities with the Illinois Department of Transportation.

United Auto Workers (UAW) Trades & Skills Department will be presenting various information about UAW represented facilities and their jobs. The Activity will involve a robotic arm, showing the advancement of automotive technology.

PLUS! Visit Gathered Illusions and Michael Amis Studio at 300 E. Grove Street where they will be hosting glass blowing demos, answering questions, and will have examples of their art too. Look for the sign that says “Art Market” to enter the building.

Check back regularly as more businesses and activities continue to be added!

If you are a local business, artisan, or organization who is interested in participating, please visit https://bit.ly/TradeandLaborFest22 to register. The registration deadline is Monday, April 18 at 5:00 p.m.

Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located on Front Street. For more information about this free public program, please contact the Museum’s Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

Bloomington/Normal LGBTQ+ Town Hall

Tuesday, April 26, 2022
6:00 PM

Please join the Prairie Pride Coalition and Equity Illinois for a town hall event that will will include a recap of the recently-ended spring session of the IL General Assembly including legislation of interest to the LGBTQ+ community as well as discussion of future legislative efforts to come during the fall veto session. Our elected officials including Sen. Jason Barickman, Sen. Sally Turner, Rep. Dan Brady, and Rep. Keith Sommer have been invited to discuss their votes during the just concluded session. Also invited is Sen. Dave Koehler, whose redrawn district will include a wide swath of the Bloomington/Normal area. This event will be held in the second floor courtroom at the Museum on Tuesday, April 26 from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m.

Bloomington/Normal LGBTQ+ Town Hall

Tuesday, April 26, 2022
6:00 PM

Please join the Prairie Pride Coalition and Equity Illinois for a town hall event that will will include a recap of the recently-ended spring session of the IL General Assembly including legislation of interest to the LGBTQ+ community as well as discussion of future legislative efforts to come during the fall veto session. Our elected officials including Sen. Jason Barickman, Sen. Sally Turner, Rep. Dan Brady, and Rep. Keith Sommer have been invited to discuss their votes during the just concluded session. Also invited is Sen. Dave Koehler, whose redrawn district will include a wide swath of the Bloomington/Normal area. This event will be held in the second floor courtroom at the Museum on Tuesday, April 26 from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos and Bloomington Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe will also attend the town hall. Their appearance will provide us with an opportunity to provide feedback and make suggestions to help make our twin cities a safer, more inclusive, and welcoming place for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Please make plans to join us for this very important event...it's your opportunity to be heard and to learn about legislation that will help make our state a better one for us all!

Zoom MCGS - The Underground Railroad Runs Through Here with Janice Lovelace Ph.D

Tuesday, April 19, 2022
6:30 PM

Janice Lovelace PhD, is a genealogical researcher, educator, author, and lecturer, with over 30 years of experience. She is a frequent speaker at international, national, and regional conferences and at local societies.

The Underground Railroad was a loosely organized way to assist people to leave enslavement in the south and find freedom in the Northern U.S. or Canada.

This program is free and open to the public.

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8833... Meeting ID: 883 3095 8738 Passcode: 224595 One tap mobile +13126266799,,88330958738#,,,,*224595# US (Chicago) +13017158592,,88330958738#,,,,*224595# US (Washington DC) Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 929 436 2866 US (New York) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) Meeting ID: 883 3095 8738 Passcode: 224595 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kvYr3FjBf

Mix.Fuze.Evolve: Latin Influence & Contribution to Hip Hop Culture

Saturday, April 16, 2022
6:00 PM

Mix.Fuze.Evolve., an annual fundraiser event for Museum partner BCAI Cultural Arts and Humanities, will bring you an enlightening and intriguing evening full of Latino/a/e/x representation in Hip Hop through music, food, and hands-on exploration. The Museum will be on deck with Lotería Museo for players of all ages from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at the IWU Hansen Student Center. This is a ticketed event. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Zoom Lunch & Learn: COVID-19 Past, Present, and Future- Lessons Learned

Thursday, April 14, 2022
12:10 PM

On Thursday, April 14 at 12:10 p.m. join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the next Zoom Lunch & Learn which will investigate the past, present, and future of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and the lessons we have learned. Vickie Folse, PhD, APRN and Professor, Director and Rupert Chair School of Nursing, and Melissa Graven, BSN, RN at Arnold Health Services from Illinois Wesleyan University, will engage participants in a discussion on COVID-19’s evolving presence in McLean County and its impact on our community. Speakers will provide insight and experience learned from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

To register for this free, zoom webinar, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/MCMHAprilLL. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

The David Davis Mansion: 150 Years at Cloverlawn with Dr. Marcia Young

Saturday, April 2, 2022
1:00 PM

On Saturday, April 2 at 1:00 p.m., the Museum is pleased to welcome Dr. Marcia Young, historian and former executive director of the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, for a program on her forthcoming publication about the history of the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington. 2022 marks the 150^th anniversary of the construction of the David Davis Mansion. To commemorate this special milestone, the site’s foundation board is publishing a new, limited-edition book entitled The David Davis Mansion: 150 Years at Clover Lawn. A book signing will be held immediately following the program. Copies of Young's book will be available for purchase. 

This free, public program will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom. Attendance is limited to 75 people and registration is required. Please visit forms.gle/9eKufnHngaHSrT5k7 to register to attend. For more information about the public program, contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428.

April First Friday & Slow Art Day

Friday, April 1, 2022
5:00 PM

Ready, Set, SLOW! April 2 is Slow Art Day and the McLean County Museum of History, along with eight other Downtown partners, are taking it slow all weekend. Starting with First Friday!

What is Slow Art Day? Slow Art Day (founded in 2010) is an annual global event with a mission to help more people discover the joy of looking at and learning to appreciate art. Participants in Slow Art Day will have the opportunity to spend time with art in meaningful ways and reflect on that experience with others. To find out more, visit www.slowartday.com

First Friday (Friday, April 1): Find us on the corner of Main and Jefferson on the Museum Square for an evening of egg hunting and art viewing. Kids of all ages and the young at heart can play the tortoise or the hare in our seek-and-find art relay. Can you take your time to find all of the hidden eggs in art works from the Museum’s collection?

YWCA Stepping Stones will be with us on the lawn with a pop-up exhibition of the annual Clothesline Project. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). SAAM is a campaign to raise public awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it. The Clothesline Project is a national effort founded in 1990 that empowers survivors of sexual violence and abuse to share their experiences through art making. T-shirts decorated by local survivors will be on display as testimony to their survival and the chronic problem of violence against women. The Clothesline Project will also be on display inside the Museum through Saturday, April 16.

Slow Art Day (Saturday, April 2): Enjoy Slow Art Day on Historic Route 66 with nine designated galleries/studios in Downtown Bloomington starting at 10:00 a.m. with a 4:00 p.m. closing reception and discussion of the Slow Art Day experience with artists, patrons, and gallerists at The Hangar Art Co. (105 W. Jefferson St.). The Museum will host the YWCA Stepping Stones Clothesline Project and a small selection of artworks from the Museum collection.

Other Slow Art Day locations in Downtown Bloomington are: 

Angel Ambrose Fine Art Studio, 101 W Monroe St., Suite 201 (10-2)

Art Vortex Studio & Gallery, 101 W Monroe St., Suite 210 (10-2)

Eaton Studio Gallery, 411 N Center St (10-3)

Inside-Out Accessible Art, 200 W Monroe St. (10-2)

Joann Goetzinger Studio Gallery, 313 N Main St. (10-3)

Main Gallery 404, 404 N Main St. (10-3)

The Hangar Art Co., 105 W. Jefferson St. (10-6)

Threshold to Hope, Inc., 107 E Chestnut St. (10-2)

Clothesline Project

Friday, April 1, 2022
9:00 AM

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). SAAM is a campaign to raise public awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it. The Clothesline Project is a national effort founded in 1990 that empowers survivors of sexual violence and abuse to share their experiences through art making. T-shirts decorated by local survivors will be on display as testimony to their survival and the chronic problem of violence against women. The Clothesline Project will be on display inside the Museum through Saturday, April 16. This installation is a collaboration with YWCA of McLean County Stepping Stones.

pt. fwd presents Jon Mueller

Thursday, March 17, 2022
7:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to partner once again with pt.fwd, a non-profit that organizes contemporary music and sonic arts performances featuring new work by local and regional artists in Bloomington-Normal. The second performance for 2022 will feature Door County, Wisconsin-based percussionist Jon Mueller. The live, free, in-person performance with Mueller will take place on Thursday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the McLean County Museum of History. Registration is required and attendance is limited to 40 people. Please click this link to fill out the google form to sign up to participate.

Jon Mueller's ""Afterlife Cartoons"" are solo acoustic percussion performances that use repetitive tom patterns and subtle shifts in grid-like pulsing to instigate overtones, phasing, and choir-like acoustic phenomena that transform the work from mere drum solo to the sonic illusion of a small orchestra. Rhythmic minimalism, contemporary phrasing, and energetic sustain drive Mueller's improvisations into a space somewhere between modern electronic music and primal drumming, inspiring audiences toward movement and contemplation.

Jon Mueller’s aim has been to move drums, percussion and rhythm from its anticipated backbeat to a central musical focus, something more intuitive and natural than usually imagined. Audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United Kingdom have experienced this idiosyncratic point of view as, paradoxically, both ‘cathartic’ and ‘meditative’. Notable solo performances have taken place at the Guggenheim Museum, New Museum, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal, Alverno Presents, SXSW, Big Ears Festival, Hopscotch Fest and Witching Hour Festival.

From 2013-15, Mueller created and directed the multi-disciplinary project Death Blues. The project issued four critically acclaimed recordings. Rolling Stone cited non-fiction as one of the ‘20 Best Avant Albums of 2014’. Ensemble, created with multi-instrumentalist William Ryan Fritch, was featured on NPR’s ‘First Listen’.

Outside of his solo work, Mueller has performed and recorded with Mind Over Mirrors, was a founding member of the bands Volcano Choir, Collections of Colonies of Bees and Pele, and has worked in depth with artists Aaron Turner, Faith Coloccia, Dawn Springer, Chris Hefner, Jason Kahn, Asmus Tietchens, Z’EV, Andrew McKenzie, Rhys Chatham, Jarboe, James Plotkin, Duane Pitre, and Raymond Dijkstra. His solo work has been released by American Dreams, Table of the Elements, Type Recordings, Important Records, Taiga Records, SIGE Records and his own imprint, Rhythmplex.

You can hear Mueller's music here: https://rhythmplex.bandcamp.com/

Covid 19 Attendance Policy for Indoor Music Performance

For this partner program, all in-person attendees will be required to wear a facial covering over both the nose and mouth for the duration of the performance regardless of vaccination status.

The Museum continues to monitor the conditions that surround the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and how these conditions will impact our ability to hold future in-person programs. As long as current health and safety guidelines from the CDC and State of Illinois allow for in-person programming at that time, we plan to host this program in-person at the Museum. Visit mchistory.org for updates on this and other upcoming programs.

For more information, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

In Memory: Two Years of COVID-19

Friday, March 11, 2022
5:00 PM

The Museum will acknowledge the second anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and the loss of life McLean County has experienced in that time with a display of candles on the Washington Street Plaza totaling the number of lives lost. People are invited to visit the outdoor memorial throughout the weekend, starting at 5:00 p.m. on March 11 through Sunday, March 13.

Zoom Artists, Advocates, Acrobats, and More! Women Who Made McLean County History with Bloomington Public Library

Thursday, March 10, 2022
7:00 PM

Candace Summers, the Museum’s Director of Community Education, will present a program that will highlight 20 McLean County women, from all walks of life, who shaped our history. From the first woman Illinois State Senator, Florence Fifer Bohrer; to the “Queen of the Flying Trapeze,” Antoinette Concello; and Civil Rights activist Sister Mary Antona Ebo, this illustrated program will explore their lives and recognize their lasting contributions to our community and our world. To register for this free, Zoom presentation with Bloomington Public Library, visit https://bit.ly/bplmccowomen.

Zoom Lunch & Learn: The Pantagraph - Images to Inform and Inspire with Rochelle Gridley/ Assistant Archivist

Thursday, March 10, 2022
12:10 PM

On Thursday, March 10 at 12:10 p.m. join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the eighth Zoom Lunch & Learn of the season. Rochelle Gridley, archival assistant at the Museum, will present a program discussing the philosophy of the early Pantagraph photographers and their methods.

The Pantagraph has existed for 185 years, with a long history of newspaper innovation, including the use of photography in presenting the news. From the early wire services to internet publication, the Pantagraph presented and presents the news using the latest technology.The Museum is now home to the Pantagraph Negative Collection which consists of over 1 millions negatives from the 1930s to early 2000s.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHMarLL. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

The Lunch and Learn series is a partnership between the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University.

"

Before Rivian: The Henney Kilowatt--Bloomington's Battery-powered 'Car of Tomorrow'

Sunday, March 6, 2022
1:00 PM

Join Museum Librarian Bill Kemp for a program delving into the history of Henney Kilowatt electric car! Before Rivian: The Henney Kilowatt--Bloomington's Battery-powered 'Car of Tomorrow' will be presented on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. in the Museum's Governor Fifer Courtroom. To register to attend this program in person, click here. To attend this program online via Zoom, please click here.

Long before Rivian become one of the hottest electric automakers on the planet, the Twin Cities were center stage for another battery-powered vehicle--the Henney Kilowatt, a project of the National Union Electric Co., a conglomerate whose holdings included Bloomington-based Eureka-Williams Co. The electric propulsion system was designed by Eureka-Williams engineers, and the cars were assembled in Bloomington. Although less than 50 autos were sold during the two-year (1959-1960) manufacturing run, the Henney Kilowatt story is in many ways more essential today than it was 70 years ago. The Museum Archives holds a treasure trove of original Henney Kilowatt papers, and this program will showcase many fascinating photos, promotional materials, correspondence, and engineering documents--many of which have never seen the light day! Bill promises an electrifying, edifying time for all!

PLEASE NOTE: The Museum follows all current health and safety guidelines according to the Restore Illinois Phased Plan for Reopening and CDC Guidelines. Masks are recommended but not required inside the Museum.

Registration is required to attend in person and capacity for this event is limited to 75 people.

If you are exhibiting any symptoms or have a temperature above 100.4 degrees, please do not attend this event. If Covid 19 cases continue to rise, guidelines become more restrictive, or our zone is forced to go back to an earlier Phase of the Restore Illinois Plan, this event will be held online only.

Questions? Or for more information, contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or (309) 827-0428.

First Friday: Women's History Month - Celebrating Female Entrepreneurs

Friday, March 4, 2022
5:00 PM

Downtown Bloomington is proud to be the chosen home for over 50 female-owned businesses, and we are excited to celebrate them and the ways they make our district unique! On March First Friday (Friday, March 4 from 5:00-8:00 p.m.), the Museum will host representatives from Women Build of Habitat for Humanity, Dreams are Possible, Labyrinth Made Goods, and the ExtraOrdinary Women Project. Learn of the amazing work these organizations are doing by, for, and with women; and learn more about the history of women in McLean County by exploring the Museum’s exhibits. The Museum will also be collecting needed items for Neville House Shelter, which supports adults and children who have experienced domestic violence. See below for a list of items needed by Neville House.

Help us celebrate Women’s History Month through all of March with a banner installation designed by local graphic designer Rachel Lapp-Whitt. A designer, writer, editor, educator, and communication strategist, Rachel has worked with local design agencies for regional and national clients, and maintains a 20-year freelance business serving nonprofit organizations, schools, musicians, visual artists and small businesses. The daughter and granddaughter of educators, artists, and a Mennonite pastor, Rachel strongly believes in feeding lifelong learning with wonder, reading, self-expression, and laughter. To learn more about Rachel, the story of this work, and the significance of Women’s History Month, visit the Museum! This installation is a partnership between the Museum, the City of Bloomington, I Am Woman Networking Group, and the artist.

For more information about this event, go to: https://fb.me/e/1Ae6pdgTF

List of Items Needed for Neville House:

Non-Perishable Food items

Mac & Cheese

Canned Ravioli

Spaghetti

Tuna

Household Products

Toilet Paper

Paper Towels

Hand Sanitizer

Hand Soap (bar or liquid)

Shampoo

Conditioner

Deodorant

Toothpaste

Toothbrushes

Hairbrushes and Combs

Lotion

Tampons and Sanitary Napkins

Batteries (AA, AAA and 9v)

Cleaning Supplies

Lysol Spray

Lysol Soap

Lysol Wipes

Clorox Wipes

Laundry Detergent

Dish Washing Detergent

Garbage bags

Dish Soap

Bleach

New, Unused Clothing (all genders and ages)

Sweatpants

Sweatshirts

T-Shirts

Packaged Socks and Underwear

Gym Shoes

Women's History Month

Tuesday, March 1, 2022
9:00 AM

Help us celebrate Women’s History Month through all of March with a banner installation designed by local graphic designer Rachel Lapp-Whitt. A designer, writer, editor, educator, and communication strategist, Rachel has worked with local design agencies for regional and national clients, and maintains a 20-year freelance business serving nonprofit organizations, schools, musicians, visual artists and small businesses. The daughter and granddaughter of educators, artists, and a Mennonite pastor, Rachel strongly believes in feeding lifelong learning with wonder, reading, self-expression, and laughter. To learn more about Rachel, the story of this work, and the significance of Women’s History Month, visit the Museum! This installation is a partnership between the Museum, the City of Bloomington, and the artist.

pt. fwd presents Lia Kohl and Macie Stewart

Saturday, February 26, 2022
7:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to partner once again with pt.fwd, a non-profit that organizes contemporary music and sonic arts performances featuring new work by local and regional artists in Bloomington-Normal. The first performance for 2022 will feature Lia Kohl and Macie Stewart. The live, free, in-person performance with Kohl will take place on Saturday, February 26 at 7:00 p.m. at the Museum. Registration is required and attendance is limited to 40 people. Please click this link to fill out the google form to sign up to participate. 

Lia Kohl and Macie Stewart are a Chicago-based duo creating freely improvised music that explores rich harmonies, timbres, and textures. Starting from the quartet of their two voices, cello, and violin, the duo’s varied sound centers curiosity and an uncanny receptivity to each other. They have recorded two albums, Pocket Full of Bees (2019) and Recipe for a Boiled Egg (2020), both on Astral Spirits. Downbeat magazine calls their music “more filling than a four course meal”.

Macie Stewart and Lia Kohl’s recent duo performances are site-specific works exploring acoustics, distance, and playful interaction with new environments. Over the course of several years, the duo is creating a series of pieces performed in various locations throughout the Midwest, testing the elasticity of their intuitive connection and finding new ways to interact with and react to their environments, whether lakeside lighthouses, bridges under a highway, or cavernous buildings.

You can hear Stewart and Kohl's music here: https://asstewartkohl.bandcamp.com/album/recipe-for-a-boiled-egg

Covid 19 Attendance Policy for Indoor Music Performance

For this partner program, all in-person attendees of this musical performance must show proof of either full vaccination—OR—a negative COVID-19 test performed within 72 hours prior to entry. Patrons will be asked to show their valid vaccination card or test result (photocopies or digital copies on your phone are permissible) alongside a government-issued ID (to confirm identity) when they arrive at the door. Types of “negative” COVID-19 testing allowed include: Rapid “Shield” tests, PCR tests, or Over-The-Counter Antigen tests.

All patrons will be required to wear a facial covering over both the nose and mouth for the duration of the performance regardless of vaccination status, per Illinois State mandates and current CDC guidelines.

The Museum continues to monitor the conditions that surround the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and how these conditions will impact our ability to hold future in-person programs. As long as current health and safety guidelines from the CDC and State of Illinois allow for in-person programming at that time, we plan to host this program in-person at the Museum. Visit mchistory.org for updates on this and other upcoming programs.

For more information, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

Presence, Pride, and Passion: Black History in McLean County

Thursday, February 24, 2022
6:00 PM

Presence, Pride, and Passion: Black History in McLean County with Jeff Woodard and Hannah Johnson. Join Museum staff for an exploration of the founding of the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project (BNBHP) and the ways that local Black history, both preserved and in the making, continues to inform and inspire programming for learners of all ages.

From the arrival of the first African Americans in McLean County in 1835 to the present, the growth and development of the Bloomington-Normal community has been influenced by the activities and efforts of its Black citizens. In 1982, the BNBHP, under the leadership of Dr. Mildred Pratt, was founded to preserve the tangible evidence of this impact through the collection of oral histories (numbering in the 80s), archival materials, and objects.

To register for this paid program in collaboration with Continuing Education at Heartland Community College, click here. Cost is $15. Capacity is limited to 20 participants. Program will be presented at Heartland Community College (WDC 2004 Classroom).

Free Admission: Presidents' Day

Monday, February 21, 2022
9:00 AM

Visitors of all ages are invited to spend a day off with FREE admission all day in recognition of Presidents' Day. Get excited to get out the vote this midterm election year with some voting-inspired activities. 

Writing the 19th Century in the 21st Century with Greg Koos at the David Davis Mansion

Saturday, February 19, 2022
3:30 PM

The Museum, in partnership with the David Davis Mansion, is pleased to present Writing the 19th Century in the 21st Century with Greg Koos. This free program about the writing of Koos' new book, Freedom, Land, and Community: A History of McLean County Illinois, 1730‐1900, will be held on Saturday, February 19 at 3:30 p.m. at the David Davis Mansion.

Freedom, Land, and Community: A History of McLean County Illinois, 1730‐1900 tells the story of the diverse peoples and events of this county. Using sources contemporary with the events described, it relates the struggle to shape the land, build community, and secure freedom as these communities knew and defined it. Native peoples, women and men, African Americans, Irish and German immigrants all sought and contested for their freedom. People whose voices have not been heard in previous works about Central Illinois are included here.

Greg Koos served and led the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, Illinois from 1977 to 2016. His work there was recognized with numerous state and national awards. His historical research has been published in the United States and Ireland. Koos lives with his wife, Carol, in his hometown of Bloomington, Illinois.

PLEASE NOTE: The Museum and the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site follow all current health and safety guidelines according to the Restore Illinois Phased Plan for Reopening and CDC Guidelines. Registration is required to attend and capacity for this event is limited to 25 people. All program participants will be required to wear a facial covering over both the nose and mouth for the duration of the program regardless of vaccination status, per Illinois State mandates and current CDC guidelines.

This program will be held in the Lincoln Era Barn, located behind the David Davis Mansion. Parking is located on the mansion grounds on the right side of the ring road. To register for this program, please click this link. For more information or questions, please contact the Museum's Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org.

Tour de Chocolat

Friday, February 18, 2022
5:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to once again participate in this annual Downtown Bloomington tradition by offering locally made chocolate treats generously provided by two of our community partners, RGW Candy Company and BEER NUTS Brand Snacks, on Friday, February 18 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. And if your sweet tooth isn't satisfied after sampling, you can purchase some in our Visitors Center to take home with you too!

Take a chance to warm up while exploring the Museum’s exhibits on the first floor and stop by our make-n-take table to warm somebody's heart this winter by joining us in some plarn (plastic yarn) making. Every plastic bag cut or strung will go towards making plarn mats for houseless folks in our community. 

Thanks to Palace Events, as always, for lighting up the Museum Square!

This years event is sponsored by Ferrero. Find other Tour de Chocolat stops on the Downtown Bloomington website at downtownbloomington.org

Museum closed due to inclement weather

Thursday, February 17, 2022
12:00 AM

Due to the forecasted inclement winter weather, the Museum and Visitors Center will be closed Thursday, February 17. We will continue to monitor the extreme weather situation to decide it we will be closed additional days this week. We will post further updates on the Museum’s website and social media.

But our website is never closed! You can continue to utilize our resources and engage with us online at www.mchistory.org.

Zoom Lunch & Learn: The NAACP was relevant then, now and forever more!

Thursday, February 10, 2022
12:10 PM

On Thursday, February 10 at 12:10pm join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the sixth Zoom Lunch & Learn of the season. Local leaders of the Adult Branch and the Youth Council President will discuss the rich history and lasting legacy associated with the NAACP.

As the world's largest, boldest and oldest Civil Rights' organization, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was founded in 1909. The NAACP was chartered as a result of the race riot in Springfield, Illinois. Several Black men were then rushed to Bloomington, Illinois--to avoid being lynched. The panel will discuss the NAACP's involvement in past and current Civil Rights' issues. Additionally, history was made again, as the NAACP Youth Council was officially chartered in August of 2021.

To register for this free, zoom webinar, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/MCMHFebLL. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

The Lunch and Learn series is a partnership between the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University.

"

Zoom MCGS - Introduction to Heritage Hub and Black Life in America w/ Mimi Davis

Saturday, February 5, 2022
1:00 PM

The Bloomington public Library has two new resources to help you research your family history tree.  Mimi Davis, Electronic Resources Librarian at the Bloomington Public Library will introduce them to you and share some tips and tricks in  this very useful presentation. Discover obituary information spanning more than 200 years with content from all 50 states- including hard-to-find information from the 1940's, 50's, and 60's. 

Black Life in America:  While not strictly for genealogists, there is a wealth of information available in Black Life America.  Explore and gain deeper understanding of the African American experience as recorded by the news media. 1704 through today. 

Link to program:   

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8906...  

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8906...





   

BSU Local Black Leadership Symposium

Thursday, February 3, 2022
5:00 PM

The Kingsley Junior High School Black Student Union (BSU), in partnership with the Museum, presents the BSU Black Leadership Symposium. Join Museum staff for an exploration of the legacy of local Black leadership in McLean County, the efforts of the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project to capture and preserve those stories, and how those histories inform educational programming to inspire a future generation of leaders and history makers. Q&A will follow.

This free, public program will be presented at Kingsley Junior High School in the cafeteria (303 Kingsley St. in Normal, 61761)

Museum Closed Due to Inclement Weather

Wednesday, February 2, 2022
9:00 AM

Due to the forecasted inclement winter weather, the Museum and Visitors Center will also be closed. We will continue to monitor the extreme weather situation to decide it we will be closed additional days this week. We will post further updates on the Museum’s website and social media.

But our website is never closed! You can continue to utilize our resources and engage with us online at www.mchistory.org.

History Reads Book Club: Stealing Lincoln's Body

Tuesday, February 1, 2022
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m. for the fist installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2022. We will meet online via Zoom to discuss Stealing Lincoln's Body by Thomas Craughwell . Visit bit.ly/bplhistory222 to register for this free, online discussion.

On the night of the presidential election in 1876, a gang of counterfeiters out of Chicago attempted to steal the entombed embalmed body of Abraham Lincoln and hold it for ransom. The custodian of the tomb was so shaken by the incident that he willingly dedicated the rest of his life to protecting the president's corpse.

In a lively and dramatic narrative, Thomas J. Craughwell returns to this bizarre, and largely forgotten, event with the first book to place the grave robbery in historical context. He takes us through the planning and execution of the crime and the outcome of the investigation. He describes the reactions of Mary Todd Lincoln and Robert Todd Lincoln to the theft―and the peculiar silence of a nation. He follows the unlikely tale of what happened to Lincoln's remains after the attempted robbery, and details the plan devised by the Lincoln Guard of Honor to prevent a similar abominable recurrence.

Along the way, Craughwell offers entertaining sidelights on the rise of counterfeiting in America and the establishment of the Secret Service to combat it; the prevalence of grave robberies; the art of nineteenth-century embalming; and the emergence among Irish immigrants of an ambitious middle class―and a criminal underclass.

This rousing story of hapless con men, intrepid federal agents, and ordinary Springfield citizens who honored their native son by keeping a valuable, burdensome secret for decades offers a riveting glimpse into late-nineteenth-century America, and underscores that truth really is sometimes stranger than fiction.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-590-6168 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

MUSEUM CLOSED - Staff/Board Retreat

Saturday, January 15, 2022
12:00 AM

The Museum and Visitors Center will be closed to the public on Saturday, January 15, 2022, for a Museum staff and board retreat .  We will reopen the following Monday at 9:00 am January 17, 

Zoom Lunch & Learn: Writing 19th Century County History in the 21st Century

Thursday, January 13, 2022
12:10 PM

On Thursday, January 13 at 12:10 p.m. join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the fifth Zoom Lunch & Learn of the season. In this presentation the author and Emeritus Executive Director of the Museum, Greg Koos, will discuss his just published book Freedom, Land & Community: A History of McLean County, Illinois 1730-1900. Koos will explore McLean County History by discussing questions about the inherent conflicts associated with freedom, which are experienced in a place (land) that is claimed by a community. To preorder a copy of Greg's book click here.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHJanLL. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

World War II Memorial Rededication

Wednesday, January 5, 2022
1:00 PM

The Museum invites the public to a rededication of the World War II memorial at 1:00 p.m. November 5, 2022, on the east side of the Museum Square. This will be the 25^th anniversary for the Memorial. Plans include a military flyover, music, reading of names, and a Military Honor Guard and flag presentation. Plans are in the works to also dedicate a Korean and Vietnam memorial for those soldiers who gave their lives in support of freedom. Bronze tablets have been added to the WWII memorial with raised lettering to better honor our fallen heroes. Additional finishing touches will take place before the November ceremony. We will also be announcing additional historic marker renovation projects in the county. Donations from the community may be made online at http://weblink.donorperfect.com/MarkerMatch

Museum Closed for New Years Holiday

Friday, December 31, 2021
9:00 AM

Museum Closed for Christmas Holiday

Friday, December 24, 2021
9:00 AM

A Dedication Honoring the Life and Work of Barb Adkins

Saturday, December 18, 2021
2:00 PM

The City of Bloomington is dedicating a bench and a conference room in Barb Adkins' memory. Please join us at 2 p.m. on Saturday Dec 18 outside the Museum of History for the ceremony. McLean County lost a true leader and community sparkplug with the passing on November 7, 2020 of Barbara Jean Adkins.

Barb served the City of Bloomington for 32 years, beginning as a part-time police dispatcher, completing her career as Deputy City Manager. Following that, she managed The Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center at the McLean County Museum of History. She was 61.

An ISU Criminal Justice scholarship also has been started in Barb's name at ISU (Criminal Justice was her major) through the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation. 

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Monday, December 13, 2021
12:00 AM

The Museum will be closed beginning at 2pm today for staff professional development. If you are needing assistance connecting to the Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk during the time we are closed please contact csummers@mchistory.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Zoom Writing the 19th Century in the 21st Century with Greg Koos

Saturday, December 11, 2021
1:00 PM

Zoom Freedom, Land, and Community: A History of McLean County Illinois, 1730-1900

The Museum is proud to present a program on its forthcoming publication, Freedom, Land, and Community: A History of McLean County Illinois, 1730-1900 by Greg Koos. This free, Zoom webinar will be held on Saturday, December 11 at 1:00 p.m. To register, visit https://bit.ly/FLCMCMH21.

Freedom, Land, and Community: A History of McLean County Illinois, 1730‐1900 tells the story of the diverse peoples and events of this county. Using sources contemporary with the events described, it relates the struggle to shape the land, build community, and secure freedom as these communities knew and defined it. Native peoples, women and men, African Americans, Irish and German immigrants all sought and contested for their freedom. People whose voices have not been heard in previous works about Central Illinois are included here.

Greg Koos served and led the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, Illinois from 1977 to 2016. His work there was recognized with numerous state and national awards. His historical research has been published in the United States and Ireland. Koos lives with his wife, Carol, in his hometown of Bloomington, Illinois.

For more information about this program, please contact the Museum's Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org. To preorder your copy today, visit bit.ly/KoosBookFLC or call the Visitors Center at 309-827-0428

Zoom Lunch & Learn: McLean County Economic Update

Thursday, December 9, 2021
12:10 PM

On Thursday, December 9 at 12:10 p.m. join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the fourth Zoom Lunch & Learn of the season. Patrick Hoban, CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council, will provide an overview of the recent economic growth in McLean County and outline the future prospects for McLean County.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHDecLL. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Monday, December 6, 2021
12:00 AM

The Museum will be closed beginning at 2pm today for staff professional development. If you are needing assistance connecting to the Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk during the time we are closed please contact csummers@mchistory.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Christmas Under the Dome

Saturday, December 4, 2021
11:00 AM

Christmas Under the Dome & the Bloomington-Normal Jaycee’s Christmas Parade — Saturday, December 4 from 10:00 to 2:00 p.m. Join the Museum and our friends as we welcome in the holiday season as the Grand Marshall of the Bloomington-Normal Jaycee’s Christmas Parade! The parade begins at 10:00 a.m. at Kingsley Junior High School in Normal and ends in Downtown Bloomington at the steps of the McLean County Museum of History. Follow the parade Downtown to see the parade floats up close and see Santa disembark for an afternoon of meeting-and-greeting with kids of all ages and the young at heart on the Museum Square.

From the time the parade reaches the Museum Square until 2:00 p.m., join us for Christmas Under the Dome festivities including:

Crafts & Games from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Holiday Book Pop-Up with Bloomington Public Library from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m. Story Times at 11:45 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. Books available for checkout to anyone with a valid library card.

Selfies with Santa from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

Live Music: Loving Missionary Baptist Choir (12:15 to 1:00 p.m.) and Sound of Illinois Chorus (1:15 to 2:00 p.m.)

Holiday Artifact Displays All Season

Thanks to our sponsors:
WGLT
Illinois Farm Bureau
MCK CPAs & Advisors
Heartland Bank & Trust
Cumulus Radio Bloomington

First Friday: Once Upon a Holiday

Friday, December 3, 2021
5:00 PM

The Museum will boast festive lighting courtesy of Palace Events, a seasonal StoryWalk from our friends at Bloomington Public Library, eggnog and cider for sipping, selfies with Santa on the Square, and of course the annual lighting of the City of Bloomington Holiday Tree. Venture into the Museum rotunda where it will be merry and bright with live musical performances from Sunshine Bells and Marcos Mendez, holiday-inspired artifact displays, and a make-n-take cocoa bar.

Santa on the Square Photo Op

Wednesday, December 1, 2021
9:00 AM

Make more memories this holiday season with Santa on the Square!

Inspired by the iconic Livingston Santas of historic Downtown Bloomington, you can take outdoor, festive photos all December long! Find Santa and the Downtown Holiday Tree on Main Street outside the McLean County Museum of History. Share your photos with us by tagging them #SantaontheSquare 

From the 1940s to the mid-1970s, Livingston's department store hoisted two giant Santas onto its overhang for the holiday season. Each stood about 13 feet tall and were made of early plastic or fiberglass material. Santa on the Square is brought to you by the McLean County Museum of History and the City of Bloomington.

Dayspring Thanksgiving Spirit Drum

Tuesday, November 23, 2021
5:00 PM

This public program is presented by Dayspring Native American United Methodist Church. All community members are welcome to attend.

Members and friends of Dayspring Native American United Methodist Church will be sharing their spirit drum, traditions, stories, and community fellowship surrounding the celebration of Indigenous peoples and Thanksgiving. Open house with presentations beginning at 5:00 p.m. and hands-on activities to follow. 

Why? To create open, inclusive, and welcoming spaces for community members to share oral traditions and learn about varied cultural practices.

*Bring newly purchased gifts, clothing, seeds, craft supplies, and nonperishable food items to help us fill Three Feathers Outreach trailer, headed to Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota to deliver supplies for the holiday season. Items can be brought to the Museum anytime Tuesday, November 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Zoom Breaking Bread in McLean County - Sunday Sauce: An Italian Staple

Saturday, November 20, 2021
4:00 PM

Sunday Sauce: An Italian Staple

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Mennonite Church of Normal, and First United Methodist Church together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), Design Streak at Illinois State University, and Heartland Community College will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to the Congolese, emphasizing shared elements including food, family, tradition, trauma, and exchange; seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities. Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

Join Jack Capodice for an exploration of his Central Illinois family's Italian American cuisine and culture.To register for this Zoom webinar, go to bit.ly/breakbread10

Zoom Buckle of the Corn Belt: An Illustrated Tour of McLean County & Everyone's Favorite Grain

Saturday, November 20, 2021
1:00 PM

On Saturday, November 20 at 1:00 p.m., please join the Museum’s Librarian, Bill Kemp, for a free, Zoom webinar that will explore the history of corn and how it has been a staple crop in what is today McLean County for the better part of a millennium.

Archaeological excavations tell us that corn has been grown in McLean County for at least 1,000 years. Today, acre-upon-acre of genetically modified corn represent the single defining characteristic of the county’s landscape. Kemp will lead participants through a mostly light-and-breezy tour of what corn has meant to McLean County, with his historical narrative enlivened with dozens and dozens of informative, imaginative, wistful, and humorous illustrations and photographs. Kemp promises a ""corntacular"" time for all.

To register for this free, Zoom webinar, visit https://bit.ly/MCMHCorn. For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

MCGS Annual Meeting

Monday, November 15, 2021
6:30 PM

McLean County Genealogical Society program held in the historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom. Annual meeting to include election, approval of budget and installation of officers and directors. 

RAILROADERS: What’s Coming Down the Line? – The Railroad in the American Mind with Mike Matejka at Peoria Riverfront Museum

Saturday, November 13, 2021
1:00 PM

MCMH Museum members and friends are invited to take a trip to the Peoria Riverfront Museum on Saturday, November 13 to hear local labor historian Mike Matejka present ""What’s Coming Down the Line? – The Railroad in the American Mind"" in collaboration with the Railroaders: Jack Delano’s Homefront Photography exhibit at the Peoria Riverfront Museum.

The railroad reshaped America. Our time punctuality, economic system, labor relations, children's toys, music and film were all transformed by the railroad. This visual lecture explores those topics plus railroad workers, Gilded Age excess, fine passenger travel and Peoria's railroad network. Even our language reflects railroad themes. Come aboard and hear the whistle blow, as we explore the railroad's cultural impact.

Normal resident Mike Matejka is the former Governmental Affairs director for Peoria's Great Plains Laborers District Council and editor of the Grand Prairie Union News. He still writes for the Peoria Labor Paper. He is on the McLean County Museum of History Board of Directors, is the Illinois Labor History Society's vice-president, and serves on the Historic Pullman Foundation advisory committee. He's written extensively on railroad and other historical topics and was the guest curator for five different McLean County Museum of History exhibitions.

This special presentation will be held in the Gilmore Auditorium (lower level) from 1:00 – 2:00 pm at the Peoria Riverfront Museum

Members of the McLean County Museum of History receive FREE general admission to the Peoria Riverfront Museum through the Time Travelers reciprocal membership program.

****Members also receive FREE admission to Mike’s presentation using code RAILS.

Register HERE for the lecture.

Come for the lecture and stay for the day!

With your general admission ticket, you can enjoy free admission to all galleries and public planetarium shows. While you are there, be sure to enjoy Jack Delano’s “Railroaders: Jack Delano’s Homefront Photography” and other museum exhibitions including “Treasures of the Peoria Riverfront Museum Collection: Design & Duplication,” “Community: African American Freedom, Perseverance & Leadership During Migration,” Preston Jackson’s “Bronzeville to Harlem: An American Story” installation, and “American Verses.”

Members can receive discounted tickets to “T Rex: The Ultimate Predator.” Peoria is the first stop on this amazing exhibition straight from the American Museum of Natural History.

Lecture attendees will receive a voucher for Rocky Mountain Express showing that day in our Giant Screen Theater. The cost to MCMH members is $5.00 with the voucher.

Cost of T Rex tickets for MCMH members:

Adult - $7.00

Age 60+ - $6.00

Child (age 3-17) - $5.00

Enjoy FREE parking inside the Riverfront Museum's covered garage located off of Water Street.

Please contact Angela Drach with questions: adrach@peoriariverfrontmuseum.org

Zoom Lunch and Learn: Bloomington/Normal Labor Market During the Covid Era: Are We Different?

Thursday, November 11, 2021
12:10 PM

The Bloomington/Normal Labor Market During the Covid Era: Are we Different?

Michael Seeborg, Retired Eckley Professor of Economics

Michael’s talk will focuses on how the Covid recession has impacted the Bloomington/Normal labor market with comparisons to state and national trends. He will also discuss trends in the finance and insurance sectors and the likely impacts of Rivian.

Zoom link to sign up for the webinar: https://bit.ly/MCMHNovLL

Veterans' Day Ceremony

Thursday, November 11, 2021
10:30 AM

This year’s Veterans Day Observance will be held on Thursday, Nov. 11 on the east side of the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington starting at 10:30 a.m. This year’s ceremony will commence at 11 minutes before 11 a.m. with U.S. military veterans firing one round each minute until 11 a.m. The Museum will also be offering FREE admission to all veterans today.

Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to mark the cessation of hostilities during World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Today, it is a federal holiday that is observed to honor people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

For more information, please contact the Museum's marketing department at marketing@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428 or email Royden Jones at jones_royden@yahoo.com.

Zoom Pitfalls and Promise (II): Public Art for McLean County Today

Saturday, November 6, 2021
1:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to welcome Felix Fiedler, art historian and psychologist from Germany, who will present a program that builds off of this spring’s presentation about how monuments have memorialized McLean County’s past. This free, Zoom webinar will be held on Saturday, November 6 at 1:00 p.m.

Fiedler’s program will explore how municipalities across the United States are calling on artists to mold new visions of their past and a more equitable future. Contemporary public art has long exposed the blind spots and distortions of mainstream memory. But, all too often, monuments that acknowledge racism and injustice can serve as fig leaves. How can we avoid that and foster public art that makes a difference? We will discuss examples from around the world and challenges right here in Bloomington-Normal and its surroundings.

Felix Fiedler is an art historian and psychologist from Germany. After serving as the Research Associate at the City of Hamburg’s public art program, he taught art history at Illinois State University.

To register for this program, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHMonuments2. For more information or questions, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org.

The Unconquerable: Kickapoo of Central Illinois at Normal Public Library

Thursday, November 4, 2021
6:00 PM

On Thursday, November 4, at 6:00 p.m., join Bill Kemp, the Museum's Librarian, for a program on the Kickapoo, a fiercely independent people who inhabited this stretch of Central Illinois when the first Euro-American settlers arrived in the early 1820s. This program will include rare 1906 photographs of Kickapoo living in Brown County, Kansas. These photographs were commissioned by Milo Custer, an early curator of the McLean County Historical Society.

This program will be held in the Community Room at Normal Public Library. Registration is required and space is limited. To register, please click this link. Masks will be required for everyone attending this event.

For more information, please contact Normal Public Library 309-452-1757.

From Slave to State Legislature: John W. E. Thomas Illinois’ First African American Lawmaker

Tuesday, November 2, 2021
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, November 2 at 7:00 p.m. for the final installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2021. We will meet online via Zoom to discuss From Slave to State Legislature: John W. E. Thomas Illinois’ First African American Lawmaker by David Joens. Visit bit.ly/historyreads110221 to register for this free, online discussion.

As the first African American elected to the Illinois general assembly, John W. E. Thomas was the recognized leader of the state’s African American community for nearly twenty years and laid the groundwork for the success of future black leaders in Chicago politics. Despite his key role in the passage of Illinois’ first civil rights act and his commitment to improving his community against steep personal and political barriers, Thomas’s life and career have been long forgotten by historians and the public alike. This fascinating full-length biography—the first to address the full influence of Thomas or any black politician from Illinois during the Reconstruction Era—is also a pioneering effort to explain the dynamics of African American politics and divisions within the black community in post–Civil War Chicago.

In From Slave to State Legislator, David A. Joens traces Thomas’s trajectory from a slave owned by a doctor’s family in Alabama to a prominent attorney believed to be the wealthiest African American man in Chicago at the time of his death in 1899. Providing one of the few comprehensive looks at African Americans in Chicago during this period, Joens reveals how Thomas’s career represents both the opportunities available to African Americans in the postwar period and the limits still placed on them. When Thomas moved to Chicago in 1869, he started a grocery store, invested in real estate, and founded the first private school for African Americans before becoming involved in politics.

Joens cements Thomas’s legacy as a committed and conscientious lawmaker amid political and personal struggles. In revealing the complicated rivalries and competing ambitions that shaped black northern politics during the Reconstruction Era, Joens shows the long-term impact of Thomas’s friendship with other burgeoning African American political stars and his work to get more black representatives elected. The volume is enhanced by short biographies of other key Chicago African American politicians of the era.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-828-6093 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

2021 Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Monday, November 1, 2021
9:00 AM

"

After 27 years, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk continues going strong, while evolving to meet the changing needs of the people whom we serve. This year’s roster will feature six new voices and bring back two voices to share a new story. The stories of these individuals offer glimpses into every-day life on the Illinois prairie, shares how individuals in our community bore witness to one of the greatest tragedies in U.S. history, and also about the power of how an individual can start a movement to combat stereotypes and misinformation about an entire group of people. The impact individuals like these had on our history can be felt near and far.

Additionally, taking those lessons we learned last year into consideration, this year’s Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be BOTH an in-person Walk and a Virtual Walk. This will allow us to continue to offer the Walk to all the audiences that we serve no matter where you live or what your physical abilities may be.

The 2021 Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be viewable through the online platform Teachable. Ticket holders will have the option to view the
Walk in its entirety as a full-length video, or watch each performance individually as many times as you want from November 1 through December 31.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking this link. Tickets are $25 for the general public and $20 for Museum members household tickets (a household ticket means that anyone in your immediate household can view this event at any time—and as many times—between November 1 through December 31).

This year’s Walk will feature six new voices and bring back two voices to share a new story. This year’s feature characters are: Dr. William Hill (1829-1906), a surgeon in the Union Army who overcame accusations of being a “bodysnatcher” to become a well-liked and respected doctor in McLean County; William Rodenhauser (1842-1919), a German immigrant who worked as a carpenter for the C&A Railroad Shops for over 20 years; Julia Duff (1895-1984) and her sister Alverta Duff (1885-1968), who belonged to one of the earliest Black families to establish themselves in Normal and bore witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921; Mary Ann Marmon (1837-1908), who wrote about life growing up on the prairie, as her family was among the earliest settlers in McLean County; Sigmund Livingston (1872-1946) and Hilda Livingston (1892-1962), members of the Jewish Community and guest voices on this year’s Walk. Sigmund founded the Anti-Defamation League, which still exists today. And finally, George Carman (1838-1868), a printer, writer, actor, and public speaker who served as a soldier in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War.

If you have any questions or need special accommodations, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428, via email at education@mchistory.org, or visit the Evergreen Cemetery Walk page on the Museum’s website at mchistory.org/learn/evergreen-cemetery-walk.

"

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Monday, November 1, 2021
12:00 AM

The Museum will be closed beginning at 2pm today for staff professional development. If you are needing assistance connecting to the Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk during the time we are closed please contact csummers@mchistory.org and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Baile Tradicional Mexicano

Sunday, October 31, 2021
7:00 PM

Join the Museum in partnership with Afro-Socialist and Black Indigenous People of Color Caucus, BCAI Cultural Arts and Humanities, St. Mary's Catholic Church, Conexiones de Latinas, and Taqueria El Porton for a Baile Tradicional Mexicano on Sunday, October 31 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at Taqueria El Porton (901 N Main St., Bloomington). The event is free to attend, but donations will be graciously accepted in support of St. Mary's Guadalupe Celebration and BCAI scholarships. Food and drink will be available for purchase. Live music will be provided by Explosivos De Mexico

For more information, visit: https://fb.me/e/41dB5mIw3

Trunk or Treat with Western Avenue Community Center

Sunday, October 31, 2021
12:00 PM

Join the Museum and other friends for Trunk or Treat at Western Avenue Community Center (600 N. Western Avenue in Bloomington). Put that costume to good use with some daytime fun and fright before an evening of tricks and treating! The Museum will be onsite with goodies and history-inspired ghoulishness from 12:00-2:30 p.m.

Downtown Bloomington Trick-or-Treat

Friday, October 29, 2021
5:00 PM

Downtown Trick-or-Treat will take place on October 29, 2021, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Join the Museum and all of our friends for a night of tricks and treats in Downtown Bloomington! Prepare to be haunted by the spectacle of the Museum Square lit up for the occasion thanks to Palace Events and be sure to stop by the Washington Street plaza for a non-edible, allergen-friendly treat!

We are happy to help bring this event back to Downtown! All participants are encouraged to wear facial coverings, so boast your best masks to complete your costumes! See you on the streets for tricks and treats!

Museum Closed

Thursday, October 28, 2021
12:00 AM

October 28, all day

The Museum will be closed to the public today for staff professional development and building maintenance work.

The Night the Stars Fell with Bill Kemp

Tuesday, October 26, 2021
7:00 PM

On Tuesday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m., join Museum Librarian Bill Kemp for a free, zoom webinar that will take program participants back to November 13, 1833, when the nighttime sky lit up like an Independence Day sparkler in what's believed to be the most intense meteor shower in recorded human history.

At this time, Central Illinois was still the frontier, and meteor showers were mysterious and misunderstood phenomena. What did early settlers make of this spectacular--and for some, spectacularly terrifying--event? Where, in fact, did these meteors come from? And what's the connection between the ""Night the Stars Fell"" and the Leonids, the annual meteor shower that visits Earth every November? This lavishly illustrated program will answer those and other questions. Bill promises a program sure to fascinate even those folks with little interest in--or knowledge of--astronomy.

To register for this free, zoom webinar, follow this link https://bit.ly/MCMHStarsFall. Questions? or for more information, contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

Día de los Muertos Ofrenda Comunitaria

Saturday, October 23, 2021
9:00 AM

Visit the first floor of the McLean County Museum of History from Saturday, October 23 through Saturday, November 6 to view a community ofrenda in celebration of Día de los Muertos.Ofrenda (Spanish for offering) is a tiered altar created to honor deceased loved ones and celebrate life. Ofrendas include items significant to those loved ones and other items representing the four elements: Wind, Water, Fire, and Earth. The creation of ofrendas dates to Aztec and Mesoamerican practices. This community ofrenda is inspired by the Mexican Día de los Muertos tradition and is made possible through partnership with Western Avenue Community Center.

For more information, visit: https://fb.me/e/1m0oWXQch

Miller Park Zoo Spooktacular

Friday, October 22, 2021
5:00 PM

Find the Museum at Miller Park Zoo on Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. for the annual Spooktacular! Ghouls and goblins of all ages are welcome to trick and treat their way through the Zoo. Ask yourself, "How Spooky Is It?" with an exploration of the eeriest objects in the Museum's collection. And get a non-edible, allergen-friendly treat while you are at. More information can be found at https://www.bloomingtonparks.o...

Mapping the Market with ISU Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Saturday, October 16, 2021
9:00 AM

Learn a little bit more about the market and farmers that you love so much at one of the last Downtown Bloomington Farmers' Markets of the season. Join students from ISU's Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment in an exploration of where your favorite farmers and food come from as they "Map the Market" with a variety of hands-on activities for all ages. Find the "Mapping the Market" activities on the Museum lawn and Washington Street plaza from 9:00-12:00 on Saturday, October 16.

Zoom Lunch & Learn: Math is your Friend!

Thursday, October 14, 2021
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the second Zoom Lunch and Learn of the season. Dan Roberts, Associate Professor of Math, and Zahia Drici, Chairperson/Professor of Math, Illinois Wesleyan University, will present a program about the useful applications of math in every day life! Mathematics can be used to analyze trends and make predictions about the future. We will examine two scenarios from the local community where a mathematical approach is being used to help gain insights: establishing a grocery in a food desert, and installing an aquatic complex in a neighborhood.


To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHOctLL. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Zoom Breaking Bread in McLean County - America Meets East Asia: Mayonnaise in the Sushi

Tuesday, October 12, 2021
6:00 PM

America Meets East Asia: Mayonnaise in the Sushi

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Mennonite Church of Normal, and First United Methodist Church together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), Design Streak at Illinois State University, and Heartland Community College will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to the Congolese, emphasizing shared elements including food, family, tradition, trauma, and exchange; seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities. Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

Join Nobuko Adachi and James Stanlaw, professors of Sociology and Anthropology at Illinois State University, as they explore the intersection of East Asian and American cuisines and cultures.To register for this Zoom webinar, go to bit.ly/breakbread9

First Friday: Bruegala... With a Twist! in Downtown Bloomington

Friday, October 1, 2021
5:00 PM

The Museum is glad to support Bruegala with a Twist in Downtown Bloomington by providing access to bathroom facilities in our Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center from 5-8 pm. The special First Friday will consist of local breweries, food trucks, and live music for everyone to enjoy. The blocks on Jefferson and Main will be reserved for the time of the event.

Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Saturday, September 25, 2021
11:00 AM

After 27 years, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk continues going strong, while evolving to meet the changing needs of the people whom we serve. This year’s roster will feature six new voices and bring back two voices to share a new story. The stories of these individuals offer glimpses into every-day life on the Illinois prairie, shares how individuals in our community bore witness to one of the greatest tragedies in U.S. history, and also about the power of how an individual can start a movement to combat stereotypes and misinformation about an entire group of people. The impact individuals like these had on our history can be felt near and far.

Additionally, taking those lessons we learned last year into consideration, this year’s Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be BOTH an in-person Walk and a Virtual Walk. This will allow us to continue to offer the Walk to all the audiences that we serve no matter where you live or what your physical abilities may be.

The 2021 Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be held on Saturdays and Sundays, September 25-26 and October 2-3 with performances at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day. The Museum continues to monitor the conditions that surround the COVID-19 pandemic and our ability to hold in-person programs. As long as current health and safety guidelines from the CDC and State of Illinois allow for in-person programming, we plan to host small group tours on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery once again. No matter what, the show will go on!

Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Museum’s website mchistory.org, or at the Museum or Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Tickets to participate in the in-person event are $20 for the General Public, $18 for Museum members, and $5 for children or students w/ID. Tickets to view the Virtual Walk online are $25 for the general public and $20 for Museum members household tickets (a household ticket means that anyone in your immediate household can view this event at any time—and as many times—between November 1 through December 31). Additionally, those who wish to attend the in-person Walk AND view the Virtual Walk can purchase a ticket for both for just $30.

This year’s Walk will feature six new voices and bring back two voices to share a new story. This year’s feature characters are: Dr. William Hill (1829-1906), a surgeon in the Union Army who overcame accusations of being a “bodysnatcher” to become a well-liked and respected doctor in McLean County; William Rodenhauser (1842-1919), a German immigrant who worked as a carpenter for the C&A Railroad Shops for over 20 years; Julia Duff (1895-1984) and her sister Alverta Duff (1885-1968), who belonged to one of the earliest Black families to establish themselves in Normal and bore witness to the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921; Mary Ann Marmon (1837-1908), who wrote about life growing up on the prairie, as her family was among the earliest settlers in McLean County; Sigmund Livingston (1872-1946) and Hilda Livingston (1892-1962), members of the Jewish Community and guest voices on this year’s Walk. Sigmund founded the Anti-Defamation League, which still exists today. And finally, George Carman (1838-1868), a printer, writer, actor, and public speaker who served as a soldier in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War.

If you have any questions or need special accommodations, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428, via email at education@mchistory.org, or visit the Evergreen Cemetery Walk page on the Museum’s website at mchistory.org/learn/evergreen-cemetery-walk.

"

McLean County Genealogical Society- Illinois Digital Resources

Saturday, September 18, 2021
1:00 PM

ILLINOIS DIGITAL RESOURCES

Presented by:

Tina Beaird
Author, Historian, Lecturer

Tina Beaird, owner of Tamarack Genealogy, is a genealogy & local history librarian at a mid-sized Chicagoland public library. She holds a Masters of Library and Information Science and lectures nationally on topics including genealogical methodology, military records, Scottish research and photo and archival preservation.

Have you wondered what information is or might be out there that you are able to access on-line? Are you interested in finding out where you can turn to get that information from the comfort of your home? Join us for this program packed full of information that will aid you in your research.

SPONSORED BY:

THE MCLEAN COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

Saturday, September 18, 2021

1:00 P.M.

Virtual Program available for in-person viewing (masks required)

at

McLean County Museum of History

or

Join us through ZOOM at other locations

The McLean County Genealogical Society is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Illinois Digital Resources - presented by Tina Beaird of Tamarack Genealogy
Time: Sep 18, 2021 01:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82145558908?pwd=UlYxVVlZMjUvamczTHNGZmlQSjUyZz09

Meeting ID: 821 4555 8908
Passcode: 381652
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,82145558908#,,,,*381652# US (Chicago)
+13017158592,,82145558908#,,,,*381652# US (Washington DC)

Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 821 4555 8908
Passcode: 381652
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kgR8rs51G

For additional information, contact Pat Perkins at 309-454-4371 or pperkins73@yahoo.com.

Zoom Breaking Bread in McLean County - Garam Masala Box: Indian American Cooking

Saturday, September 11, 2021
1:00 PM

Garam Masala Box: Indian American Cooking

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Mennonite Church of Normal, and First United Methodist Church together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), Design Streak at Illinois State University, and Heartland Community College will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to the Congolese, emphasizing shared elements including food, family, tradition, trauma, and exchange; seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities. Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

Join Archana Shekara, Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Illinois State University and Art Director of Design Streak Studio, and fellow members of the community for an exploration of Indian American cuisine and culture in Central Illinois.To register for this Zoom webinar, go to bit.ly/breakbread8

Zoom Lunch & Learn: Beekeeping for Fun and Nature

Thursday, September 9, 2021
12:00 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the first Zoom Lunch and Learn of the 2021-2022 season. Karen Schmidt, local beekeeper, and Patti Koranda, Treasurer, Central Illinois Beekeepers Association, will present a program on beekeeping and the growing support for it in McLean County! Patti and Karen (along with Karen’s husband John Elterich) will talk about the many benefits of keeping honey bees, and the pros, cons, and practicalities of working with the hives.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHSeptLunch. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

First Friday: Oh Honey!

Friday, September 3, 2021
5:00 PM

Oh Honey! Bee a Dreamer! Bee Yourself! Bee Empowered!

The Museum and Martorana Designs will be hosting Rachel Lapp Whitt’s “Empowered Women, Empower Women” mural on the Museum’s lawn on Jefferson Street. Stop by to view the mural and create your own Empowerment image. Plus, Beekeeper Karen Schmidt will be onsite to answer questions about beekeeping and will have the WBRP Book Bike too. You can also enter into a free drawing to win a prize from women owned businesses.

9/11: McLean County Remembers

Wednesday, September 1, 2021
2:00 PM

September 11, 2021 marks 20 years since one of the most salient moments of the 21st century: 9/11. History was made on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, when four U.S. commercial airliners were hijacked by members of al-Qaeda in a coordinated attack that destroyed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and damaged the Pentagon. In total, 9/11 was the single largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on U.S. soil and the greatest loss of emergency responders on a single day in U.S. history. The United States formally responded to the 9/11 attacks by launching the “War on Terror” and invading Afghanistan, and countries around the world strengthened their anti-terrorism legislation and expanded the powers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies to prevent future terrorist attacks.

To commemorate this momentous date, the McLean County Museum of History (MCMH), in partnership with Normal Public Library (NPL), hopes to document how this national tragedy affected the people of McLean County, including where you were and how you felt after learning about the attacks. Please share your experiences and memories of 9/11/01 by answering questions in the google form by clicking here.

Additionally, the Museum will be displaying artifacts from our collection related to our community's response to 9/11. The display cases are located outside the second floor Library and Archives, and will be up through the end of September.

"

Zoom Vibrant, Resilient, Still Here: Contemporary Native Americans in Illinois

Tuesday, August 31, 2021
6:30 PM

The Museum is pleased to welcome Pam Silas, Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement for Northwestern University’s Center for Native American and Indigenous Research, who will present a program that explores contemporary Native Americans living in Illinois today. This free, zoom webinar, sponsored by Illinois Humanities, will be held on Tuesday, August 31 at 6:30 p.m.

The presentation will explore issues about how the public learns about and sees Native Americans and some of the misconceptions, demographic data, topical issues that the community has prioritized, common values, opportunities to engage, and resources such as readings, and institutions and community organizations where participants can learn more will be shared.

Over the past 25 years, Silas has been a recognized Native American leader. She has successfully led regional and national Native American and other non-profit organizations. Silas has a Bachelors in Science in Economics from DePaul University and is a Certified Association Executive (CAE). An enrolled member of the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin and descendant of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, her career experience is embedded with her connections and trainings influenced by Native culture and community. Silas was recently appointed by Governor Pritzker to serve on the newly created Illinois, Native American Employment Plan Advisory Council and has provided volunteer leadership to other public and tribal initiatives, including Chicago’s Low Income Housing Trust Fund, Council on Women, Community Development Advisory Council, Working Mother Magazine, Multicultural Women’s Initiative, and the Menominee Indian Tribal Gaming Commission.

To register for this free, zoom webinar, follow this link https://bit.ly/3yRZ5qk . For more information or questions, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council Agency (IACA)], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, IACA, our partnering organizations, or our funders.

McLean County Genealogical Society- Final Resting Place: The Stones Tell a Story

Tuesday, August 17, 2021
6:00 PM

Final Resting Place: The Stones Tell a Story

BY JANE HALDEMAN

SPONSORED BY THE MCLEAN COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

August 17, 2021

6:30 P.M.

Discover more about the life of your great grandfather by understanding the symbols on his gravestone. Learn how to read that death date on grandmother’s deteriorating stone. Find out how to care for that old tombstone before it completely disappears. J

Jane G. Haldeman is a Chicago-area based professional genealogist and owner of It’s Relative, with more than 25 years of research experience. She lectures on a wide range of topics both locally and nationally. She was the National Co-Chair for the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2019 Conference in Washington, DC. She is a former president of both the Illinois State Genealogical Society and Fox Valley Genealogical Society in Naperville, Illinois and the author of A Genealogist’s Guide to Springfield, Illinois. Jane may be reached at info@itsrerelative.net and genealogy@mindsafire.net

For additional information contact Pat   at pperkins73@yahoo.com 

INSTRUCTIONS TO JOIN ZOOM MEETING

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THE MCLEAN COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
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NORMAL, IL 61761

Knit In at the David Davis Mansion

Saturday, August 14, 2021
10:00 AM

All Knitters and Crocheters are invited to participate in a socially distant, outdoor Knit In on the beautiful grounds of the David Davis Mansion on Saturday, August 14 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Registration is required. Please click this link to fill out the google form to sign up to participate: https://bit.ly/KnitInAug. This quarter's feature charity item to be made are Pet Blankets, which will be donated to local animal shelters. Participants can bring completed blankets to the event if they cannot attend, completed items can be dropped off at the Museum after August 1.

The Museum follows all health and safety guidelines according to the Restore Illinois Phased Plan for Reopening and Illinois State Mandates.Participants will be required to answer health screening questions upon their arrival.

Social distancing of at least six feet will be required.  Individuals who are not vaccinated must wear a face masks at all times unless you are seated in your chair and maintaining social distance. If you leave your chair for any reason, you must wear your face mask per State of Illinois Restore Illinois plan.

Capacity for this event is limited to 50 people. Participants must bring their own lawn chair and can bring a beverage. No food or beverages will be provided.Public restrooms will be available.

**PLEASE NOTE** If Covid 19 cases continue to rise, guidelines become more restrictive, or our zone is forced to go back to an earlier Phase of the Restore Illinois Plan, this event will be canceled.

For questions or more information, please contact the Education Department at the Museum at education@mchistory.org.

Breaking Bread in McLean County- Hot Dog! It Could be Wurst: German Cookery

Tuesday, August 10, 2021
6:00 PM

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Mennonite Church of Normal, and First United Methodist Church together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), Design Streak at Illinois State University, and Heartland Community College will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to the Congolese, emphasizing shared elements including food, family, tradition, trauma, and exchange; seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities.

Join Greg Koos, local historian and Executive Director Emeritus of the McLean County Museum of History, as he explores the German-American experience
in McLean County. To register, go to http://bit.ly/breakbread7

Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

NAACP Youth Council Installation Ceremony

Saturday, August 7, 2021
12:00 PM

The Bloomington-Normal Branch of the NAACP has faithfully served the community for 103 years. Knowing that our century-old Branch was void of a Youth Council, plans were activated to charter a Youth Council in 2021. After meeting strenuous chartering requirements, official authorization and ratification were granted by the NAACP’s National Office.

As such, it is with much joy, pride, and exhilaration that the Bloomington-Normal Branch of the NAACP proudly announce the Youth Council’s Chartering and Installation Ceremony, on Saturday, August 7th at 12:00 noon. This special event will be held at McLean County Museum of History—in the courtroom—for symbolic and monumental purposes. Of course, we will practice social distancing to embrace safety measures.

Our special guests will include NAACP members from the 1960s, elected officials, school administrators and other community stakeholders. In an effort to adequately prepare, please RSVP by Saturday, July 31, 2021 by sending a brief, affirmative email to: dr.carlacampbell@gmail.com

A Laesch Family Story- Book Signing

Saturday, August 7, 2021
9:00 AM

Stop by the Museum's Farmers' Market Booth on Washington Street* on Saturday, August 7 from 9am until 12pm where Ellen Laesch Dalrymple will be signing copies of her recently published book on the history of Laesch Dairy. Funds raised through the sale of the book will support the ALS Association.

Ellen lost her father Daniel, sister Diane, brother Mark, and other family members to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

* This event will be moved to the Museum’s first floor rotunda in the case of bad weather

Downtown Dog Days- First Friday

Friday, August 6, 2021
5:00 PM

Come on down to the Museum where we will be hosting an adoption event with Wish Bone Canine Rescue from 5:00-8:00 p.m.! Stop by and play with some pups (and maybe bring a new fur-friend home with you too) during the Downtown Dog Days First Friday!

And if this event wasn't PAWSOME enough, the BN Sunrise Rotary Brats & Bags event will be happening downtown this night as well!

History Reads Book Club- Ugly Prey: An Innocent Woman and the Death Sentence that Scandalized Jazz Age Chicago

Tuesday, August 3, 2021
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, August 3 at 7:00 p.m. for the third installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2021. We will meet online via Zoom to discuss Ugly Prey: An Innocent Woman and the Death Sentence that Scandalized Jazz Age Chicago by Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi. Visit bit.ly/historyreads080321 to register for this free, online discussion.

An Italian immigrant who spoke little English and struggled to scrape together a living on her primitive family farm outside Chicago, Sabella Nitti was arrested in 1923 for the murder of her missing husband. Within two months, she was found guilty and became the first woman ever sentenced to hang in Chicago. Journalist Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi leads readers through Sabella’s sensational case, showing how, with no evidence and no witnesses, she was the target of an obsessed deputy sheriff and the victim of a faulty legal system. She was also—to the men who convicted her and the reporters fixated on her—ugly. For that unforgiveable crime, the media painted her as a hideous, dirty, and unpredictable immigrant, almost an animal.

Lucchesi brings to life the sights and sounds of 1920s Chicago—its then-rural outskirts, downtown halls of power, and headline-making crimes and trials, including those of two other women (who would inspire the musical and film Chicago) also accused of killing the men in their lives. But Sabella’s fellow inmates Beulah and Belva were beautiful, charmed the all-male juries, and were quickly acquitted, raising doubts among many Chicagoans about the fairness of the “poor ugly immigrant’s” conviction.

Featuring an ambitious and ruthless journalist who helped demonize Sabella through her reports, and the brilliant, beautiful, twenty-three-year-old lawyer who helped humanize her with a jailhouse makeover, Ugly Prey is not just a page-turning courtroom drama but also a thought-provoking look at the intersection of gender, ethnicity, class, and the American justice system.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-828-6093 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Zoom Final Resting Place: The Stones Tell a Story with the McLean County Genealogical Society

Tuesday, July 20, 2021
7:00 PM

Discover more about the life of your great grandfather by understanding the symbols on his gravestone. Learn how to read that death date on grandmother’s deteriorating stone. Find out how to care for that old tombstone before it completely disappears. Jane G. Haldeman is a Chicago-area based professional genealogist and owner of It’s Relative, with more than 25 years of research experience. She lectures on a wide range of topics both locally and nationally. She was the National Co-Chair for the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2019 Conference in Washington, DC. She is a former president of both the Illinois State Genealogical Society and Fox Valley Genealogical Society in Naperville, Illinois and the author of A Genealogist’s Guide to Springfield, Illinois. Jane may be reached at info@itsrerelative.net and genealogy@mindsafire.net

For additional information contact Pat Perkins patp728@outlook.com

Instructions to join ZOOM meeting

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Or phone in: 312-626-6799

Meeting ID: 852 2583 7568

Passcode: 288119

Zoom Abraham Lincoln and the Heritage of Illinois State University

Saturday, July 17, 2021
1:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to host authors Tom Emery and Carl Kasten for a program about Abraham Lincoln’s close ties to Illinois State University, a topic largely ignored in the 156 years since Lincoln’s death. This free, virtual program will be held on Saturday, July 17 at 1:00 p.m.

Lincoln’s connection to then Illinois State Normal University is the subject of Emery and Kasten’s new book Abraham Lincoln and the Heritage of Illinois State University (2021). Lincoln served as counsel to the State of Illinois’ newly formed Board of Education, which oversaw I.S.N.U. He wrote the guaranty to secure funding for the university and in doing so, ensured that it would be located in Normal in 1857 (which at that time was known as North Bloomington). Additionally, many of the early financial backers of I.S.N.U were among Lincoln’s closest allies and friends, including David Davis and Jesse Fell. Had it not been for Lincoln’s work to secure the guaranty, I.S.N.U could likely have been awarded to nearby Peoria.

Tom Emery is an accomplished freelance writer and historical researcher who has created thirty-six book and booklet titles in his career. Among Emery’s other recent works is The History of Illinois, a full-length 2017 compilation that provides a thorough overview of the rich history of the state. He holds degrees from Blackburn College and Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville. Emery is also the recipient of thirteen awards from the Illinois State Historical Society and is currently developing several large-scale historical projects.

Carl Kasten is now retired after a 48-year legal career. He is a graduate of Illinois State University and earned his J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. A history enthusiast, Kasten is a longtime supporter of education on all levels. From 2003-2008, Kasten served as chair of the Illinois State University Board of Trustees. Prior to that, he spent seven years as Secretary of the board.

Copies of the book, Abraham Lincoln and the Heritage of Illinois State University, are available for purchase in the Museum's Visitors Center and Gift Shop for $22.95 plus tax.

To register for this free, Zoom webinar, go to https://bit.ly/LincolnFest21. For more information or question, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Museum at the Market- Lincoln and Lightning Bugs

Saturday, July 17, 2021
9:00 AM

Stop by the Museum's table on Jefferson Street from 9am until 11am during the Farmer's Market to learn about Lincoln, his travels as a lawyer on the Eighth Judicial Circuit, and make a lightning bug!

Abraham Lincoln became a lawyer in 1837. Two years later he began traveling the Eighth Judicial Circuit in Illinois, trying cases in as many as 15 counties when the Circuit was at its the largest.
Mr. Lincoln would have seen is fair share of fireflies while traveling the prairie when the weather is warm.

Twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall, the Circuit judge (which from 1848 until 1862 was Lincoln’s friend and fellow lawyer David Davis) and a team of lawyers would travel from one county seat to another providing a slightly unprofessional, but generally fair system of justice. Lincoln was involved in a variety of cases during his time on the Circuit, including divorces, land disputes, theft, medical malpractice, and even murder.

Once you have made your own lightening bug, follow our Eighth Circuit Story Walk around the Museum Square to learn about the challenges and obstacles Lincoln and his fellow lawyers would have had to face as they traveled the circuit from one court case to another.

Breaking Bread in McLean County- Soul, Greens, and Savory Things: Local African American Food Traditions

Saturday, July 10, 2021
1:00 PM

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Mennonite Church of Normal, and First United Methodist Church together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), Design Streak at Illinois State University, and Heartland Community College will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to the Congolese, emphasizing shared elements including food, family, tradition, trauma, and exchange; seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities.

Join Willie Holton Halbert, author of Cooking with Love and second vice president of the BN NAACP, and Jeff Woodard, Director of Marketing and Community Relations at the Museum. To register, go to http://bit.ly/breakbread6

Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

Free Admission

Monday, July 5, 2021
9:00 AM

Get Your "Fix" on Route 66 - July First Friday & Pop-Up Art Fair

Friday, July 2, 2021
5:00 PM

Get your history fix on Route 66 this July First Friday! Find your way along the mother of all roads to Downtown Bloomington for art, merch, and hands-on fun for the whole family! The Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center and Ryburn Place Gifts and Gab will be popping up on Monroe Street with purchasable wares. Take a pit stop to make your very own paper butterfly and find out more about the Route 66 Monarch Flyway. Fixin' for more?! Stop by the Visitors Center and Museum to try your mind at some local Route 66 trivia and win a prize!

Downtown Bloomington is lucky enough to be positioned along the Mother Road and we look forward to celebrating another unique First Friday with all of you! Come down and Get Your ""Fix"" on Route 66! Also, enjoy a pop-up art fair on Monroe Street between Main and Center Streets! Pop-Up Art Fair Participants:
Three Square Gallery with Mandy Roeing
Key Rose Customs
Angel Ambrose with Revivify
Little Creek Photography
D. Ella
Vintage and Handmade Market with Molly Borth Original Screen Prints & Handmade Jewelry
Main Gallery 404
Michael Amis Studio
Dale Evans
Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Gift Shop
Illinois Scenic Byway
Participating Businesses:
Vera & Buck
nightshop
Bloomington Spice Works
2 FruGals Thrift
Merlot and a Masterpiece
Martorana Designs
La La Boutique
Red Racoon Games
McLean County Museum of History
The Bistro
Von Champs Boutique
gigi Botegga
Crossroads Handcrafts
Inside Out Accessible Arts
Herb Eaton Studio
Joann Goetzinger Studio and Gallery
Hangar Art Co. 

Back 2 School Supply Drive at the Farmers' Market

Saturday, June 26, 2021
8:30 AM

Back 2 School Supply Drive – We Need your Help!

The McLean County Museum of History and the Downtown Bloomington Farmers’ Market teaming up and bringing the Back 2 School Supply Drive to the Farmer’s Market again this summer! On June 26, July 3, July 10, July 17, and July 24, a donation bin will be stationed at the Museum's tent at our main entrance on Washington Street from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. for anyone to drop off donations to the Back 2 School Supply Drive!

The Back 2 School Supply Drive, organized by the Back 2 School Alliance in coordination with Bloomington District 87, Normal Unit 5, and the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, is an effort to collect school supplies for the 2021-2022 school year that will be given to local students in need. Thus ensuring that all students start the school year off right, with all necessary supplies and an awesome backpack to boot! Supplies will distributed throughout District 87 and Unit 5 to those who meet eligibility guidelines.

Backpack- 13 inches to 18 inches in height

Zippered Binder- 1.5 inches or 2 inches

3-Ring Binder- 1.5 inches

Divider Tabs- 5 count per package

2-Pocket Folders

Index Cards- 3x5, lined

Loose Leaf Paper- wide ruled

Spiral Notebook- wide ruled, 70 count pages

Ruler- standard/metric 12 inches

Colored Pencils- 12 count

Markers- washable, thick, classic colors

#2 Pencils- 12 count

Black or Blue Pens- 10/12 count

Glue Sticks- washable

Crayons- 24 count (greatest need) Highlighters

Fiskar Scissors (blunt and pointed tip)

Pink Erasers

For more information, please contact the Museum’s Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428, or visit the Back 2 School Alliance’s website at back2schoolalliance.org/.

Please Donate! Every pen, pencil, binder and notebook you donate helps the Museum support our local teachers by getting students the tools they need for the new school year!

"

Back 2 School Supply Drive

Wednesday, June 23, 2021
9:00 AM

Back 2 School Supply Drive – We Need your Help!

Beginning June 23 through July 26, the Museum will be participating in the Back 2 School Alliance School Supply Drive to help collect school supplies for local students in need for the 2021-2022 school year.

Supplies collected will be distributed to students throughout District 87 and Unit 5 who meet eligibility guidelines.

Bring in any new school supply from the list below and receive free admission to the Museum on the day you visit!

Backpack- 13 inches to 18 inches in height

Zippered Binder- 1.5 inches or 2 inches

3-Ring Binder- 1.5 inches

Divider Tabs- 5 count per package

2-Pocket Folders

Index Cards- 3x5, lined

Loose Leaf Paper- wide ruled

Spiral Notebook- wide ruled, 70 count pages

Ruler- standard/metric 12 inches

Colored Pencils- 12 count

Markers- washable, thick, classic colors

#2 Pencils- 12 count

Black or Blue Pens- 10/12 count

Glue Sticks- washable

Crayons- 24 count (greatest need)

Highlighters

Fiskar Scissors (blunt and pointed tip)

Pink Erasers

The donation bin to drop off your items will be located on the ground floor of the Museum. For more information, contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

For more information, please visit the Back 2 School Alliance’s website at back2schoolalliance.org/.

Please Donate! Every pen, pencil, binder and notebook you donate helps the Museum support our local teachers by getting students the tools they need for the new school year!

Did Black Lives Matter in Early Illinois? Voices from the Brink of Slavery and Freedom.

Tuesday, June 22, 2021
6:30 PM

The Museum is pleased to host Dr. Caroline Kisiel, Associate Professor at DePaul University in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, who will offer a performance-presentation exploring slavery's roots in Illinois and the people who fought the forces to keep Illinois a free state. This free, virtual presentation, sponsored by Illinois Humanities, will be held on Tuesday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m.

In 1818, Illinois entered the United States with a Constitution declaring itself a free state. But slavery’s roots went back centuries in the region, and its hold on the young state was strong. In the first years of statehood, the Illinois legislature had a number of pro-slavery advocates who made a bold attempt to change the Constitution to allow slavery. They had already succeeded in building in limited slavery clauses into the 1818 Constitution which were to sunset in 1825, and they now wished to expand this foothold. Other voices vehemently fought against them, ultimately prevailing to preserve the free state.

Who were these voices advocating for a permanent constitutional change to allow slavery? And who stood up against them, preserving the free state of Illinois we know? And ultimately, in what ways did these opposing voices support Black lives, or not? This performance-presentation offers a dramatic reading/adaptation of the voices of three key proslavery figures (Territorial Governor, Ninian Edwards; secretary of the Illinois Territory, Joseph P. Phillips; and proslavery delegate, Adolphus Frederick Hubbard) and three antislavery figures (Governor Edward Coles; anti-convention legislator, Nicholas Hansen; English emigrant and Illinois Secretary of State, Morris Birkbeck) from this period.

Dr. Caroline Kisiel is a public historian and educator who has been teaching for over 25 years. With a background in immigration law, literature, history, storytelling, and performance, she writes and presents on early Illinois history and is currently conducting research on the role of Albion, Illinois in the struggle to keep Illinois slavery-free in the early years of statehood. Her presentations showcase researched information, historical documents, dramatic readings, and facilitated audience engagement activities around critical questions of the value of history and activism through themes of early Illinois struggles to keep slavery at bay in the state and key early Illinois figures in this period.

To register for this free, zoom webinar, go to https://bit.ly/3sddr0I. Questions or for more information, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council Agency (IACA)], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, IACA, our partnering organizations, or our funders.

History Makers Gala

Wednesday, June 16, 2021
6:30 PM

We hope you will join us this year on June 16^th in celebration of our 2021 History Makers that include Carole & Jerry Ringer, Barbara Stuart, and Marilyn & Bob Sutherland. Due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, this year’s event will feature virtual presentations to our honorees Under the Dome at the Museum. We will livestream the event to those who register at no cost.

The evening will also include our tradition of having a short performance by Illinois Voices Theatre to recognize our honorees and their contributions to our community. We are accepting donations and sponsorships for the evening via the event registration page. Members who register will receive information prior to the event regarding a new slate of board officers and members that will be voted upon during the evening of the Gala.

To register to view this event, follow this link tinyurl.com/historymakersgala21.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Museum this summer and coming together in person for our traditional Gala celebration next year. Meanwhile, help our local restaurants and consider ordering your favorite takeout the evening of the Gala this year.

Zoom Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research: Gem of the Gulf Coast with the McLean County Genealogical Society

Tuesday, June 15, 2021
7:00 PM

Upcoming ZOOM Program sponsored by The McLean County Genealogical Society

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research: Gem of the Gulf Coast Presented by Susan Kaufman

Susan Kaufman, Senior Manager of the Houston (TX) Public Library’s Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research in Houston, Texas. An Illinois native, Susan has more than 30 years of experience as a genealogy librarian and in Special Collections.

The Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research is consistently named one of the ten best genealogical research facilities in the United States. This collection, part of the Houston Public Library, is an international resource in Houston. An overview of the materials available for research and searching strategies will be presented.

A presenter at local, state and national genealogy conferences and meetings, she also has held numerous genealogical society board positions in Illinois, Indiana, and Texas and at the national level with the Federation of Genealogical Societies.

For additional information contact Pat Perkins patp728@outlook.com

Zoom Meeting Information

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Meeting ID: 882 3165 4581

Passcode: 694437

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Juneteenth Celebration

Monday, June 14, 2021
6:00 PM

This year, the BNBHP in partnership with the City of Bloomington, will present an entire week of programming beginning on Monday, June 14. In conjunction with the traditional annual celebration on June 19, which features performances by area youth, the program series will explore the theme “Juneteenth, justice delayed”, an opportunity to examine, and engage in meaningful public discussion on where we are today and asks the question, “where do we go from here?

Monday at 6:00 p.m.   From the Motherland -  ""Africa""  with Erik McDuffie 

Juneteenth Week June 14-19 For a complete schedule of events visit www.bnbhp.com

To learn how you can volunteer or participate in sponsorship, contact BNBlackHistoryProject@gmail.com

The Bloomington-Normal Black History Project was founded in 1982 and its collections span the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection contains photographs, portraits, booklets, oral histories, articles, and photocopies related to club organizations and churches of the local Black community. In 1989, the Black History Project became affiliated with the McLean County Historical Society, which now serves as a repository for the project's collections.

Meet the Author! Images of Rail: Central Illinois Train Depots by Thomas Dyrek

Saturday, June 12, 2021
9:00 AM

The Museum is thrilled to host local author Thomas Dyrek, who will be signing copies of his first book featuring images on train depots found around Central Illinois. The book signing will be held on Saturday, June 12 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on the Museum’s Plaza (located on Washington Street) during the Farmer’s Market.

Thomas Dyrek is a senior at Normal West High School who has had a lifelong passion for all things train related. For the past several years he has traveled throughout Illinois and surrounding states taking pictures of trains and train stations and has built up a large collection of historic railroad photographs as well. A few years ago, Dyrek wrote an article about railroad depots in McLean County for the McLean County Genealogical Society's journal. Since then, his interest in stations greatly expanded, and during 2020 and early 2021 he wrote his first book, Central Illinois Train Depots. The book covers many of the area's railroad depots and their history, and features photographs of his own, from his collection, and from the cameras and collections of other railroad photographers and local museums (including the McLean County Museum of History). It is Dyrek's hope that the book will inspire readers to go out and visit their local stations and learn about their own community’s railroad history.

Copies of Dyrek’s book will be available for purchase for $21.99 plus tax. For more information about this event, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

Breaking Bread in McLean County - Kickapoo Food and Remedies

Tuesday, June 8, 2021
6:00 PM

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Mennonite Church of Normal, and First United Methodist Church together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), Design Streak at Illinois State University, and Heartland Community College will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to Congolese Americans, seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities.

Join Lester Randall, Tribal Chairman of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, as he explores the Kickapoo experience in McLean County.

Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

To register for this Zoom webinar, go to bit.ly/breakbread5

Cogs & Corsets- A Central Illinois Steampunk Happening

Friday, June 4, 2021
4:00 PM

After a year of separation and isolation, Cogs & Corsets is back full steam ahead on June 4-5 to kick off the summer with some fun and whimsy. The Museum is pleased to be a partner in this now signature downtown event!

This year’s event will feature evening activities in downtown Bloomington on June 4 and several online speakers and a brunch on June 5. All the favorite events will be there including Nerf dueling, Dirigible Races, Splendid Teapot Racing, Costume Contest, Maker Faire, Steampunk Market, and more! Friday night’s activities will conclude with a special concert by Lady Lyric d'Avalon, the Time-Traveling Trouvère. Saturday will feature a brunch buffet on the lawn of the Vrooman Mansion. Tickets will need to be purchased in advance. The online lectures will be free, but require pre-registration.

The festivities will be centered around the Museum Square, and businesses throughout Downtown will be participating in a prize-winning scavenger hunt. Bloomington Public Library will also be joining the fun with pre-event activities for all ages.

Social distancing will be encouraged throughout the event and masks will be required. Most activities will be outdoors. Cogs & Corsets will start off at 4 pm and run until sunset at 9 pm on June 4. The brunch will start at 9 am on Saturday, June 5 followed by the online lectures.

We can’t wait to see you here! For registration and more information, please visit www.cogsandcorsetsil.com.

Museum Closed in Recognition of Memorial Day

Monday, May 31, 2021
12:00 AM

Zoom Lunch & Learn Extra- Rivian: Adventurous Together

Thursday, May 27, 2021
12:00 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for a second bonus Zoom Lunch and Learn this season. Laura Ewan, Community Relations Coordinator at Rivian, will share an update on the Rivian Plant in Normal. Rivian is ramping up for SOP (Start of Production) this summer and is excited to share more information with Bloomington-Normal.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit http://bit.ly/MCMHMayLunch2. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

My Ancestor was a Farmer- McLean County Genealogical Society

Tuesday, May 18, 2021
7:00 PM

Many of our ancestors were farmers and they left valuable records including deeds and probate records. From 1937-1946 the Farmer’s Home Administration gave low-interest loans to small farmers, these records are in the Local Branches of the National Archives in Record Group 96. The records include family records and information about the farm. Agricultural census records, newspaper articles and obituaries, trade papers and other agricultural records can give a picture of your ancestor’s life.

Jane G. Haldeman is a Chicago-area based professional genealogist and owner of It’s Relative, with more than 25 years of research experience. She lectures on a wide range of topics both locally and nationally. She was the National Co-Chair for the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2019 Conference in Washington, DC. She is a former president of both the Illinois State Genealogical Society and Fox Valley Genealogical Society in Naperville, Illinois and the author of A Genealogist’s Guide to Springfield, Illinois. Jane may be reached at info@itsrelative.net and genealogy@mindsafire.net.

For additional information contact Pat Perkins patp728@outlook.com.

Instructions to join the ZOOM meeting

CLICK OR ENTER THE FOLLOWING:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8452...

Or phone in: 312-626-6799

Meeting ID: 845 2609 7025

Passcode: 109569

Fit For Preservation: Jack and Jill of America, Inc. National Day of Fitness

Saturday, May 15, 2021
9:00 AM

Every year Jack and Jill of America, Inc. celebrates a National Day of Fitness in the month of May. This year, the Bloomington-Normal chapter of Jack and Jill of America is partnering with the Museum and the Bloomington-Normal Black History Project to recognize its National Day of Fitness with a historic preservation twist. On Saturday, May 15, Jack and Jill families and the general public are invited to participate in Fit For Preservation, a self-guided, physically active tour of Bloomington-Normal Black history sites. Participants who arrive at the Museum between 9:00-11:00 a.m. that day will enjoy access to branded giveaways and printed site maps. Admission to the Museum will be FREE from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A digital map of the various sites will be available at http://bit.ly/FitForPreservation Participants are encouraged to walk or bike to explore these sites when possible. For additional information about this program, please contact education@mchistory.org

Jack and Jill of America, Inc. is a membership organization of mothers with children ages 2 to 19, dedicated to nurturing future leaders by supporting children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving, and civic duty. Jack and Jill is divided into 247 local chapters within seven geographical regions in the United States.

Zoom Lunch and Learn -Brahm's Use of Motive to Unify his Three Intermezzi, Opus 117

Thursday, May 13, 2021
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the final  Zoom Lunch and Learn of the season. Franklin Larey, Director and Professor School of Music Illinois Wesleyan University, will present a lecture-recital exploring Brahms's use of motive to bring structure and unity to the three Intermezzi. This compositional technique was described by Schoenberg as ""developing variation"" in his famous essay, ""Brahms, the Progressive."" Schoenberg also believed that this technique was one of the most important compositional principles since around 1750.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHMayLunch. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Carrying The Colors: The Life and Legacy of Medal of Honor Recipient Andrew Jackson Smith

Tuesday, May 11, 2021
7:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to host Sharon MacDonald and Robert Beckman, authors of the book Carrying the Colors, and Greg Koos, historian and Emeritus Executive Director of the Museum, for a program exploring the story of Andrew Jackson Smith, who escaped bondage and fought for the Union Army. On Tuesday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m., this Zoom webinar will discuss his significant connections to central Illinois and how his wartime heroism was finally recognized with the nation’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor, in 2001.

In 1862, Andrew “Andy” Jackson Smith, son of a white landowner and enslaved woman, escaped to Union troops operating in Kentucky, made his way to the North, and volunteered for the 55th Massachusetts, one of the newly formed African American regiments. The regiment was deployed to South Carolina, and during a desperate assault on a Confederate battery, the color bearer was killed. Before the flag was lost, Smith quickly retrieved it and under heavy fire held the colors steady while the decimated regiment withdrew. The regiment’s commanding officer pro­moted Smith to color sergeant and wrote him a commendation for both saving the regimental flag and bravery under fire. Honorably discharged, Smith returned to Kentucky, where over the course of the next forty years he invested in land.

In the early twentieth century, Burt G. Wilder, medical officer of the 55th, contacted Smith about his experiences for a book he was writing. During their correspondence, Wilder realized Smith was eligible for the nation’s highest award. In 1916, Wilder applied to the army, but his request for Smith’s medal was denied due to the “absence of records.” At Smith’s death in 1932, his daughter Caruth received a box of his papers revealing the extent of her father’s heroism. Her nephew took up the cause and through long and painstaking research located the lost records. With the help of the authors (historians Sharon MacDonald and W. Robert Beckman), local politicians, and others, Andrew Jackson Smith received his long overdue Medal of Honor in 2001 after obtaining the reversal of the denial of his recommendation for the Medal of Honor.

Copies of this book can be purchased at Barnes and Noble, or online through Amazon or Westholme Publishing. To register for this free, zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/3282CTa. Questions? Contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Breaking Bread in McLean County - Kaffe, Knäckebröd, & Coal: Swedish-Americans in Central Illinois

Saturday, May 8, 2021
1:00 PM

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Mennonite Church of Normal, and First United Methodist Church together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), Design Streak at Illinois State University, and Heartland Community College will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to Congolese Americans, seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities.

Join Hannah Johnson of the McLean County Museum of History, Edgar and Virginia Lundeen, and other members of the community as they explore the Swedish American experience in McLean County.

Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

To register for this Zoom webinar, go to bit.ly/breakbread4

First Friday: Unlock a Piece of History

Friday, May 7, 2021
5:00 PM

Join the Museum and our fellow Downtown businesses and partners for an evening of architectural exploration, shopping, dining, and more. The Museum will be offering physically-distant, mini-architecture tours around the Square for those interested in learning more about our National Register-worthy Downtown district and the continued preservation and restoration work the Museum in undergoing. Find Museum Educators at the corners of Main/Jefferson or Center/Washington on the half-hour (from 5:30-7:30 p.m.) to join a tour. The architecture of the Museum will also be on prominent display with the help from eye-catching uplighting from Palace Events. For more information about First Friday and participating businesses, visit https://fb.me/e/1h0ddMkQu 

Home Town in the Corn Belt NOW DIGITIZED

Wednesday, May 5, 2021
5:00 PM

Rare 5-volume history set now online!

The Museum, in partnership with Bloomington Public Library, is pleased to announce the digitization of Home Town in the Corn Belt. This invaluable compendium contains 171 articles, including 39 biographical sketches. That's some 1,500 pages of local history! Ever since it was published in 1950—71 years ago—there have been only two copies in existence—one at BPL and the other in the Museum’s Library. Now, with this digitization project, anyone and everyone can dive into the past via the friendly “flip-book” format of Internet Archive. You can keyword search each volume, and even download a copy as a PDF! This incredible project was made possible through a memorial gift in the name of late Museum volunteer Milan Jackson, who passed away in 2019.See below for a link to each volume of this treasure of local history.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

https://archive.org/details/home-town-corn-belt-vol-1
https://archive.org/details/home-town-corn-belt-vol-2

https://archive.org/details/home-town-corn-belt-vol-3

https://archive.org/details/home-town-corn-belt-vol-4

https://archive.org/details/home-town-corn-belt-vol-5

Zoom History Reads Book Club- Death in the Haymarket

Tuesday, May 4, 2021
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, May 4 at 7:00 p.m. for the second installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2021. We will meet online via Zoom to discuss Death in the Haymarket: A Story of Chicago, the First Labor Movement and the Bombing that Divided Gilded Age America by James Green. Visit bit.ly/historyreads050421 to register for this free, online discussion.

On May 4, 1886, a bomb exploded at a Chicago labor rally, wounding dozens of policemen, seven of whom eventually died. A wave of mass hysteria swept the country, leading to a sensational trial, that culminated in four controversial executions, and dealt a blow to the labor movement from which it would take decades to recover. Historian James Green recounts the rise of the first great labor movement in the wake of the Civil War and brings to life an epic twenty-year struggle for the eight-hour workday. Blending a gripping narrative, outsized characters and a panoramic portrait of a major social movement, Death in the Haymarket is an important addition to the history of American capitalism and a
moving story about the class tensions at the heart of Gilded Age America.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-828-6093 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Zoom Lunch and Learn Extra: Assessing the First 100 Days of the Biden Presidency

Thursday, April 29, 2021
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for a bonus Zoom Lunch and Learn this season. It has become a political tradition to take stock of a new president’s tenure after the first 100 days. It is used to measure the successes and accomplishments of a president during the time that their power and influence is at its greatest. Local political commentator and retired professor, Bob Bradley, will offer his insights into the start of President Biden’s tenure.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHLunchApr2. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

pt.fwd presents Allen Moore online concert

Saturday, April 24, 2021
7:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to partner once again with pt.fwd, a non-profit that organizes contemporary music and sonic arts performances featuring new work by local and regional artists in Bloomington-Normal, is hosting Chicago artist Allen Moore and Peoria artist Bodyman (Zachary Leachman) as 2020-2021 Artists-in-Residence. Moore, our regional Artist-in-Residence, has been working in partnership with pt.fwd and the McLean County Museum of History to create a new concert-length performance that draws upon materials from the Museum’s Bloomington Normal Black History Project. This project will be presented in a free, streaming concert on Twitch on Saturday, April 24th at 7:00 p.m. 

Allen Moore is a Black American Interdisciplinary Painter, Experimental Sound Artist, Educator, Youth Mentor and Curator born and raised in the Historic Village of Robbins, IL. Moore holds a Bachelors of Arts from Chicago State University, a Masters in Arts from Governors State University and a Masters of Fine Arts from Northern Illinois University in 2016. His work examines both visual and experimental music, emphasizing the importance of nurturing the Black Imagination with social representation. His educational and curatorial practices focus on building spaces for advocacy, creative representation and healing. His work converses with the signifiers of African American and popular
culture, bringing to view the underlying themes of racial, emotional and socio-economic conditions. Moore has exhibited and performed across Chicago and the greater midwest, including exhibitions at Heaven Gallery, Compound Yellow, Experimental Sound Studio, Elastic Arts, Threewalls, The Museum of Contemporary Art, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago , Roots & Culture Gallery, Lula Cafe, The Star Media Group, Union Street Gallery, The Museum of Science and Industry Chicago, etc. He is a volunteer staff member for A.C.R.E. Artist Residency and Comfort Station. His recent curatorial projects include GATHER and the P.O.W.E.R. Project. His work has been featured in publications including Sixty Inches From the Center, (Gather), Movement Matters, Bad at Sports Contemporary Art Talk (ANX 2015 Roots and Culture) and featured work in the Netflix Original Series “Easy” Seasons 1 and 2.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/pt.fw... or contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org. To access the live stream on Twitch, please use this link: https://www.twitch.tv/ptfwd?fbclid=IwAR3CY9d7nRLsZxhn4c5nDdmLYkTe5z8plODTUEd1b5awLToYRp9vNZMkMXE .

What Records Do Not Say: McLean County Genealogical Society

Tuesday, April 20, 2021
7:00 PM

Many times, a record only scratches the surface of what was going on when that record was created. This lecture looks at why a record was created and how state statute, common practice, economic situations, family issues, and other factors may be the “real story” behind any document. How to determine (when possible) what those “unwritten” issues were will be discussed.

Michael joins us through ZOOM for this evening's program on Tuesday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m. He is an author, writer, columnist, lecturer, and blogger. He is an experienced researcher and lecturer and has written how-to articles on genealogy since 1985 and has presented seminars and lectures since the mid 1990's. Michael has lectured at local, state and national conferences on a variety of genealogy and family history topics.

This meeting is open to the public. Please join members of the MCGS for this informational meeting.

Please contact Pat (309)454-4371 or mcgs.directors@gmail.com for questions.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82332810597?pwd=aHhxcm9Gb3lUQy9rVFRCeWZXeVU4QT09

Or phone in:
312-626-6799

Meeting ID: 823 3281 0597
Passcode: 109991

MCGS- Kathy Michael McLean County Clerk: Resources at the Clerk's Office

Sunday, April 18, 2021
6:30 PM

McLean County Genealogical Society program held in the historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom.

Breaking Bread in McLean County - Ça va, Cassava? The Roots of Congolese Cooking

Tuesday, April 13, 2021
6:00 PM

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, West Bloomington Revitalization Project, Mennonite Church of Normal, and First United Methodist Church together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), Design Streak at Illinois State University, and Heartland Community College will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to Congolese Americans, seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities.

Join Chris Callahan, Professor of French at Illinois Wesleyan University, and Jacques Bisimwa Bufole as they explore the Congolese American experience in McLean County.

Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

To register for this Zoom webinar, go to bit.ly/breakbread3

Lunch and Learn: Avoiding a Mid-Life Crisis: The Ecology Action at 50, Looking Back and Moving Ahead

Thursday, April 8, 2021
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the eighth Zoom Lunch and Learn of this season. What started as a one-day recycling drive in 1971 is now a professional environmental agency for McLean County. Michael Brown, Executive Director Ecology Action Center, looks back on the history of the environmental movement in our community and the challenges that lie ahead for the next half-century.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit http://bit.ly/MCMHAprLunch. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Autism Awareness StoryWalk at MCMH

Friday, April 2, 2021
5:00 PM

Come to the square around the McLean County Museum of History in Downtown Bloomington between Friday, April 2, and Sunday, April 11 to follow the path of our StoryWalk® and read "My Brother Charlie" by Holly Robinson Peete and Ryan Elizabeth Peete, pictures by Shane W. Evans (Scholastic, 2010).From 5-8pm on Friday, April 2, Museum staff will be onsite offering outdoor activities and information.
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ABOUT THE BOOK
"Charlie has autism. His brain works in a special way. It's harder for him to make friends. Or show his true feelings. Or stay safe." But as his big sister tells us, for everything that Charlie can't do well, there are plenty more things that he's good at. He knows the names of all the American presidents. He knows stuff about airplanes. And he can even play the piano better than anyone he knows. Actress and national autism spokesperson Holly Robinson Peete collaborates with her daughter on this book based on Holly's 10-year-old son, who has autism.
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Also from April 2-11, this same StoryWalk® will be available at the beautiful Miller Park, 1020 South Morris Ave. (You'll find us between the pavilion and the zoo.)Bloomington Public Library, Autism McLean, Autism Friendly Community, the City of Bloomington's Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department, and the McLean County Museum of History are pleased to offer this cooperative program. StoryWalks® have been installed in 50 states and 14 countries, including Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea! StoryWalk® was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and was developed with the help of Rachel Senechal, Kellogg-Hubbard Library.

Zoom Webinar: Artists, Advocates, Acrobats, & More! Women Who Made McLean County History.

Tuesday, March 30, 2021
7:00 PM

Making history has always come naturally to women, and the women of McLean County are no exception. Yet, the stories of these historic women often go untold. On Tuesday, March 30 at 7:00 p.m., join Candace Summers, Director of Community Education, for a program that will highlight 20 McLean County women, from all walks of life, who shaped our history. From the first woman Illinois State Senator, Florence Fifer Bohrer; to the “Queen of the Flying Trapeze,” Antoinette Concello; and Civil Rights activist Sister Mary Antona Ebo, this illustrated program will explore their lives and recognize their lasting contributions to our community and our world.

To register for this free Zoom webinar, please follow this link https://bit.ly/3it8FZz. Questions or more information, please email education@mchistory.org.

Zoom Webinar- Pitfalls and Promise: Memorializing McLean County's Past

Tuesday, March 23, 2021
6:30 PM

Please join the Museum for a virtual program as we take measure of how McLean County has chosen to remember the past in the form of historic markers, monuments, plaques, statuary, and the like. On Tuesday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m., Museum Librarian Bill Kemp will share a lavishly illustrated program that includes historic and contemporary images. This program--at turns light-hearted and serious--will delve deep into this fraught issue with case studies of sites both well-known and forgotten. Kemp will tell us all about the Kickapoo statue in LeRoy with connections to 19th century spiritualism; the repeatedly misguided attempts to memorialize Abraham Lincoln's ""Lost Speech;"" and why there's a marker in downtown Bloomington celebrating the site of the nation's first brick street when that's clearly not true! Be prepared for many more equally fascinating stories in this one-hour talk.

To register for this free Zoom webinar, please follow this link https://bit.ly/3bYCP5N. Questions or more information, please email education@mchistory.org.

Genealogy Giants Podcast on Zoom- McLean County Genealogical Society

Tuesday, March 16, 2021
7:00 PM

Join members of The McLean Genealogical Society as we watch and listen to Sunny Morten provide comparisons between the GENEALOGICAL GIANTS: Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, Findmypast.com and MyHeritage.com on Tuesday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m.

These four websites all offer millions of historical records, ability to build your family tree on their website, ""hint"" guidelines, and help and tutorials for you.

Learn about which website may be the best for you. Knowing what each website offers will help you to determine which one to use to improve your family history research.

Sunny Morton is a popular lecturer for the genealogy community. She's a Contributing Editor at Family Tree Magazine and the author of hundreds of articles and blog posts, as well as the brand new book How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records, co-authored with Harold Henderson (published, 2019); Story of My Life: A Workbook for Preserving Your Legacy (published, 2016) and the quick reference guide, ""Genealogy Giants: Comparing the 4 Major Websites"" ( 2019: digital download $5.00) She is an official FamilySearch blogger and past Contributing Editor at Lisa Louise Cooke's Genealogy Gems Podcast.

Disclaimer: Video was originally present in 2017 so numbers may be different when compared to 2021 figures.

Please contact: Pat (309)454-4371 or directors@mcgs.org for questions

Or phone in: 312-626-6799
Meeting ID: 846 8503 9587
Passcode: 641826

Breaking Bread in McLean County - Johnny Cakes to Paddy Cakes: Irish Cookery

Saturday, March 13, 2021
1:00 PM

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, and West Bloomington Revitalization Project together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), and Design Streak at Illinois State University, will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to the Congolese, seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities.

Join Greg Koos, local historian and Executive Director Emeritus of the McLean County Museum of History, as he explores the Irish-American experience in McLean County.

Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A.

To register for this Zoom webinar, go to http://bit.ly/breakbread2.

12 Months of Covid-19: A Remembrance

Friday, March 12, 2021
5:00 PM

One year ago, on Friday, March 13 at 5:00 p.m., as it became clear that it was only a matter of time before the pandemic arrived in our community, the Museum closed to the public. The first COVID-­19 case in the county was announced by the McLean County Health Department on March 19, and the first death in the county was reported on March 22. Since then, at least 175 McLean County residents have lost their lives to the virus, and over 14,600 have had the virus. This has been a challenging time for many, most of all for those who have lost relatives and close friends to the virus, and those who continue to suffer long-­term health consequences. Museum staff and board send their condolences to those who have lost someone to COVID­19, and acknowledge the shared trauma our communities have faced in the last 12 months.

To mark the anniversary of the arrival of the pandemic in McLean County, the Museum is partnering with Not In Our Town, Illinois State University, Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College, and local leaders and artists to present a brief ceremony on Friday, March 12 at 5:00 p.m. Join us virtually through our Facebook page to honor the memory of McLean County residents who have lost their lives, and reflect on the impact the pandemic has had on our community over the past year.

Program Schedules is as follows:

Introduction by Museum

Poem reading by Kathleen Kirk

Mollie Ward with the Interfaith Alliance and Carle BroMenn Medical Center

Kendall Miles singing “God Bless America”

Marianne Manko with the McLean County Health Department

Acknowledgement of the McLean County residents lost to COVID-19 with moment of silence

BCAI Cultural Arts and Humanities performance to ""I Am Light"" by India.Arie

Closure

We will also be collecting nonperishable food items at the event for the Immigration Project to help families in need in McLean County. Food items needed include rice, dry or canned beans, oil, and juice boxes.

For more information or for questions, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

"

Zoom Lunch and Learn: Bloomington-Normal Innovation Alliance: Partnering for Our Digital Future

Thursday, March 11, 2021
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the seventh Zoom Lunch and Learn of this season. This session will feature Jamie Mathy, Council Member City of Bloomington, and Kevin McCarthy, Council Member Town of Normal, who will discuss digital transformation, which has been on the agenda of organizations and governments for years. Right now is a crucial time for leaders to plan for and implement it. Amongst senior executives, there’s widespread recognition that the role of digital technology is shifting - from driving marginal efficiency to being a catalyst of innovation. This means that in the coming years, a number of decisions must be made to embrace innovation, bolstering local economies with smart development & policies rooted in connectivity, mobility, equity, and sustainability.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit http://bit.ly/MCMHMarLunch.Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

ZOOM Presence, Pride & Passion: A History of African Americans in McLean County

Tuesday, February 23, 2021
2:15 PM

YWCA McLean County and McLean County Museum of History’s Black History Project are pleased to present a three-day educational series: Presence, Pride and Passion: A History of African Americans in McLean County, in honor of Black History Month. Jeff Woodard, director of marketing and community relations at McLean County History Museum, will present the biographies of three local African Americans and how they made their mark in McLean County.

Day 1: Tuesday, February 23, 2:15-3:00 p.m. – Presence – Blacks chose to make McLean County their home as early as the 1830s. Through tragedy and hardship, some became homeowners and lived in many areas of the community. One such individual was Dr. Eugene Covington. Dr. Covington was the only Black medical professional to successfully practice in McLean County until the late twentieth century. Join us to find out how he was able to be successful.

Day 2: Wednesday, February 24, 2:15-3:00 p.m. – Pride – Determination has always played a role in the success of Blacks in America. Many who served in the military returned home only to be denied opportunity. After serving in World War I, veteran Willis Stearles returned to Bloomington. Through favorable circumstances and arduous work, Stearles gained community acceptance in ways no one would imagine. Join us to learn more about Willis Stearles.

Day 3: Thursday, February 25, 2:15-3:00 p.m. – Passion – In honoring Black people in the community who had a passion for success, we cannot tell the story of Bloomington-Normal African American history without examining the accomplishments of Mrs. Caribel Washington. Retired State Farm executive, Willie Brown, once referred to Mrs. Washington as “one of our Presidents.” Washington's passion for civil rights guided her principles throughout her entire life. She left some very sound advice for us all. Join us to learn more about Caribel Washington and how she is connected to YWCA McLean County. 

To register: https://zoom.us/meeting/regist... 

Zoom Billy Sunday: The Baseball Evangelist

Tuesday, February 16, 2021
6:30 PM

The Museum is pleased to present a virtual program with Craig Bishop who will present a webinar on his self-published book, Billy Sunday: The Baseball Evangelist, and share details about Sunday's early life in Iowa, his athletic career, and his rise to fame as the most well-known evangelist in the United States in the early Twentieth century. This free, public program will be presented via Zoom on Tuesday, February 16 at 6:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.

William Ashley Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball’s National League in the 1880s and early 1890s, he became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the Twentieth century.

Sunday was born into poverty near Ames, Iowa. His mother sent him and his older brother to the Soldier’s Orphans Home in Glenwood, Iowa, and then later to the Soldier’s Orphans’ Home in Davenport, Iowa. It was while living at these Homes that Sunday learned healthy habits and honed his physical skills that helped him become a good athlete. His speed and agility provided him the opportunity to play baseball in the major leagues for eight years (four of those with the Chicago White Stockings), where he was known as being an average hitter, and a good fielder known for his base running.

Sunday converted to evangelical Christianity in the late 1880s and left baseball for the Christian ministry in 1891. He gradually developed his skills at the pulpit in the Midwest and soon expanded throughout the entire nation. He was a driving force behind the campaign to ban alcohol, which culminated in the passage of the 18th Amendment, which established Prohibition. For the first 20 years of the Twentieth century, he “preached to millions, hobnobbed with U.S. presidents and titans of industry, and waged a tireless campaign against alcohol,” including a stop in Bloomington from December 27, 1907 through February 2, 1908.

Craig Bishop attended received a BA in history from Kansas State University and an MA in Society and Eastern European Studies from the University of Kansas. He has been involved in the Pilot Outreach jail ministry for the last 27 years and has served churches in various ways depending on their needs. Bishop began to study the life of Billy Sunday in 1998, and after many years of research, completed his book in 2016.

To purchase a copy of the book, please visit https://billysundayevangelist.com/wp/2020/09/15/on-sale-now/. Copies are $19 each plus tax and shipping.

This program is free and open to the public. To register for this Zoom webinar, please click this link https://bit.ly/2XCt0SG. Questions? Please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Zoom Lunch and Learn: What Is Liberal Education and Why Does It Matter?

Thursday, February 11, 2021
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the sixth Zoom Lunch and Learn of this season. S. Georgia Nugent, President of Illinois Wesleyan University, will speak about the effectiveness and contributions of private liberal arts colleges and universities and the importance of the liberal arts as fields of study.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHFebLunch. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Breaking Bread in McLean County - It's All in the Salsa: Mexican Stories of McLean County

Tuesday, February 9, 2021
6:00 PM

The Museum, in partnership with BN Welcoming (a coalition of the Immigration Project, Not In Our Town/Not In Our Schools, and West Bloomington Revitalization Project together creating a supportive environment for immigrants to McLean County), and Design Streak at Illinois State University, will present a 10-part program series exploring stories of migration, immigration, adaptation, assimilation, appropriation, preservation, contribution, and sustentation in McLean County. Breaking Bread in McLean County will highlight the shared and disparate experiences of local migrant communities from the Kickapoo to the Congolese, seeking to disrupt the historical chronology in order to promote a deeper understanding of the ways McLean County has traditionally treated its migrant communities.

Join Carolyn Nadeau, Byron S. Tucci Professor of Hispanic Studies at Illinois Wesleyan University, and Constantina Navarrete, owner of Taqueria El Porton in Bloomington, as they explore the Mexican American experience in McLean County. 

Programs will last approximately 1 hr with time reserved for Q&A. 

To register for this Zoom webinar, go to bit.ly/breakbread1

February First Friday: Love is in the Air

Friday, February 5, 2021
5:00 PM

Show Downtown Bloomington some love this First Friday! Love is in the air from 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 5. Join your favorite galleries, retailers, and restaurants for gifts, take-home activities, and more! The Museum will be on the plaza with sweet treats from our friends at RGW Candy Company and BEER NUTS Brand Snacks. Grab a make-n-take activity kit and help us spread the love with DIY fabric hearts and warm fuzzies. And don't forget to snap a selfie in front of our Heart Downtown photo-op! Shout out to Palace Events for helping us bring the heat to Washington Street! See you at First Friday!

Zoom History Reads Book Club- Lincoln in the Bardo

Tuesday, February 2, 2021
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 p.m. for the first installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2021. We will meet online via Zoom to discuss Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. Visit bit.ly/historyreads020221 to register for this free, online discussion.

February 1862. The Civil War is less than one year old. The fighting has begun in earnest, and the nation has begun to realize it is in for a long, bloody struggle. Meanwhile, President Lincoln’s beloved eleven-year-old son, Willie, lies upstairs in the White House, gravely ill. In a matter of days, despite predictions of a recovery, Willie dies and is laid to rest in a Georgetown Cemetery. “My poor boy, he was too good for this earth,” the president says at the time. “God has called him home.” Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returns, alone, to the crypt several times to hold his boy’s body.

From that seed of historical truth, George Saunders spins an unforgettable story of familial love and loss that breaks free of its realistic, historical framework into a supernatural realm both hilarious and terrifying. Willie Lincoln finds himself in a strange purgatory where ghosts mingle, gripe, commiserate, quarrel, and enact bizarre acts of penance. Within this transitional state—called, in the Tibetan tradition, the bardo—a monumental struggle erupts over young Willie’s soul.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-828-6093 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Zoom Lunch and Learn: What Does Fido Know? Inside the Mind of the Dog.

Thursday, January 14, 2021
12:00 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the fifth Zoom Lunch and Learn of this season. Ellen Furlong, Associate Professor of Psychology and Director, IWU Dog Scientists Team at Illinois Wesleyan University will answer questions such as: Do you know how dogs became dogs? Do you know what dogs see, hear, and -- importantly -- smell? Does your dog consider you to be their best friend? How can you make sure your dog is happy? We will explore these questions and more as we discuss the psychology of the domestic dog.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit http://bit.ly/MCMHJanLunch. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Writing a 19th Century County History in the 21st Century with Greg Koos

Wednesday, January 13, 2021
12:10 PM

Writing a 19^th Century County History in the 21^st Century. In this presentation the author, Greg Koos will discuss his just published book Freedom, Land & Community: A History of McLean County, Illinois 1730-1900. He will explore McLean County History by discussing questions about the inherent conflicts associated with freedom, which are experienced in a place (land) that is claimed by a community.

Cruisin' with Lincoln - Last Chance Christmas Shopping!

Saturday, December 19, 2020
10:00 AM

Due to the resounding success of Small Business Saturday, we have decided to reopen one last time before Christmas so you can get some last minute gifts! Shop with us Saturday, December 19, 10am-2pm!Masks and physical distancing will be strictly enforced. We have...

Funks Grove Maple Sirup in many sizes
Funks Grove Pancake mix
BEER NUTS
Books -- local history and local authors
Lots of Route 66 themed items
Christmas ornaments
and more!

We appreciate your support, and are excited to see you!

Birds of a Feather Flock Together: Where Do Birds Nest in Bloomington-Normal

Thursday, December 10, 2020
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the fourth Zoom Lunch and Learn of this season. Given Harper, Professor of Biology at Illinois Wesleyan University, will share some of the findings from a two-year breeding survey that he, along with two IWU students, conducted in Bloomington/Normal. Dr. Harper will also discuss ways to make bird-friendly breeding habitat in the Twin Cities. Breeding habitats are vital considering that a recent scientific study has shown that bird populations in North America have declined by almost 3 billion birds since 1970. Studies have shown that urban areas have become increasingly important in providing breeding habitat for birds.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit http://bit.ly/MCMHDecLunch. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Zoom Webinar: McLean County Holiday Stories

Tuesday, December 8, 2020
6:30 PM

Please join the Museum for a fun and exciting virtual program of holiday stories that is sure to bring back fond memories of holidays of yesterday. On Tuesday, December 8 at 6:30 p.m., Bill Kemp, the Museum’s Librarian, will share stories (and images) about how local residents celebrated the holidays from the pioneer era into the mid-20th century. Participants will learn the important role the German community played in popularizing many Christmas traditions, and travel back to a time when downtown Bloomington was a retail wonderland!

To register for this free Zoom webinar, please follow this link http://bit.ly/MCMHHoliday. Questions or more information, please email education@mchistory.org. We hope you will join us to get in the holiday spirit from no matter where you are!

Santa on the Square Photo Op

Wednesday, December 2, 2020
12:00 AM

Make new memories this historic season with Santa on the Square!

Brought to you by the City of Bloomington and the McLean County Museum of History, with additional support from CEFCU and the Illinois Farm Bureau.

Inspired by the iconic Livingston Santas of historic Downtown Bloomington, you can take safe, festive photos all December long! Find Santa and the Downtown Holiday Tree on Main Street outside the McLean County Museum of History.Share your photos with us by tagging them #SantaontheSquare

From the 1940s to the mid-1970s, Livingston's department store hoisted two giant Santas onto its overhang for the holiday season. Each stood about 13 ft tall and were made of early plastic or fiberglass material.

Zoom Lunch and Learn - 5G High Speed and Antennas Everywhere

Thursday, November 12, 2020
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the third Zoom Lunch and Learn of this season. Jamie Mathy, Council Member for the City of Bloomington and former Chief Technology Officer at Mavidea, will present a program on 5G, the hottest new buzzword in cell phone technology. And this holiday season every cell phone from every carrier will be talking about their 5G network. But what does 5G really mean, and how will it affect Bloomington-Normal? Mathy will go into more detail and talk about the highs and lows of the impending 5G rollout.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHNovLunch. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won’t want to miss this fascinating program.

Zoom History Reads Book Club: Corn Kings & One-Horse Thieves

Wednesday, November 4, 2020
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 p.m. for the final installment of the History Reads Book Club for 2020. We will meet online via Zoom to discuss Corn Kings & One-horse Thieves: A Plain-spoken History of Mid-Illinois by James Krohe, Jr. Visit bit.ly/2P6yfpn to register for this free, online discussion.

Krohe describes in lively prose the history of mid-Illinois from the Woodland period of prehistory until roughly 1960, covering the settlement of the region by peoples of disparate races and religions; the exploitation by Euro-Americans of forest, fish, and waterfowl; the transformation of farming into a high-tech industry; and the founding and deaths of towns. The economic, cultural, and racial factors that led to hostility and compromise between various people of different backgrounds are explored, as are the roles of education and religion in this part of the state. The book examines remarkable utopian experiments, social and moral reform movements, and innovations in transportation and food processing. It also offers fresh accounts of labor union warfare and social violence directed against Native Americans, immigrants, and African Americans and profiles three generations of political and government leaders, sometimes extraordinary and sometimes corrupt (the “one-horse thieves” of the title).

Accessible and entertaining yet well-researched and informative, Corn Kings and One-Horse Thieves draws on a wide range of sources to explore a surprisingly diverse section of Illinois whose history is America in microcosm.

To request a copy of the book, please contact the Reference Desk at Bloomington Public library at 309-828-6093 or email reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Halloween Virtual Party: Style in Stereo!

Friday, October 30, 2020
5:00 PM

Tune in for a live performance of spooky songs by local band, Style in Stereo! Enjoy a few jokes and laughs all while participating in our virtual costume sharing and dance party on Facebook LIVE at 5:00 p.m.! Halloween has looked a little different in #DowntownBLM this year so we wanted to cap off this spooky month with a party, even if it can't be in person!  

Hosted by McLean County Museum of History and Bloomington Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department.

https://www.facebook.com/event...

Día de los Muertos Community Ofrenda

Saturday, October 24, 2020
7:00 PM

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) originated in Mexico over 3,000 years ago and is increasingly celebrated throughout Latin America and the United States. Celebrations of the holiday vary from region to region, but one thing remains constant: Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life and a time to honor loved ones who have passed. In this spirit, the Museum, Western Avenue Community Center, and Conexiones Latinas de McLean County are excited to announce that our annual Día de los Muertos celebration will return for its third year on Saturday, October 24.

Plan to visit the Museum Square on October 24-25 to view an outdoor community ofrenda (altar), complete with photos of passed loved ones from local community members and a beautiful display by our community partners.

Wanting to honor a late loved one? Email a photo with their name and a brief description and/or memory to education@mchistory.org before October 16 to have their photo included in the ofrenda display. Everyone who submits a photo will be entered into a drawing for gift cards to some of our favorite local Mexican and Latinx establishments. By submitting a photo by email to education@mchistory.org, you grant the Museum permission to publish that photo for public display and for use on the Museum’s and its partners’ social media platforms.

Local talent Marcos Mendez will also grace remote audiences with a live-streamed concert at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 24.

***

El día de los Muertos se origino en México hace mas de 3,000 años y se celebra por todo America Latina y los Estados Unidos. La celebración de este día de fiesta varia de región a región, pero una cosa es consistente: El Dia de los Muertos es una celebración de vida para honrar a los seres queridos que ya fallecieron.

Nuestro socio el Centro Western Avenue estará montando una ofrenda para la comunidad en el cuadro del Museo. Necesitamos la contribución de la comunidad para completarla, así que nos encantaría honrar a sus seres queridos fallecidos, colocando su foto en la ofrenda. Mande una foto por correo electrónico a education@mchistory.org con el nombre y algo que recuerde de la persona, las fotos deben ser enviadas antes del 16 de octubre para poderlas incluir en la ofrenda. Toda persona que mande una foto entrara a una rifa para una tarjeta de alguno de los restaurantes locales mexicanos y latinx. Al enviar una foto por correo electrónico a education@mchistory.org, usted le estará dando permiso, al Museo y a sus socios de exhibirla al público y en las redes sociales, automáticamente.

Esperamos verlos afuera del Museo, en el cuadro el 24 y 25 de octubre para ver la ofrenda comunitaria.

"

2020 Election: History in the Making

Thursday, October 8, 2020
12:10 PM

Join the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University for the next Zoom Lunch and Learn. Robert Bradley, Professor Emeritus, Politics & Government at Illinois State University, will speak about the factors that will make the 2020 election truly historic. Analysis will also be presented of the presidential race, as well as those races that will determine which party will control the U.S. Senate and House.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/MCMHLunchOct. Questions? Please contact the Marketing Department at marketing@mchistory.org. Grab your lunch and join us from where ever you may be! You won't want to miss this fascinating program.

2020 Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Saturday, October 3, 2020
9:00 AM

Join us for the 2020 Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk! The video production of the Virtual Walk will be viewable through the online platform Teachable. Teachable will allow the Museum to present this year’s production in a way that is accessible to both the general public and the many student groups who annually participate. Ticket holders will have the option to view the Walk in its entirety as a full-length video, or watch each performance individually as many times as you want from now until January 1.

In addition to each performance, Teachable will allow us to add additional content and videos to enhance the Cemetery Walk experience like never before. Examples of additional content may include a mini guided tour of the tree carvings throughout Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, and supplemental information and images about events and activities that this year’s feature characters participated in. This virtual experience will allow us to share even more information about the history of our community, of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, and this year’s feature characters.

Tickets can be purchased by following this link to Teachable, the online platform being utilized for this video production. Tickets are $25 per household for the general public and $20 per household for members of the Museum (members please use code CEMWALKMEM2020 upon check out).

For more information about this year’s event and to see who this year’s feature characters are, please visit click here. Questions? Please email education@mchistory.org.

We hope you can join us for our re-imagined event from where ever you may be!

"

First Friday Art & Architecture Crawl

Friday, October 2, 2020
5:00 PM

The Annual Art & Architecture hunt is on, with a twist! This year the event will be spread over a week-long period and will include works of art on display in gallery windows along with art vocabulary words for you to find on the hunt! While you are strolling around, don't forget to look for architectural landmarks that are featured on the hunt map as well! 

Click here for English maps

Click here for Spanish maps

Participating galleries include:

Joann Goetzinger Studio and Gallery
Herb Eaton Studio and Gallery
Inside Out: Accessible Art
Art Vortex
Angel Ambrose Fine Art Studio
Three Square Studio
Evolving Visions Studios
Harold Gregor Gallery

"

A Community in Conversation Part 3: Who Has the Power to be Heard?

Tuesday, September 29, 2020
6:00 PM

Join us for the online relaunch of the program series, A Community in Conversation, as we again ask ourselves, "Who Has the Power?" Women’s participation in politics (whether at the polls or in office) is at an all-time high—which begs the question, who has the power to be heard?Inspired by the McLean County Museum of History’s newest exhibit, Challenges, Choices, and Change: A Community in Conflict, the Museum in partnership with Not In Our Town Bloomington-Normal, Heartland Community College, YWCA McLean County, Normal Human Relations Commission, and other local organizations (League of Women Voters of McLean County, NAACP of Bloomington-Normal, and more) will present the third installment of this four-part, dialogue-based program series, A Community in Conversation, on September 29 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom.This program will include a brief introduction to relevant local stories featured in the new exhibit, followed by facilitated small group discussion exploring the chosen theme. All ages are encouraged to participate in any or all of the planned discussions.Registration for this free, public program is required. Click here to register: tinyurl.com/y3ygvgdx

The Evergreen Cemetery Walk Reimagined

Saturday, September 12, 2020
2:00 PM

Join McLean County Museum of History’s Director of Education Candace Summers for a program on the Museum’s longest running and most successful outreach program, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk. This program will be held via Zoom on Saturday, September 12 at 2:00 p.m.

Following a milestone 25th anniversary, the McLean County Museum of History, Illinois Voices Theatre, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery are excited to announce that the 26th annual Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be reimagined for online enjoyment this fall.

In the interest of the safety of our patrons, partners, volunteers, and organizers, and in consideration of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be debuted on a digital platform. This digital debut will guarantee continued support of the event’s original mission—to educate more than 2,000 local students on the historic significance of cemeteries—and allow us to offer the treasured Cemetery Walk experience to even greater audiences by eliminating such barriers as geography, mobility, and capacity.

This program will explore the roots of this event and how it began as a call to action because vandalism was a major problem at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. The program will investigate some of the beautiful sites and monuments throughout the cemetery, plus explore how this now Virtual Walk will be presented. Audience members will also be introduced to the individuals who will be featured during the 26th Anniversary Evergreen Cemetery Walk this year.

Candace Summers, Director of Education and lead coordinator for the Evergreen Cemetery Walk, has worked at the McLean County Museum of History for over 15 years. Each year she helps to educate over 20,000 people in Central Illinois through educational programs like the Evergreen Cemetery Walk. About 8,000 of those individuals are school children and senior citizens who receive in-depth educational programs free of charge.

This program is free and open to the public. It is funded in part by Illinois Humanities. Illinois Humanities activates the humanities through free public programs, grants, and educational opportunities that foster reflection, spark conversation, build community, and strengthen civic engagement. Illinois Humanities is a nonprofit organization and the state’s affiliate for the National Endowment for the Humanities.

To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/CemWalk2020. Questions? Contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Your Brain at the Bat: How Neural Activity Can Inform Baseball Performance

Thursday, September 10, 2020
12:10 PM

Jason Themanson, Chair and Professor of Psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University

This Zoom presentation will explore how looking at the neural activity of baseball players can provide useful information on their psychology and performance. Hitting is a very complex task in baseball, with many psychological processes working at the same time. Learning what is going on in the brain of hitters can help us understand that complex task and give hitters and coaches important data that can be used to improve hitting performance.

Topic: Lunch and Learn: Your Brain at the Bat: How Neural Activity Can Inform Baseball Performance
Time: Sep 10, 2020 12:10 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83898605476?pwd=bmI0eUpaNTBsaGVTQ2w4eUJ4SXZqZz09

Meeting ID: 838 9860 5476
Passcode: 105028

Lunch and Learn is a collaboration between the Museum of History and Illinois Wesleyan University.

Forward into Light- Light Up the Museum Square

Friday, August 28, 2020
5:00 PM

The McLean County Museum of History is pleased to participate in commemorating this seminal moment in U.S. women’s history, celebrating the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution. While this amendment legally guaranteed that women could not be denied the right to vote by any State or the Federal Government, we acknowledge that much work still had to be done to guarantee the right to vote for all U.S. citizens regardless of race or sex. And we encourage the members of our community to learn more about that struggle for equal voting rights and how we must continue to work hard to ensure that right remains today.

Continuing with the celebrations that began on August 26 into the weekend, the Museum and League of Women Voters are participating in the Forward into Light nationwide campaign by lighting up the Museum Square August 28-30. To honor the historic suffrage slogan “Forward through the Darkness, Forward into Light,” cultural institutions across the nation will be changing their lights to purple and gold, the official suffrage colors, to mark the anniversary of the ratification of the 19^th Amendment. So come down to the Museum Square as we light the night to celebrate our voting rights!

"

Celebrating the Voting Power of Women

Wednesday, August 26, 2020
5:30 PM

On Aug . 26 , 1920 , eight days after it had been ratified, the 19th Amendment was declared in effect by Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby, giving female citizens the right to vote in all American elections.

Join the League of Women Voters of McLean County, the McLean County Museum of History, and the B-N Alumnae Chapter-Delta Sigma Theta Sorority for a celebration on the east side of the History Museum. The event will feature:

• Celebratory masks for the first 60 participants (masks and physical distancing is required);
• Voter registration opportunities;
• League of Women Voter Membership table (stop by and learn how to join us)
• Inspiring music to help us power the vote in the November 3rd election;
• Remarks from:
Becky Hines, president League of Women Voters of McLean County
Janessa Williams, from co-sponsor B-N Alumnae Chapter-Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (Midwest Region); plus,
• A chance to win some voting-themed prizes with Suffragist Trivia

While we celebrate, we will also rally to support the work ahead.

“The battles women fought 100 years ago—for a constitutional right and against segregationist and discriminatory Jim Crow laws in the South—echo in 2020 as American women continue to work against voter suppression and for full access to the polls.”-Historian Martha Jones

2020 Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk: Ticket Sales Begin

Monday, August 17, 2020
11:00 AM

Ticket are now on sale for the 2020 Virtual Evergreen Cemetery Walk. Tickets can be purchased by following this link to Teachable, the online platform being utilized for this video production. Tickets are $25 per household for the general public and $20 per household for members of the Museum (members please use code CEMWALKMEM2020 upon check out). Ticket holders will have the option to view the Walk in its entirety as a full-length video, or watch each performance individually. For more information about this year's event and to see who this year's feature characters are, please visit click here.  Questions? Please email education@mchistory.org.

Facebook Live Event: March of the Women- Music for the 100th Annivesary of Suffrage

Saturday, August 8, 2020
1:15 PM

The Museum, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of McLean County, are pleased to host a virtual program with musician Phil Passen, who will perform songs on his hammer dulcimer about women’s suffrage, along with additional sons about women’s role in mid-nineteenth century and early twentieth century society. The program will be presented on Saturday, August 8 at 1:15 p.m. via the Museum’s Facebook page.

The year 2020 marks a salient moment in Women’s History in the United States; the ratification of the 19^th Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees that “the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Illinois has the distinction of being one of the first three states to ratify the amendment just six days after Congress passed it in 1919. Passen’s program consists of songs about women’s suffrage from the mid-nineteenth century through 1920, along with additional songs about the role of women in society, including songs about equal work for equal pay, reproductive rights, and other relevant topics. His program will begin with “Winning the Vote,” a humorous but pointed song written in 1912 as a conversation between men and women about women’s suffrage; and conclude with “Bread and Roses,” the anthemic song of women workers based on a poem inspired by the 1912 Lawrence textile strike. This is an entertaining and informative look at the fight for women’s right to vote and the continuing fight for women’s rights today.

A native of Ohio, few musicians play the hammered dulcimer. Fewer still sing while accompanying themselves on this fascinating instrument. Phil Passen does both. He was a full-time activist in the antiwar and civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s before he became involved with Folk Music. Itching to learn how to play a musical instrument, Passen did not pick up the dulcimer until 1994 when he saw it being performed at a concert. He has been playing ever since. He regularly performs at libraries and has also performed in the World Symphony Orchestra at Chicago’s Auditorium Theater. Following his performances, Passen also invites audience members to come up and take a closer look at his dulcimer and try their hand at it too.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

This program is sponsored by a grant from Illinois Humanities. Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.

Zoom History Reads Book Club

Tuesday, August 4, 2020
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join the Museum and Bloomington Public Library on Tuesday, August 4 at 7:00 p.m. for the second installment of the History Reads Book Club. We will meet online via Zoom to discuss Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore. Visit bit.ly/historybookclubreg to register for this free, online discussion.

As World War I raged across the globe, hundreds of young women toiled away at the radium-dial factories (including one located in Ottawa, Illinois) where they painted clock faces with a mysterious new substance called radium. Assured by their bosses that the luminous material was safe, the women themselves shone brightly in the dark, covered from head to toe with the glowing dust. With such a coveted job, these “shining girls” were considered the luckiest alive—until they began to fall mysteriously ill. As the fatal poison of the radium took hold, they found themselves embroiled in one of America’s biggest scandals and a groundbreaking battle for workers’ rights.

A rich, historical narrative written in a sparkling voice, The Radium Girls is the first book that fully explores the strength of these extraordinary women in the face of almost impossible circumstances and the astonishing legacy they left behind.

Radium Girls is available as an eBook and as an eAudiobook on both Hoopla and Digital Library of Illinois / Libby. (You will not have to place a hold on Hoopla. The title will be immediately available.) Some print copies may be available by request to reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

Liberty Brought Us Here: The True Story of American Slaves Who Migrated to Liberia

Saturday, August 1, 2020
1:30 PM

The Museum is pleased to present a virtual program with Susan E. Lindsey who will present a webinar on her new book, Liberty Brought Us Here: The True Story of American Slaves Who Migrated to Liberia, and the story’s connections to Bloomington, Mackinaw, Eureka, and Eureka College. This free, public program will be presented via Zoom on Saturday, August 1 at 1:30 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Ben Major—founder of Eureka College and brother of William T. Major (an early McLean County settler and founder of Bloomington’s First Christian Church) was living in Kentucky in the early 1830s. Driven by his faith and a growing dismay over the institution of slavery, Ben decided to free his enslaved people, who then migrated to Liberia, Africa, in 1836. For fifteen years, some of the formerly enslaved people corresponded with Ben; in turn, he sent them seeds, tools, medicine, and other supplies. The letters from Liberia still exist and are currently housed in the Museum’s archival collection. They form the foundation of this new book.

Lindsey stumbled across Ben’s story while researching her own great-great-great grandfather, James Alfred Lindsey of Mackinaw, who was Ben’s close friend. The author traveled from her home in Louisville to Bloomington to read the letters and wanted to know more. Why did Ben, who was descended from a long line of slave owners, free his enslaved people? Did the newly emancipated people want to go to another country? Did they have a choice? What would life in Africa have been like for them? Did they survive? What was the colonization movement about and what motivated its supporters? It took Lindsey more than six years of research to find the answers.

Susan E. Lindsey earned a bachelor's degree in communication from Pacific Lutheran University in Washington state before starting a nearly 20-year career in corporate communication and public relations. Ten years ago, she launched Savvy Communication, an editing business. She is coauthor and editor of Speed Family Heritage Recipes, a historical cookbook of recipes from the Speed family who built Farmington Plantation in Louisville. Lindsey has also published several essays and short stories.

To purchase a copy of the book, visit www.kentuckypress.com. Purchase the book by July 31 and use the code FS30, and you will receive a 30% discount.

This program is free and open to the public. It is funded in part by Illinois Humanities. Illinois Humanities activates the humanities through free public programs, grants, and educational opportunities that foster reflection, spark conversation, build community, and strengthen civic engagement. Illinois Humanities is a nonprofit organization and the state’s affiliate for the National Endowment for the Humanities. To register for this Zoom webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/3gEwfAK. Questions? Contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Making a Museum Virtual Workshop with the University of Illinois Extension

Friday, July 31, 2020
1:30 PM

Join the McLean County Museum of History and the University of Illinois Extension for a crash course in what it takes to make a museum! Find out the who, what, why, and how of museum-making through hands-on activities (like creating and curating your very own mini-museum display) and a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of some of our favorite local sites.

This workshop is open to students ages 9 to 14 and will be held via Zoom on Friday, July 31 from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. To register for this free workshop, click here.

Materials will be provided for free, with a no-contact pickup from our McLean County Extension Office (1615 Commerce Parkway in Bloomington). Material List: Pencil, Scissors, Worksheets, Cereal Box, Tape, Glue stick, Blank piece of paper, Markers, A personal Artifact from home.

For more information or questions, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org

The Emancipation Proclamation and Lincoln’s Evolving Views on Slavery

Saturday, July 18, 2020
1:00 PM

Even though Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66 has been postponed until 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it does not stop us from learning about one of Bloomington’s favorite frequent visitors, Abraham Lincoln. The Museum is pleased to present a virtual program with Sarah Sullivan, history instructor and chairwoman of the Department of History at McHenry County College, who will present a webinar on “The Emancipation Proclamation and Lincoln’s Evolving Views on Slavery.” This free, public program will be presented via Zoom on Saturday, July 18 at 1:00 p.m.

On September 22, 1862 Abraham Lincoln released his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This Proclamation was both an act of conscience and a masterful political tactic. The Proclamation was congruent with Lincoln’s eventual belief that the slaves should be freed, allowed Lincoln to stay within the bounds of the Constitution, and provided a way to stymie the Confederacy all at the same time. The Emancipation Proclamation was, in Lincoln’s words, “The central act of my administration and the great event of the nineteenth century.”

So how did a man was not an abolitionist end up being the “Great Emancipator?” This presentation will explore how Lincoln transitioned to a view that slavery should be eliminated and was morally wrong, through his political and the (probably) illegal Emancipation Proclamation.

Sarah Sullivan is a full time History instructor at McHenry County College where she has taught history and business classes for over 20 years. She holds advanced degrees in American history, management, and human resources management. She has taught at McHenry County College since 1997. Her special areas of focus include women’s history, the American Revolutionary period, and 19th century political and social history. Sullivan’s interest in Lincoln goes all the way back to a family vacation to Springfield, IL when she was seven. She loves nothing more than telling an intriguing history story!

This program is free and open to the public. To register for this Zoom webinar, please click this link https://bit.ly/2UUNJQD.  Questions? Please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

This program is funded in part by Illinois Humanities. Illinois Humanities activates the humanities through free public programs,grants, and educational opportunities that foster reflection, spark conversation,build community, and strengthen civic engagement. Illinois Humanities is a nonprofit organization and the state’s affiliate for the National Endowment for the Humanities.

A Community in Conversation: Who Has the Power to Define Morality?

Tuesday, April 28, 2020
6:45 PM

The final in the series will take place in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom on Tuesday, April 28 at 6:45 p.m.  Join members of the Prairie Pride Coalition and others  as we explore  the role and meaning of community as sexual expression within or society continues to evolve.  Inspired by the exhibit, Challenges Choices & Change: A Community in Conflict, this program series (January through April) will provide a brief introduction to local stories featured in the exhibit and expand into facilitated small group discussions on the chosen themes. All ages are encouraged to participate in any or all of the planned discussions.

Registration is encouraged, but not required. Click HERE to register.

The Quarantine Concerts

Saturday, April 11, 2020
7:00 PM

We're excited announce that PT.FWD is partnering with Chicago's Experimental Sound Studio, who recently launched The Quarantine Concerts, a platform for experimental musicians and artists to share work and receive donations during the COVID-19 crisis. The purpose of the Quarantine Concerts is to continue access to experimental sound arts during the quarantine, and to provide artists who are impacted by the quarantine with a platform for financial support; artists will receive 100% of the proceeds from donations received during the performances.

pt.fwd is curating an evening of performances on April 11, 2020, with an emphasis on artists with a connection to Central Illinois who have been impacted by the coronavirus situation. In addition to the donations received during the performance, pt.fwd will match the first $50 of donations. We hope that this donation match will drive more listeners and donors to tune in. This concert will give a handful of downstate artists an opportunity to perform in front of a wide audience, and will provide some financial support for them during this difficult time.

Event link: https://ess.org/the-quarantine-concerts

Join us on April 11th for this FREE event!

A Community in Conversation: Who Has the Power to be Heard?

Saturday, March 21, 2020
12:00 PM

Due to public health concerns, we are hosting our next A Community in Conversation Part 3 program as an online panel discussion. More details will follow, but please tune in to the Museum's Facebook at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 21 to engage with the topic of women in politics.

Women's participation in politics (whether at the polls or in office) is at an all-time high. Join the YWCA and members of the League of Women Voters, for the discussion. Inspired by the exhibit, Challenges Choices & Change: A Community in Conflict, this program series (January through April) will provide a brief introduction to local stories featured in the exhibit and expand into facilitated small group discussions on the chosen themes. All ages are encouraged to participate in any or all of the planned discussions. The series is being held in collaboration with Not it Our Town (NIOT), Heartland Community College, YWCA McLean County, and Normal Human Relations Commission.

Harriet Emma Dean Powell with Prof. Marcia Thomas

Thursday, March 12, 2020
12:10 PM

From the battlefields of Shiloh and Vicksburg to the top of Pikes Peak and further west, John Wesley Powell and his wife Emma Dean spent the first ten years of their marriage on the move. Throughout the 1860's, Emma was Powell's traveling companion, nurse, ornithologist, and co-explorer.  Illinois Wesleyan Professor Emeritus, Marcia Thomas takes a look at the life of these two adventurous and equal partners.  

9 Wonder Women of Toys

Tuesday, March 10, 2020
7:15 PM

In toys and games, as with so many fields of endeavor, women’s significant accomplishments have often been overlooked by history.

Join Christopher Bensch, Vice President for Collections at The Strong National Museum of Play, to explore the contributions of nine women inventors and entrepreneurs behind products such as Candy Land, Slinky, Barbie, and Jenga. From adopting new materials for toys to crafting fresh spins on classic games, these fascinating women helped change the world of play for all of us.

This free discussion is presented in conjunction with the Museum’s temporary exhibit, Pedal Power!, featuring the Bruce Callis Pedal Car Collection. Pedal Power! is sponsored by State Farm.

F1rst Fr1day - Discovering Youth Artists

Friday, March 6, 2020
5:00 PM

The Museum will host live, original performances by students of female-founded and supported BCAI -Breaking Chains & Advancing Increase School of Arts. Performances will take place on the First Floor of the Museum at 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Using innovative artistry, BCAI seeks to inspire action through an increased awareness of self, community, and culture.

Information about the Museum's and BCAI's upcoming events and summer programs will be available.

This will also be the last night to view the Billy Morrow Jackson Civil Rights Prints Exhibition on display through Saturday, March 7.

A Community in Conversation: Who Has the Power to Get an Equal Education?

Thursday, February 27, 2020
4:00 PM

The second in a series of programs will take place at Heartland Community College on Thursday, February 27 at 4:00 p.m. in the Community Commons Building, Room 1406 . Heartland Community College, along with representatives of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP, 100 Black Men, Black Lives Matter, and others will host a discussion on the lasting barriers and the lack of equitable access to educational opportunities for minority and marginalized populations. Inspired by the exhibit, Challenges Choices & Change: A Community in Conflict, this program series (January through April) will provide a brief introduction to local stories featured in the exhibit and expand into facilitated small group discussions on the chosen themes. All ages are encouraged to participate in any or all of the planned discussions. The series is being held in collaboration with Not it Our Town (NIOT), Heartland Community College, YWCA McLean County, and Normal Human Relations Commission.

Registration is encouraged, but not required. Click HERE to register.

Knit In at Bloomington Public Library

Saturday, February 22, 2020
10:00 AM

The next Knit In will be Saturday, February 22 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in the Community Room at Bloomington Public Library. Registration is free, but required. To register for the event, please contact Candace Summers, Director of Education at 309-827-0428 or via email at education@mchistory.org.

This quarter’s featured knitting/crocheting charities are Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, and Home Sweet Home Shelter and the Salvation Army Safe Harbor Shelter. We will be making hats and scarves for residents of Home Sweet Home and Safe Harbor, and fidget sleeves for patients with dementia at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center.

Knitters and crocheters are welcome to create an item for the featured charities or to work on their own project. Feel free to bring snacks and beverages. Grab a friend, some yarn, and come on down to Bloomington Public Library to “knit for a bit!”

For more information, questions, or to register to participate, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org.

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Thursday, February 20, 2020
12:00 AM

Invaluable Lincoln Document Unveiling

Saturday, February 15, 2020
11:00 AM

Bloomington-Normal-The McLean County Museum of History is pleased to announce the donation of a remarkable Abraham Lincoln document by retired Bloomington attorney and Lincoln scholar Guy Fraker. The legal pleading—running one and one-half pages in Lincoln’s own hand—dates to the fall of 1851 and offers a fascinating window into the sixteenth’s president’s law career and his deep connections to McLean County.

The Museum is timing the announcement of this once-in-a-lifetime gift to the week of Lincoln’s birthday (February 12). On Saturday, February 15, the Museum will unveil this document in a public program beginning at 11:00 a.m. Guy Fraker and Museum Librarian Bill Kemp will offer an overview of the document—the who, what, where, and why—before it’s made public for the very first time!

The Civil Rights Prints of Billy Morrow Jackson Exhibition Opens

Saturday, February 15, 2020
10:00 AM

The McLean County Museum of History announces a temporary exhibit featuring eight prints by Billy Morrow Jackson 

Graphically depicting some of the major protagonists, settings, and encounters of the Civil Rights movement, the prints are being presented in connection with the recently open exhibit Challenges, Choices, & Change: A Community in Conflict. 

Generously loaned to the Museum by Dr. Charles and Jeanne Morris, the prints will be on display on the first floor of the Museum from February 15 through March 7.

Billy Morrow Jackson was a white artist based in Central Illinois, whose subjects consisted of rural landscapes, farmhouses, portraits of friends and family, similar in tone and style to the paintings of Andrew Wyeth. But in this print series, he departed from his usual practices and created a portfolio that reflected the heroes and villains of the then, current, civil rights movement. The origin of his interest in the Civil Rights Movement is obscure. However, one factor could have been his interracial marriage. The couple were married in 1949, a time when interracial marriage was a courageous undertaking. Whatever the impetus, Jackson wanted to support the civil rights social justice agenda.

The prints were created in response to the Birmingham, Alabama Church bombing in 1963 and the killing of several civil rights workers in Mississippi in 1964. In these works, Jackson has put the perpetration of violence against innocent people into perspective, using the motif of wild animals and recounting terrible crimes. Jackson especially emphasized the “villains” who were in opposition to Civil Rights. The illusion of civilization has been stripped from the villains, whose atrocities were exercised on non-violent protestors who were merely seeking their full measure of citizenship. Through the prints Jackson exposes the bastardized version of religion and patriotism, to clearly indicate what civil rights activist of the era were up against—death.

The Illinois Small Business Development Center of McLean County at IWU

Thursday, February 13, 2020
12:10 PM

Bring your lunch and and enjoy the free Lunch and Learn series on the second Thursday each month, September through May. This program is a collaboration between the Museum and Illinois Wesleyan University.

Karen Bussone, director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center of McLean County at IWU, will share a brief history of the center, the services the center provides, funding streams, performance parameters, and how clients hoping to start a new business or grow an existing one should prepare for an appointment. 

Exploring the community of Noble-Wieting: a 700-year-old Native American village in McLean County

Saturday, February 8, 2020
1:15 PM

During the Mississippian period (1000-1400 AD), the largest prehistoric North American city existed right here in Illinois. The rise and fall of Cahokia reverberated throughout eastern North America, resulting in many population movements and new ways of life in the region. Archaeologists refer to the new lifeways in northern Illinois at this time as the Langford Tradition. While most major Langford sites occur along the upper Illinois River and the Chicagoland area, one site that does not fit the pattern is the village of Noble-Wieting in McLean County. Thus the Museum is pleased to welcome back Dr. Logan Miller, assistant professor of anthropology at Illinois State University, who will present a program about the most recent archaeological findings at the Noble-Wieting site this past summer 2019. The program will be held on Saturday, February 8 at 1:15 p.m. in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom and is free and open to the public.

Since the early 1900s archaeologists have puzzled over the site’s anomalous nature. Was Noble-Wieting a trading outpost, set up by Langford peoples to access Mississippian goods or ideas? Was it a refuge, established by Langford peoples but accepting disaffected Mississippians? Or was it an example of ethnogenesis, a new cultural entity emerging from the interaction of two or more disparate groups?

The findings by Illinois State University and the Illinois State Archaeological Survey during the past three summers of archaeological excavation at Noble-Wieting have provided a glimpse into what was probably McLean County’s largest community during the 1300s AD. As in any community, the inhabitants of Noble-Wieting shared certain similarities, as well as important differences, with their fellow villagers. Fortunately for archaeologists, many of these social dynamics are likely reflected in their houses and possessions. This presentation will provide a comparison of the remains of dwellings and their associated artifacts from different areas of the village to illustrate what is known about life at this unique and important site.

Dr. Logan Miller’s research and publications cover topics related to lithic technology and Midwestern archaeology. He has directed archaeological field schools in Illinois and Ohio.

For more information about this free, public program, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org. 

F1rst Fr1day- Tour de Chocolat

Friday, February 7, 2020
5:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to once again participate in this annual Downtown Bloomington tradition by offering locally made chocolates generously provided by our community partner, RGW Candy Company, who has been making chocolate along Route 66 since 1948. And after you have sampled their wonderful treats, you can purchase some in our Visitors Center to take home with you too!

While you are here, make sure to explore the Museum’s permanent exhibits on the first floor, including the new Challenges, Choices, and Change: A Community in Conflict.

Find other Tour de Chocolat stops on the Dba Bloomington website at downtownbloomington.org.

The Starved Rock Murders

Tuesday, February 4, 2020
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join us on Tuesday, February 4 at the McLean County Museum of History for the History Reads Book Club. The discussion will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Governor Fifer Courtroom. For the first installment of 2020 we will be discussing The Starved Rock Murders, A True Story by Steve Stout.

On March 14, 1960, three women from Riverside journeyed to Starved Rock State Park, near Utica, Illinois, for a few days of rest and recreation. Staying at the park's majestic lodge, they checked into their rooms, ate lunch at the inn's dining room and then hiked a few wooded miles across snowy trails into St. Louis Canyon. Two days later, the close friends were found beaten to death in the cold canyon. The crime shocked northern Illinois and led to a manhunt that snared a confessed killer who has been in prison ever since. It also ultimately changed the way Illinois State Police investigated crimes and is one of the most shocking stories to ever occur in this otherwise peaceful region.

This free, quarterly program is brought to you by the Museum and Bloomington Public Library. Discussions will last approximately 60 minutes, and participants are encouraged to explore the Museum before the meeting. Free parking is available on the street and at the Lincoln Parking Deck, located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

Copies of the books will be available for checkout at Bloomington Public Library or may be requested via interlibrary loan through your local public library. For more information on this program please contact the Museum’s Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428; or  Bloomington Public Library at reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.

A Community in Conversation: Who Has the Power to Choose Their Work?

Tuesday, January 28, 2020
6:45 PM

In an age of underemployment and ever-increasing wage disparity, we invite you to join representatives of Laborers Local 362, Illinois Partners for Human Services and others, as we engage in meaningful discussion. The first in a series of programs will take place in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom on Tuesday, January 28 at 6:45 p.m.  Inspired by the exhibit, Challenges Choices & Change: A Community in Conflict, this program series (January through April) will provide a brief introduction to local stories featured in the exhibit and expand into facilitated small group discussions on the chosen themes.  All ages are encouraged to participate in any or all of the planned discussions. The series is being held in collaboration with Not it Our Town (NIOT), Heartland Community College, YWCA McLean County, and Normal Human Relations Commission.

Registration is encouraged, but not required. Click HERE to register.

Wet or Dry? Prohibition in McLean County (and how it didn't work!)

Thursday, January 16, 2020
7:00 PM

On Thursday, January 16, Candace Summers, Director of Education at the McLean County Museum of History, will present an illustrated program on Prohibition in McLean County. This free, public program will be held in the Community Room at Bloomington Public Library.

The year 1919 is significant in United States’ history because it was on January 16^th of that year when the 18^th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified, prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. From that point on, Americans were fighting a ticking clock, which counted down the months, days, and hours until National Prohibition went into effect on January 17, 1920. McLean County may not seem like the typical area where bootlegging and rum running flourished in the early 20th century- but it did! This presentation will explore who those law breakers were, how citizens responded to Prohibition, and answer the question why Prohibition ultimately failed.

For more information, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428.

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Thursday, January 16, 2020
12:00 AM

The Central Illinois Roots of Lloyd Loar and the Iconic F-5 Mandolin

Thursday, January 9, 2020
12:10 PM

Presented by James Stanlaw, Professor of Anthropology, Illinois Wesleyan University. Every serious mandolinist knows the name of Lloyd Loar, but many will be unaware of his central Illinois roots. This presentation is a workshop on Cropsey-native Lloyd Loar, creator of the F-5 mandolin. Orpheus Mandolin Orchestra mandocelist Jim Stanlaw, anthropology professor at Illinois State University, will present a workshop and instrument display on the history of mandolin orchestras in the United States and the development of the F-5 mandolin.

Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference

Thursday, October 17, 2019
8:00 AM

This year's annual conference will be themed ""Under the Big Top"" because of the Bloomington- Normal's history with circuses, dating to the 1870's when a couple of barns and local YWCA served as practice sites for aerial performers.

Speakers representing  the Illinois State University's Gamma Phi Circus  will discuss its history and share their stories of circus in the area.  Over two days, many other presenters will discuss the Mother Road, past , present and future .

Register at: 

http://route66milesofpossibility.com/

Thursday October 17

12:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m.  Registration/Check In at Ryburn Place 305 Pine Street in Normal

1:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m.    Bloomington-Normal Route 66/Circus Tour - Depart from Pine Street

7:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m.    Traditional Hot Dog Roast at Ryburn Place

Friday October 18

8:00a.m. - 5:00 p.m.     Conference Sessions will convene at Uptown Station  4th Floor (Check -In)

7:00-9:00 p.m.              CONFERENCE KEYNOTE: Featuring author Candacy Taylor will be held at ISU Alumni Center

                                      Candacy Taylor, author of the forthcoming book about the Negro Motorist Green Book published from                                          1930s to the 60s.  Held at ISU Alumni Center , This presentation will be free and open to the public.

Saturday October 19

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.     Conference Sessions reconvene at Uptown Station, Normal 4th floor

6:30 p.m.                         Dinner at Eagles Club /Gamma Phi Circus Performance and band ""Third Street Down"" 

Evergreen Cemetery Walk- 25th Anniversary

Saturday, October 5, 2019
11:00 AM

Twenty-five years ago, the Museum, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, and Illinois Voices Theatre—Echoes came together to solve a growing problem in our community—cemetery vandalism. Leaders at these entities realized that there was a great need in our community to educate the public, especially students, about the importance of preserving and respecting cemeteries as part of our collective history. Cemetery vandalism was a major problem, particularly in Evergreen Memorial Cemetery—Bloomington’s oldest cemetery. Thus began the Evergreen Cemetery Walk with its mission of preventing further vandalism and disrespect by teaching members of the community about the historical importance of cemeteries through the voices of the very people buried there.

This event serves over 3,500 people (mostly students) every year. To date, we have featured 179 different individuals from all walks of life, whose stories illustrate the impact the people of McLean County have had on history – locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. In addition, the impact of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk can be felt throughout the state and nation. This award-winning, nationally recognized interpretive program is often referred to as the “granddaddy” of all cemetery walks. Put on your walking shoes and bring your family to participate in this fascinating, outdoor theatrical program.

Public performances are held each Saturday and Sunday, October 5-6 and 12-13 with two performances daily at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $17 for the general public, $15 for Museum members,and $5 for children and students with proper I/D.

$2 off public and member tickets when purchased at least 24 hours before the performance. No discount on student tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the Museum, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, and online through the Museum's website.

Patrons of this year’s Evergreen Cemetery Walk can look forward to hearing stories from such persons as: Charles Kirkpatrick (longtime Bloomington businessman, civic leader, organizer; weekend only); Annie May Christian (an independent, single woman who was a capable, intelligent, and enthusiastic leader of the local Amateur Musical Club); Ebenezer Wright (head of the western agency for the New York Juvenile Asylum, an institution that sent children west on the “Orphan Train”); Napoleon and Louise Calimese (superintendent and matron, respectively, of the McLean County Home for Colored Children, who spent nearly 30 years investing in the lives of their charges); Florence Kaywood (spent 16 years caring for female prisoners and their children while serving as the police matron for the City of Bloomington); and Oliver Munsell (helped revive a shuttered Illinois Wesleyan University in his time as president, though his tenure was tarnished by scandal).

For more information contact education@mchistory.org, call 1 (309) 827-0428, or visit https://www.mchistory.org/learn/evergreen-cemetery-walk.

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Evergreen Cemetery Walk: Tickets on Sale Today

Tuesday, September 3, 2019
9:00 AM

Tickets for the 25^th Evergreen Cemetery Walk, October 5-6 & 12-13, go on sale.  Tickets cost $17.00 for non-members, $15.00 for Museum members, and $5.00 for students with ID and children. Buy them at least 24 hours in advance and save $2.00 each on each adult ticket! (There is no discount on student tickets.) Tickets can be purchased at the Museum and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Bloomington, or will be available online through the Museum's website BY CLICKING THIS LINK. For more information, please contact the Museum's Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org. 

Museum Closed for Labor Day

Monday, September 2, 2019
12:00 AM

A History of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Thursday, August 29, 2019
7:00 PM

Join Director of Education Candace Summers for a program on the Museum’s longest running and most successful outreach program, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk. This program will explore the roots of this event and how it began as a call to action because vandalism was a major problem at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Audience members will also be introduced to the individuals who will be featured during the 25th Anniversary Cemetery Walk this year and view a clip from a previous year’s Walk. The program will be held in the Community Room at Bloomington Public Library and is free and open to the public.

Futures in History Camp

Monday, July 8, 2019
8:30 AM

Abraham Lincoln may have never said, ""The best way to predict your future is to create it."" But, it is a fine sentiment nonetheless! And, creating futures informed by the past is what Futures in History Camp is all about!

Registration for Futures in History Camp is open to any area students entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grades who are keen on exploring the many futures a career in history can hold. From law, to archaeology, to architecture, to museum studies, and environmental science, there is a future for everyone at Futures in History Camp!

This 5-day summer camp is presented in partnership with the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and Sugar Grove Nature Center. Our camper to staff/volunteer ratio averages 4:1. Registration is still open for Session II (July 8-12).

Museum Closed for Fourth of July Holiday

Thursday, July 4, 2019
12:00 AM

Futures in History Camp

Monday, June 17, 2019
8:30 AM

Abraham Lincoln may have never said, ""The best way to predict your future is to create it."" But, it is a fine sentiment nonetheless! And, creating futures informed by the past is what Futures in History Camp is all about!

Registration for Futures in History Camp is open to any area students entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grades who are keen on exploring the many futures a career in history can hold. From law, to archaeology, to architecture, to museum studies, and environmental science, there is a future for everyone at Futures in History Camp!

This 5-day summer camp is presented in partnership with the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and Sugar Grove Nature Center. Our camper to staff/volunteer ratio averages 4:1. Registration is FULL for Session I (June 17-21).

Auditions for the 2019 Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Tuesday, June 11, 2019
6:00 PM

Auditions for the October 2019 Evergreen Cemetery Walk will be in the McLean County Museum of History second floor courtroom from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Please bring a resume and head shot if you have one. Readings will be supplied at the audition. Please email echoes@ilvoicestheatre.org with questions.

Cogs and Corsets: A Central Illinois Steampunk Happening

Friday, June 7, 2019
9:00 AM

The Museum is pleased to once again participate in the now third annual Cogs & Corsets festival. The Museum will be the site of history presentations, Tea Dueling, a Tea Room, and a variety of activities held on the Square with our friends from the Children’s Discovery Museum. Area galleries will feature the work of local and visiting artists alike, and the streets will be bustling with vendors, costumed visitors, teapot races, and more! We can’t wait to see you here! For registration and more information, please visit www.cogsandcorsetsil.org.

Schedule at a glance for Friday, June 7, 2019

**Please note that the schedule is subject to change**

4pm–7pm

Registration/Welcome/Information Booth

Get your event program/map, pick up and purchase tickets for premium events.

4pm–midnight

Open Gaming

Join fellow gamers at Red Raccoon Games for open play of your favorites.

5pm–8pm

First Friday Activities

Sponsor: Downtown Bloomington Association

See and be seen strolling the downtown shops and galleries. Many visiting and local artists, in-store specials and Steampunk-themed fun!

Steampunk Market (Vendor area) open

300 block of Main St. — Stroll our vendor area and shop for all manner of wonderful Steampunk accessories, handcrafts, tea, and so much more! Merchants and artists from all over the midwest will be showcasing their wares, helping you complete your perfect Steampunk ensemble.

5pm–9:30pm

Food Trucks / Pop-up restaurants

On the BCPA lawn — By popular request! In addition to our many downtown restaurants, we’ve coordinated with food trucks and other local food purveyors to bring you more options for sustenance as you enjoy the festivities.

5:30–7:30pm

Tea Dueling

Sponsor: McLean County Museum of History

Our Tiffin Master will preside over official Tea Dueling, allowing visitors to settle their spats like civilized folk: by dunking their biscuits in a hot cup of tea, and seeing who can be the last to complete a successful ‘nom’. Fun for all ages, and for participants and spectators alike.

Nerf Dueling

Sponsor: McLean County Museum of History

We welcome our friends from the Chicagoland Steampunk Society, who will be officiating Nerf Dueling on the Museum Square! If your damaged pride can’t be assuaged with simple tea dueling, might we suggest something with… projectiles? Dueling’s dark history in the 19th century is all too real, but ours is done in good, safe fun. Peruse the rules here, and prepare your final dramatics in case your opponent beats you to the draw.

6:00pm

Downtown Promenade

We’ll start the evening’s festivities with a promenade through the downtown in our steampunk finery! Get the overview of the downtown shops, galleries and restaurants while you show off your best ensemble to the public. The promenade will begin and end at the Registration Booth on the Museum Square; anyone dressed in steampunk clothing is welcome to join!

7–8:30pm

Steampunk Contra Dancing (Part 1)

Ticketed event. Come dance the night away with the Chicago band Ceilidh Bandicoots! Featuring callers Jonathan Sivier, Jon Hanson, and Scott Meyer.

Contra dancing was popular in the 19th century and it’s had a big revival this past decade. You don’t need a partner and you don’t need fancy lessons. Any level of dance skill can join in — just listen to the caller and have a ball. A costume is not required, but it makes it more fun!

Light refreshments will be served. Cash bar. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.

Note: Event will break to allow dancers to attend the Arc Attack Demo and will resume afterwards. Ticket price provides admission to both dance sessions.

Buy Tickets

8:45–9:15pm

Arc Attack! FREE Tesla Coil Demonstration

Our now-famous Tesla Coil kickoff event has hit the Big League. Come witness the nationally-recognized performance artists, Arc Attack, who will light up the night sky with their Tesla Coil demonstration. You’ve seen them on Through the Wormhole, and America’s Got Talent. You will not want to miss seeing them in person. This kickoff demonstration is free to all!

To ensure the best viewing, for 2019 this event has been relocated to the BCPA lawn.* 

*Weather-dependent, for obvious reasons!

9:30–11pm

Steampunk Contra Dancing (Part 2)

Ticketed event. Come dance the night away with the Chicago band Ceilidh Bandicoots! Featuring callers Jonathan Sivier, Jon Hanson and Scott Meyer.

Contra dancing was popular in the 19th Century and it’s had a big revival this past decade. You don’t need a partner and you don’t need fancy lessons. Any level of dance skill can join in — just listen to the caller and have a ball. A costume is not required but it makes it more fun!

Light refreshments will be served. Cash bar. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.

Note: Ticket price provides admission to both dance sessions.

Museum Closed for Memorial Day

Monday, May 27, 2019
12:00 AM

McLean County Genealogical Society Monthly Meeting: Encore Presentation of the 2018 Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Tuesday, May 21, 2019
7:00 PM

Join the Museum and members of the McLean County Genealogical Society on Tuesday, May 21 at 7:00 p.m. for a special showing of the recorded 2018 Evergreen Cemetery Walk. Whether your tour was cut short or cancelled because of the rain last season, or you simply couldn’t fit the Walk into your busy fall schedule, now is the time to catch up with characters the likes of: Adlai E. Stevenson II, Augusta “Gussie” Becker and Francis Cahill, Henry Funk, Emily Vecchi Noble and Clyde Noble, Jane Frankeberger Hendryx, and Lue Anna Brown Sanders Clark. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to walk the Walk without walking anywhere at all! This program is free and open to the public, and will be held in the Museum's second floor courtroom. Refreshments will be served. For more information or with any questions, contact Pat Perkins at 309-454-4371.

Register for Futures in History Camp 2019

Monday, April 15, 2019
10:00 AM

Register for Futures in History Camp 2019

Calling all future historians! Registration for the 2019 season of Futures in History Camp at the McLean County Museum of History is preparing for launch on April 15. Registration for two separate sessions of camp—one in June and one in July—is open to the first 20 campers to apply for each week of camp. The dates for the two sessions are as follows: June 17-21 and July 8-12. Camp registration is available to all area kids entering fourth through sixth grades. Online registration will be available through the Museum’s website under the Learn tab, or click here. Printable registration forms are also be available through the Museum’s website.

Campers will have the chance to explore five future careers related to the field of history: law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Over the course of the five-day camp, students will visit the David Davis Mansion and Sugar Grove Nature Center, and will become experts on the Museum and Downtown Bloomington’s Museum Square. For more information, please contact Education Program Coordinator Hannah Johnson at hjohnson@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. We look forward to hearing from all of you future-thinking history enthusiasts in April!

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Thursday, January 17, 2019
12:00 AM

Museum closed, weather

Saturday, January 12, 2019
12:00 AM

Museum Closed for New Years

Monday, December 31, 2018
12:00 AM

Museum Closed for Christmas Holiday

Monday, December 24, 2018
12:00 AM

Museum Will Be Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday

Thursday, November 22, 2018
12:00 AM

The Evergreen Cemetery Walk - Commemorating the Bicentennial of Illinois

Saturday, October 6, 2018
11:00 AM

McLean County celebrates 200 years of history this year. Since 1824, people began settling the land that would later become McLean county. The county and its citizens have helped to shape the history of Illinois. From being home to Illinois's first public university (Illinois State University), aiding Abraham Lincoln's rise to the nation's highest office, leading the way in agricultural innovations, to producing and training internationally known circus performers. the citizens of McLean County have made an indelible mark on almost 200 years of Illinois history that is worth celebrating.

Every year the Evergreen Cemetery Walk brings the voices of McLean County's history to life. Costumed professional actors portray individuals representing all walks of life from the county's past on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

This event serves over 3,500 people (mostly students) every year. To date, we have featured 172 different individuals from all walks of life, whose stories illustrate the impact the people of McLean County have had on history – locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. In addition, the impact of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk can be felt throughout the state and nation. This award-winning, nationally recognized interpretive program is often referred to as the "granddaddy" of all cemetery walks. Put on your walking shoes and bring your family to participate in this fascinating, outdoor theatrical program.

Public performances are held each Saturday and Sunday, September 29-30 and October 6-7, 2018 with two performances daily at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $17 for the general public, $14 for Museum members,and $5 for children and students with proper I/D.

$2 off public and member tickets when purchased at least 24 hours before the performance. No discount on student tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the Museum, Casey's Garden Shop, the Garlic Press, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

To mark the special nature of this year’s theme, the Walk will also feature a 45-minute performance by the Brass Band of Central Illinois each day of the weekend tours beginning at 1:00 p.m. Formed in 2004, BBCI is a traditional brass band based in Bloomington-Normal made up of 30 volunteer musicians who were attracted to the ensemble for its unique sound, instrumentation, and music.

For more information contact education@mchistory.org, call 1 (309) 827-0428, or visit http://www.mchistory.org/learn/programs/cemwalk.php.

The Evergreen Cemetery Walk - Commemorating the Bicentennial of Illinois

Saturday, September 29, 2018
11:00 AM

McLean County celebrates 200 years of history this year. Since 1824, people began settling the land that would later become McLean county. The county and its citizens have helped to shape the history of Illinois. From being home to Illinois's first public university (Illinois State University), aiding Abraham Lincoln's rise to the nation's highest office, leading the way in agricultural innovations, to producing and training internationally known circus performers. the citizens of McLean County have made an indelible mark on almost 200 years of Illinois history that is worth celebrating.

Every year the Evergreen Cemetery Walk brings the voices of McLean County's history to life. Costumed professional actors portray individuals representing all walks of life from the county's past on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

This event serves over 3,500 people (mostly students) every year. To date, we have featured 172 different individuals from all walks of life, whose stories illustrate the impact the people of McLean County have had on history – locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. In addition, the impact of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk can be felt throughout the state and nation. This award-winning, nationally recognized interpretive program is often referred to as the "granddaddy" of all cemetery walks. Put on your walking shoes and bring your family to participate in this fascinating, outdoor theatrical program.

Public performances are held each Saturday and Sunday, September 29-30 and October 6-7, 2018 with two performances daily at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $17 for the general public, $14 for Museum members,and $5 for children and students with proper I/D.

$2 off public and member tickets when purchased at least 24 hours before the performance. No discount on student tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the Museum, Casey's Garden Shop, the Garlic Press, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

To mark the special nature of this year’s theme, the Walk will also feature a 45-minute performance by the Brass Band of Central Illinois each day of the weekend tours beginning at 1:00 p.m. Formed in 2004, BBCI is a traditional brass band based in Bloomington-Normal made up of 30 volunteer musicians who were attracted to the ensemble for its unique sound, instrumentation, and music.

For more information contact education@mchistory.org, call 1 (309) 827-0428, or visit http://www.mchistory.org/learn/programs/cemwalk.php.

Evergreen Cemetery Walk Ticket Sales Begin

Tuesday, September 4, 2018
9:00 AM

Ticket sales begin for the 2018 Evergreen Cemetery Walk, celebrating the Bicentennial of Illinois. Dates for this year's Walk are Saturdays and Sundays, September 29, 30 and October 6 and 7 with tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. Tickets are $17 for the general public, $14 for members of the museum, and $5 for under 18 and students w/ID. Receive a $2 off public and member tickets when purchased 24 hours before the performance. No discount on student tickets. Tickets will be available for purchase at the Museum, The Garlic Press, Casey's Garden Shop, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone by calling the Museum at 309-827-0428.

Museum Closed in Observance of Labor Day

Monday, September 3, 2018
12:00 AM

A History of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Thursday, August 30, 2018
7:00 PM

Join Director of Education Candace Summers for a program on the Museum’s longest running and most successful outreach program, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk. 

This program will explore the roots of this event and how it began as a call to action because vandalism was a major problem at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Audience members will also be introduced to the individuals who will be featured during the 2018 Bicentennial of Illinois Cemetery Walk. 

The program will be held in the Community Room at Bloomington Public Library and is free and open to the public.

Illinois Office of Tourism Doors Open! - Free Museum Admission All Day

Saturday, August 11, 2018
9:00 AM

Lincoln's Festival on Route 66

Friday, July 20, 2018
10:00 AM

It’s time once again for the annual Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66, this year being held on July 20, 21, and 22. Activities during the festival weekend will include: living history performances, car shows and cruise-ins for car enthusiasts, period crafts and children’s activities, Civil War skirmishes and cavalry encampment, walking tours, a vintage bicycle display, plus speakers and musicians to share the journey along the prairie path, to the steel rails, and on to the Mother Road.

The Museum will be hosting a variety of activities on all three days of the festival this year. The free, family friendly activities begin on Friday, July 20 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. with Encounters with Lincoln’s World, celebrating our state’s Bicentennial through dramatized stories of ordinary people who became real “Hometown Heroes” by adapting to extraordinary times. Members of the Historic Acting Troupe will portray men and women whose experiences provide a travelogue that spans the generations and the miles, highlighting sights, sounds and ideas that echoed throughout the nation.Performances will be held inside the Museum and several other locations in Downtown Bloomington. The Museum will serve as the starting point, and visitors are urged to arrive no later than 6 p.m. in order to see the entire presentation. Performances will begin every 20 minutes with the last performance at 7:40 p.m.

The Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66 is an Illinois Route 66 Red, White, and Blue Corridor signature event and is a proud partner in the 42-county Looking for Lincoln Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. For more information about any of the activities and programs occurring at the Museum during Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Other locations participating in the festival include: Downtown Bloomington, McLean County Museum of History/Cruisin’ with Lincoln on Route 66 Visitors Center, Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin Park, Bloomington Public Library, David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, Illinois Wesleyan University Ames Library, Sprague Service Station/Ryburn Place, and Ewing Manor Cultural Center.

For more information about Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66 and a complete listing of activities at all participating locations, please visit http://www.lincolnsfestival.net/.

Futures in History Camp Session II

Monday, July 9, 2018
8:00 AM

Calling all future historians! Registration for the 2018 season of Futures in History Camp at the McLean County Museum of History is preparing for launch in April. Registration for two separate sessions of camp—one in June and one in July—will open Monday, April 16. Registration for the two sessions is open to the first 20 campers to apply for each week of camp. Preference will be given to those campers who have never attended camp before. The dates for the two sessions are as follows: June 18-22 and July 9-13. Camp registration is available to all area kids entering fourth through sixth grade. Online registration will be available through the Museum’s website at http://mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php. Printable registration forms will also be available through the Museum’s website, as well as through the Unit 5 and District 87 online backpacks.

This summer, campers will have the chance to explore five potential future careers related to the field of history: law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Over the course of the five-day camp, students will visit the David Davis Mansion and Sugar Grove Nature Center, and will become experts on the Museum and Downtown Bloomington’s own Museum Square. For more information, please contact Education Program Coordinator Hannah Johnson at hjohnson@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. We look forward to hearing from all of you future-thinking history enthusiasts in April!

Museum Closed for Fourth of July

Wednesday, July 4, 2018
12:00 AM

Futures in History Camp Session I

Monday, June 18, 2018
8:00 AM

Calling all future historians! Registration for the 2018 season of Futures in History Camp at the McLean County Museum of History is preparing for launch in April. Registration for two separate sessions of camp—one in June and one in July—will open Monday, April 16. Registration for the two sessions is open to the first 20 campers to apply for each week of camp. Preference will be given to those campers who have never attended camp before. The dates for the two sessions are as follows: June 18-22 and July 9-13. Camp registration is available to all area kids entering fourth through sixth grade. Online registration will be available through the Museum’s website at http://mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php. Printable registration forms will also be available through the Museum’s website, as well as through the Unit 5 and District 87 online backpacks.

This summer, campers will have the chance to explore five potential future careers related to the field of history: law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Over the course of the five-day camp, students will visit the David Davis Mansion and Sugar Grove Nature Center, and will become experts on the Museum and Downtown Bloomington’s own Museum Square. For more information, please contact Education Program Coordinator Hannah Johnson at hjohnson@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. We look forward to hearing from all of you future-thinking history enthusiasts in April!

Cogs & Corsets: A Central Illinois Steampunk Happening

Friday, June 1, 2018
9:00 AM

Prepare yourself for splendor this June when the Museum will once again participate in the annual Cogs & Corsets: A Steampunk Happening festival, taking place throughout six square blocks of historic Downtown Bloomington the weekend of June 1-3.

The Museum will kick off the weekend with an evening of Tea Dueling as part of the monthly F1rst Fr1day festivities from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. Make it a point to stroll by the Museum where our Tiffin Master will educate you in the ways of proper tea dueling etiquette. Remember, avoid a splatter, splodge, or splash to get that nom!

And in case you didn’t get your fill of tea and biscuits, on Saturday (from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.) and Sunday (10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.) the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom will be transformed into the steamiest tearoom in town. Grab a cuppa and enjoy the AC (it will be warm by then, we promise), before making your way to the classroom for a presentation or two.

The Museum’s steampunk speaker series on Saturday will feature such notable names as Museum Curator Susan Harztold, who will present The Skinny on the Scanties: A History of Women’s Underwear; Milner Library Circus Collection Curator Steve Gossard, who will discuss A Reckless Era of [Aerial] Performance; ISU History Professor Amy Wood, who will explore Crime and Punishment in the Victorian Age, and on Sunday, the Museum's Director of Education Candace Summers, will present a program about The Showman's Final Resting Place: Aerialists and Circus Performers Buried in Bloomington-Normal's Cemeteries.

Before escaping to the streets, be sure to snap a selfie with the photo-op on the first floor of the Museum. Then venture out to take full advantage of steampunk-inspired activities on the lawn, presented in partnership with the Children’s Discovery Museum on Saturday. Join Museum educators and friends from both sites for DIY parachutes, airship races, wind-powered cars, fun with a Van de Graaff generator, and more! Not to mention, the Square will be bustling with vendors, Splendid Tea Pot races, a morning promenade, a costume contest, Makers’ Faire entries, sideshow performances from Carnival Epsilon, an evening soirée, mystery dinners, and more!

This event is free to attend and open to the public. Some fees apply for specific activities. Visit http://www.cogsandcorsetsil.com/ for more information on activities, schedule, and tickets, and like Cogs and Corsets: A Steampunk Happening on Facebook.

Museum Closed for Memorial Day

Monday, May 28, 2018
12:00 AM

The Walls Speak: Telling ISU's Story Through its Campus Buildings

Saturday, April 7, 2018
1:00 PM

Past and present Redbirds will want to flock to the Museum at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 7 when Illinois State University archivist April Karlene Anderson will present her talk, “The Walls Speak: Telling ISU’s Story Through its Campus Buildings.” This talk is scheduled in conjunction with the publication of Anderson’s recent book Illinois State University, the newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s Campus History Series. Anderson’s presentation will feature a small selection of the many historic photographs housed in the collection of the Dr. JoAnn Rayfield Archives that served as the foundation of the book.

“Illinois State University was founded in 1857 as Illinois’s first public higher education institution. Initially named Illinois State Normal University (ISNU) due to its mission to train teachers, the university gained early national recognition for its work in developing educational philosophies. One of those philosophies, Herbartianism, was brought to ISNU in the 1890s and was cultivated by some of the profession’s leading educators, including Charles DeGarmo, head of modern languages and reading at the university.”

“ISNU celebrated 100 years of service in 1957 and, on January 1,1964, dropped “normal” from its name. Now known as Illinois State University, the institution offers over 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs ranging from the humanities to the sciences and nursing within its six colleges.”

Anderson received her masters’ degrees in library and information science, and history from Florida State University and the University of Central California, respectively. She is a certified archivist through the Academy of Certified Archivists and holds a Digital Archives Specialist Certificate through the Society of American Archivists. In addition to her work at ISU, she has served as an archives consultant, helping academic institutions and companies establish archival programs.

Anderson will present her talk in the Governor Fifer Courtroom on the second floor of the Museum. The book Illinois State University is available for purchase in the Visitors Center.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. Free parking is available on the Museum Square and surrounding streets, or at the Lincoln Parking Deck located on Front Street.

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Thursday, March 15, 2018
12:00 AM

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Thursday, February 15, 2018
12:00 AM

Museum Closed for Professional Development

Thursday, January 18, 2018
12:00 AM

Museum CLOSED - New Year's Day

Monday, January 1, 2018
12:00 AM

Museum CLOSED for Christmas Holiday

Monday, December 25, 2017
12:00 AM

Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Saturday, September 30, 2017
11:00 AM

Every year the Evergreen Cemetery Walk brings the voices of McLean County's history to life. Costumed actors portray individuals representing all walks of life from the county's past on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. This event serves over 3,500 people (mostly students) every year. To date, we have featured over 157 different individuals from all walks of life, whose stories illustrate the impact the people of McLean County have had on history – locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. In addition, the impact of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk can be felt throughout the state and nation. This award-winning, nationally recognized interpretive program is often referred to as the "granddaddy" of all cemetery walks. Put on your walking shoes and bring your family to participate in this fascinating, outdoor theatrical program.

Evergreen Memorial Cemetery is one of the richest historical resources in our community. People from all walks of life are buried in this over 150 year old cemetery. Rich, poor, famous, infamous, loved or forgotten alike, they are all buried here. Evergreen provides an honorable resting place for all members of our community.

This annual event is a collaboration between the McLean County Museum of History, Illinois Voices Theatre and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

MUSEUM CLOSED

Thursday, September 28, 2017
12:00 AM

A History of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Thursday, September 7, 2017
7:00 PM

Join Director of Education Candace Summers for a program on the Museum’s longest running and most successful outreach program, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk. This program will explore the roots of this event and how it began as a call to action because vandalism was a major problem at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Audience members will also be introduced to the individuals who will be featured during the 2017 Walk. The program will be held in the Cafe at Normal Public Library and is free and open to the public.

Museum Closed in Observance of Labor Day

Monday, September 4, 2017
12:00 AM

Futures in History Camp

Monday, July 24, 2017
8:00 AM

Calling all future historians! Registration for the 2017 season of Futures in History Camp (formerly known as History Careers Day Camp) at the McLean County Museum of History is quickly approaching. Registration for two separate sessions of camp—one in June and one in July—will open Tuesday, April 11. Registration for the two sessions is open to the first 20 students to apply for each week of camp. Preference will be given to those students who have never attended camp before. The dates for the two sessions are as follows: June 12-16 and July 24-28. Camp registration is available to all area kids entering fourth through sixth grade. Online registration will be available through the Museum’s website at http://mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php. Printable registration forms will also be available through the Museum’s website, as well as through the Unit 5 and District 87 online backpacks. Registration will close Friday, May 19.

This summer, campers will have the chance to explore five potential future careers related to the field of history: law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Over the course of the five-day camp, students will visit the David Davis Mansion and Sugar Grove Nature Center, and will become well acquainted with the Museum and Downtown Bloomington’s own Museum Square. For more information, please contact the Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. We look forward to hearing from all of you burgeoning history buffs in April!

McLean County Genealogical Society Meeting - Blooming Grove Cemetery with Steve Alvis and Dave Ashbrook

Tuesday, July 18, 2017
6:00 PM

The July 18, 2017 meeting of the McLean County Genealogical Society will take place beginning at 6 p.m. at the Blooming Grove Cemetery. A tour of the cemetery will be given by Steve Alvis, President of the Blooming Grove Cemetery Association. Dave Ashbrook will be available to speak about the history of the cemetery. Feel free to bring a brown bag supper, drink , and lawn chair. The public is invited to attend. In the event of rain we will meet at 6 p.m. at the Subway, 1600 South Main Street in Bloomington, across from the Armory. In the case of severe weather,the meeting will be cancelled and an announcement will be made on WJBC, the local radio station.

Directions to Blooming Grove Cemetery:

South on 51 to Old Colonial Road, the first stop light past the I-74 overpass bridge.

Turn left ((East) - go to the next road, ( past the mobile home park) and turn right heading South. There is a white fence at the southeast corner where you will need to turn. The cemetery will be on the right about 1/4 mile. When you enter the Cemetery, you will see trees in the southwest corner. Continue to the trees. See you there!

For additional information, please contact Eleanor Mede at (309) 454-2688

Lincoln's Festival on Route 66

Friday, July 14, 2017
10:00 AM

Lincoln's Festival on Route 66

The new Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66:“Trails, Rails, & Roads”, takes place Friday, July 14 through Sunday July 16 this year.Weekend festival activities will include living history performances, a car show and cruise-ins for car enthusiasts, period crafts for children, Civil War skirmishes and cavalry encampment. Enjoy a historic walking tour, a vintage bicycle display, plus speakers and musicians, including the Cornerstones of Rock concert, and a showing of the movie “Cars” at the Bloomington Center for Performing Arts.

The Museum will be hosting a variety of activities on all three days of the festival this year. The family friendly activities begin on Friday, July 14 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. with Encounters with Lincoln’s Bloomington, celebrating McLean County’s ties to both Lincoln and Route 66 through living history encounters with individuals who lived, worked and traveled through our landscape in different eras. From Lincoln’s day to the present, people have been on the move for various reasons. Hear the stories of women and people of color seeking better lives, and discover how local communities changed as the railroad and the highway transformed McLean County. Members of the Historic Acting Troupe will portray men and women whose experiences provide a travelogue that spans the generations and the miles, highlighting sights, sounds and ideas that echoed throughout the nation. Performances will be held inside the Museum and several other locations in Downtown Bloomington. The Museum will serve as the starting point, and visitors are encouraged to arrive no later than 6 p.m. in order to see the entire presentation. Performances will begin every 20 minutes with the last performance at 7:40 p.m.

Museum activities will continue on Saturday, July 15 beginning at 9:00 a.m. with the self-guided “Looking for Lincoln” scavenger hunt that will take visitors to various historic locations around Bloomington-Normal associated with Abraham Lincoln.This is a great activity for families and those who bring the completed scavenger hunt back to the Museum will receive a prize! The scavenger hunt will continue on Sunday, July 16 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

From 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., back by popular demand will be the So you think you know Lincoln trivia game! Contestants can test their knowledge about our 16^th President of the United States by taking a spin on our trivia wheel. New trivia feature this year will be our brand new Kicking it on Route 66 trivia game. This activity will test participants’ knowledge about the entire Route 66. Bring the whole family to test your knowledge.Prizes awarded for correct answers! Trivia will continue on Sunday, July 16 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

10:00 a.m., the Museum’s Executive Director, Greg Koos, will lead the highly popular walking tour of Lincoln sites in Downtown Bloomington.The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes and participants will be able to gain unique insight into Lincoln, his friends and associates in Bloomington, and about the town where he spent more time than any other place outside of Springfield.Those interested in joining this tour must meet inside the Museum’s Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center, located on the ground floor of the Museum.

1:00 p.m. in the second floor Governor Fifer Courtroom local historians Mike Matejka and Terri Ryburn will present Pioneer Pathway: Route 66 through McLean County. Drawing that straight line from Chicago to St Louis takes one right through McLean County and Bloomington.From the 1850s railroad construction to the early "hard road" days, the Route 66 railroad and highway corridor is a critical transportation link. Participants will go back in time to see how the railroad and then Route 66 affected our local community and its development. Mike Matejka is a Museum board member, past President, and is currently writing scripts for the Museum's next permanent exhibit Challenges Choices and Change: Working for a Living.He is also the Governmental Affairs Director for the Great Plains Laborers District Council. Terri Ryburn wrote her doctoral dissertation about Route 66.She retired from Illinois State University to restore an important 1930s Route 66 icon:Sprague's Super Service on Pine Street now owned by the Town of Normal.Terri has opened Ryburn Place (a visitor center and gift shop) there.

2:30 p.m. in the Governor Fifer Courtroom, the Museum is pleased to welcome Dr. James Cornelius, curator of the Lincoln Collection at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, who will present the program Lincoln in History, Fiction, and Film.

Most of us have seen or read about Lincoln portrayed in fiction—movies, plays, novels, etc.Cornelius’s illustrated program will touch on the highlights, and lowlights, ranging from Thomas Edison to Steven Spielberg, from McLean County’s own Wilson Tucker (a sci-fi Lincoln of 1958) to the hated-novel of 2016; to vampires and other “alt-uses” of Lincoln as a fictional character. This program is suitable for the whole family! James Cornelius is a native of Minneapolis. He earned a B.A. from Lawrence University in Wisconsin and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After working as an editor in New York City for 10 years and eight years in the University of Illinois Library’s collections of Lincoln and Illinois history, he began his career at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield in 2007. He has written or edited several books, mainly on American and British history, especially on Lincoln. Most recently, Cornelius co-authored Under Lincoln’s Hat: 100 Objects that Tell the Story of His Life and Legacy in 2016.

1:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 16 in the Governor Fifer Courtroom, the Museum’s Executive Director Emeritus Greg Koos will present Grids: Travel in a Prairie Place. This program will explore the development of a central Illinois road system that ranged from dirt right of ways, smoothed with wood drags, to the four-lane Route 66 with its one hundred mile an hour curves, to the information highway!

Keep an eye out for Mr. Lincoln who will be visiting the Museum during the festival too. He will be available to meet visitors and even do a photo or two.

Do not forget to visit the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center located on the ground floor of the Museum. You can explore our exhibit to learn what traveling in Lincoln’s era was like and about Route 66 in McLean County! You can also pick up many local favorites like Beer Nuts, Funks Pure Maple Sirup, Steak ‘n Shake, great local history books, and of course books and souvenirs about Abraham Lincoln!

For more information about any of the activities and programs occurring at the Museum during Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

The Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66 is an Illinois Route 66 Red, White, and Blue Corridor signature event and is a proud partner in the 42-county Looking for Lincoln Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. For more information about any of the activities and programs occurring at the Museum during Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org.

Other locations participating in the festival include Downtown Bloomington, McLean County Museum of History/Cruisin’ with Lincoln on Route 66 Visitors Center, Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin Park, Bloomington Public Library, David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, and Illinois Wesleyan University.

Some events are ticketed events. For more information about Lincoln’s Festival on Route 66, please visit http://www.lincolnsfestival.net/.

Museum Closed in Observance of 4th of July

Tuesday, July 4, 2017
12:00 AM

Futures in History Camp

Monday, June 12, 2017
8:00 AM

Calling all future historians! Registration for the 2017 season of Futures in History Camp (formerly known as History Careers Day Camp) at the McLean County Museum of History is quickly approaching. Registration for two separate sessions of camp—one in June and one in July—will open Tuesday, April 11. Registration for the two sessions is open to the first 20 students to apply for each week of camp. Preference will be given to those students who have never attended camp before. The dates for the two sessions are as follows: June 12-16 and July 24-28. Camp registration is available to all area kids entering fourth through sixth grade. Online registration will be available through the Museum’s website at http://mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php. Printable registration forms will also be available through the Museum’s website, as well as through the Unit 5 and District 87 online backpacks. Registration will close Friday, May 19.

This summer, campers will have the chance to explore five potential future careers related to the field of history: law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Over the course of the five-day camp, students will visit the David Davis Mansion and Sugar Grove Nature Center, and will become well acquainted with the Museum and Downtown Bloomington’s own Museum Square. For more information, please contact the Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. We look forward to hearing from all of you burgeoning history buffs in April!

Cogs and Corsets: A Steampunk Happening

Friday, June 2, 2017
5:00 PM

The Cogs & Corsets festival takes place throughout six square blocks of historic Downtown Bloomington. This area is home to over 90 shops, galleries, and restaurants… many in historic buildings with ties to Abraham Lincoln. The galleries will be featuring local artists’ new work and even hosting visiting artists whose pieces exude that Steampunk vibe. The Museum of History will be the site of history presentations and our Tea Room, and one block away a stunning Tesla Coil demonstration will light the night. Enjoy dining, dancing, workshops (and a cabaret/burlesque show!) in restored buildings from the 1860s–1930s. The streets will be bustling with a costume contest, promenade, Splendid Teapot Races, and Makers’ Faire entries… we can’t wait to see you here!

For registration and more information, please visithttp://www.cogsandcorsetsil.com/

Museum Closed In Observance of Memorial Day

Friday, May 19, 2017
12:00 AM

Clothesline Project in the Rotunda - Free Admission All Week

Monday, April 24, 2017
9:00 AM

The McLean County Museum of History will be partnering with YWCA’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month for the 2017 weeklong Clothesline Project display.

The Clothesline Project, started in 1990, is a vehicle for women affected by violence to express their stories by decorating a T-shirt. The shirts are then displayed on a clothesline to be viewed by others as testimony to their survival and the problem of violence against women. The shirts will be on display in the Museum's Rotunda during the week of April 24-29 during regular hours (9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Tuesday).

Admission to the Museum during the week will be free to the public thanks to support from the organization NO MORE. NO MORE aims to raise public awareness and engagement around ending domestic violence and sexual assault. To learn more, visit nomore.org.

Registration Open for Futures in History Camp

Tuesday, April 11, 2017
8:00 AM

Calling all future historians! Registration for the 2017 season of Futures in History Camp (formerly known as History Careers Day Camp) at the McLean County Museum of History is quickly approaching. Registration for two separate sessions of camp—one in June and one in July—will open Tuesday, April 11. Registration for the two sessions is open to the first 20 students to apply for each week of camp. Preference will be given to those students who have never attended camp before. The dates for the two sessions are as follows: June 12-16 and July 24-28. Camp registration is available to all area kids entering fourth through sixth grade. Online registration will be available through the Museum’s website at http://mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php. Printable registration forms will also be available through the Museum’s website, as well as through the Unit 5 and District 87 online backpacks. Registration will close Friday, May 19.

This summer, campers will have the chance to explore five potential future careers related to the field of history: law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Over the course of the five-day camp, students will visit the David Davis Mansion and Sugar Grove Nature Center, and will become well acquainted with the Museum and Downtown Bloomington’s own Museum Square. For more information, please contact the Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. We look forward to hearing from all of you burgeoning history buffs in April!

New Years - Museum closed

Saturday, December 31, 2016
12:00 AM

Christmas Holiday - Museum closed

Saturday, December 24, 2016
12:00 AM

Christmas Holiday- Museum closed

Mon Dec. 26 00:00 2016

The Museum will be closed on Monday, Dec. 26 in observance of the Christmas Holiday. We will open again on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 9 a.m.

ISU Civic Chorale presents Holiday Beginnings

Tuesday, December 20, 2016
7:30 PM

ISU Chorale Holiday Concert

Join us in the historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom for a holiday concert with the Illinois State University Civic Chorale on October 20, at 7:30 p.m.

Illinois State University

College of Fine Arts/School of Music

ISU Civic Chorale presents:

Holiday Beginnings...

Performing seasonal arrangements by Vaughan Williams, Dan Forrest, John Rutter, Trevor Manor, et al

Prof. John M. Koch, conductor

Patricia Foltz, piano

Mavi Goydy, cello

Anthony Gullo, baritone

Tuesday, December 20, 2016, 7:30 p.m. Governor Fifer Room, McLean County Historical Society. Free will offering taken at the door

* * * * * * * * *

For more information contact: John M. Koch, Associate Professor of Music Vocal Arts Coordinator, General Director, the Illinois Festival Opera at Illinois State Artistic Director, the Midwest Institute of Opera, Director, ISU Civic Chorale

jmkoch@ilstu.edu 309.438.2472

Cruisin' 12 Days of Christmas Promotion Begins

Saturday, December 10, 2016
9:00 AM

We are once again going to offer a 12 days of Christmas promotion in the Gift Shop with a sale on the following category of items. 10% for everyone with 20% for members Museum members

December 10 (1^st day) Lincoln items

December 12 (2^nd day) Route 66

December 13 (3^rd day) Museum

December 14 (4^th day) IWU/ISU items

December 15 (5^th day) Local Authors

December 16 (6^th day) Toys, Games, Puzzles

December 17 (7^th day) t-shirts

December 19 (8^th day) Beer Nuts, Steak n Shake, State Farm

December 20 (9^th day) Local Artist items

December 21 (10^th day) Drink ware

December 22 (11^th day) Stationary (pens, pencils, notepads, postcards

December 23 (12^th day) Candy

We will also be offering free gift wrapping on Saturday December 10 and Saturday December 17 from 10am-2pm (thanks to John Sicks for volunteering for this).

Lincoln in McLean County presented by Bill Kemp

Thursday, December 8, 2016
12:10 PM

From 1854 to 1860, Bloomington was an important stage in Abraham Lincoln's rise as the leader and moral voice of the movement to halt slavery's expansion into the northern territories. Bill Kemp, Museum's librarian and co-curator of the Museum's new, "Lincoln in McLean County" exhibit, will address the role of race and racial prejudice played during this epic political contest and moral struggle over the future of slavery in America.

Bring your brown bag lunch to the Museum’s series, featuring engaging and enlightening topics for discussion. Join us the second Thursday of every month from September through May for a new topic to explore and discuss. The programs are held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom from 12:10-12:40 p.m. each time. These programs are free and open to the public and sponsored by Illinois Wesleyan University, the McLean County Museum of History, and the Collaborative Solutions Institute.

Christmas at the Courthouse

Saturday, December 3, 2016
11:00 AM

Join us this holiday season for a day of festive activities with musical performances, children's crafts, storytelling, holiday treats, a visit from Santa and much more. The fun begins immediately following the JayCees parade at 11:00 a.m.

Once Upon a Holiday

Friday, December 2, 2016
5:00 PM

Join us for the Downtown Bloomington Association’s Once Upon a Holiday on Friday evening, December 2, 2016 5-8 p.m. Come and see the live window vignettes throughout the downtown, enjoy live music and refreshments in the Rotunda (including adult eggnog).

All exhibits galleries will be open including "Making a Home' and "Abraham Lincoln in McLean County". This event is free and open to the public.

Be sure to stop into the Museum for celebrity readings of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” by retired State Farm executive Willie Brown and WGLT radio personality Laura Kennedy.

You will also be able to do some holiday shopping the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center!

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, November 12, 2016
10:00 AM

Under the Dome Knit In- helping those in need, one stitch at a time!

Knitters and crocheters—mark your calendars for the next Under the Dome Knit In on Saturday, November 12 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.! The Museum welcomes all knitters and crocheters to come down and create charity items or work on their own project. This event will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom.

This quarter’s featured knitting/crocheting charity is the Red Scarf project, sponsored by the Foster Care to Success: America’s College Fund for Foster Youth.Since 1981, this charity organization has helped over 50,000 young adults in foster care achieve success in education via financial backing for college in the form of scholarships and grants, care packages and family-like encouragement, academic and personal mentoring, and help with internships and employment readiness skills.On Valentine’s Day each year, Foster Care to Success sends care packages to college students in foster care across the country. The handmade scarves by knitters and crocheters are included in each care package and become treasured keepsakes for students for many years. Scarves can be any shade of red, including red stripes with other colors, or multicolor hues including red. The scarves should be unisex, 5 to 8 inches wide, and 60 inches in length.The Museum will be collecting completed red scarves from September 1 until November 21.Those scarves will be distributed by Foster Care to Success in February of next year.For complete information about the Red Scarf Project (including pattern suggestions), please visit http://www.fc2success.org/how-you-can-help/red-sca....

The Under the Dome Knit In is FREE and open to everyone. Light refreshments will be served.All you need to bring is your own project or the materials to begin a new one.

Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck, one block south of the Museum on Front Street. For more information or any questions, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org.

Veterans Day Observance

Friday, November 11, 2016
10:00 AM

This year's ceremony will commence at 11 minutes before 11 a.m. with the color guard firing one round each minute until 11 a.m. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to mark the cessation of hostilities during World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved inside to the Museums Gov. Fifer Courtroom.

For more information please contact: Royden Jones, Commander American Legion Post 56 309-376-5331

The End of the Horse on Corn Belt Farms: McLean County Barns in the 1940s pesented by Bill Kemp

Thursday, November 10, 2016
7:00 PM

Bill Kemp, librarian at the McLean County Museum of History, will be the featured speaker for the annual meeting of the McLean County Barn Keepers to be held Thursday, November 10 at 7 p.m. at the Evergreen FS Building at 402 N. Hershey Rd. Bloomington, Il.

His 45 minute illustrated lecture is titled, "The End of the Horse on Corn Belt Farms: McLean County Barns in the 1940s.”

Bill serves on the board of Barn Keepers as well as the Illinois State Historical Society.

The public is invited to this informational meeting.

Route 66 in McLean County presented by Terri Ryburn

Thursday, November 10, 2016
12:10 PM

Route 66 celebrates its 90th birthday this year!Based on Terri Ryburn's award-winning 1995 guidebook, "Route 66: Goin' Somewhere (The Road in McLean County)", this presentation follows the road from Chenoa as it cuts through towns and swoops around Bloomington-Normal to McLean.

Bring your brown bag lunch to the Museum’s series, featuring engaging and enlightening topics for discussion. Join us the second Thursday of every month from September through May for a new topic to explore and discuss. The programs are held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom from 12:10-12:40 p.m. each time. These programs are free and open to the public and sponsored by Illinois Wesleyan University, the McLean County Museum of History, and the Collaborative Solutions Institute.

The Bootlegger: A Story of Small Town America by John E. Hallwas

Tuesday, November 1, 2016
7:00 PM

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Literally! Read all about local and regional history with the quarterly History Reads Book Club, a joint program offered by the McLean County Museum of History and the Bloomington Public Library. This free program is open to the public and regularly held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom. Each book discussion begins at 7:00 p.m. and lasts approximately one hour. Plan to make an evening of it and explore the Museum before or after each meeting. Free parking is available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

Copies of each book will be available for checkout at Bloomington Public Library or may be requested via interlibrary loan through your local public library. For more information on this program please contact the Museum’s Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428; or contact Karen Moen at Bloomington Public Library at reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org. The Museum looks forward to a brand new season of bibliophilic fun and conversation in 2016.

Bill Kemp presents at Irish Autumn Social

Sunday, October 30, 2016
4:00 PM

Join our friends with the Irish Heritage Society and see Librarian Bill Kemp in action!

Sunday October 30, 2016
4-7 p.m.
Historic St. Patrick's Church Hall
1209 W. Locust St. Bloomington, Illinois

Entertainment will include Irish tunes by child violinist Jasper Zona followed by the Museum's Bill Kemp, who will speak on the immigration and settlement of the Irish during the 1800’s in the area of Bloomington known as "The Forty Acres" (image shown below).

Remit reservations and payment by October 24 to:
Irish Heritage Society
P.O. Box 23
Bloomington, IL 61702

$12.50 per member and $15.00 per guest
Menu: Chicken cordon bleu, Irish potatoes, carrots and green beans, lettuce salad, dressings, cheese & crackers, and Irish cake

Visit the Irish Heritage Society's website here

DBA Howl at the Market

Saturday, October 29, 2016
5:30 PM

DBA Howl at the Market, Saturday, October 29, 7:30 a.m. until noon.

This Halloween themed Farmers' Market on the Museum Square invites you to come out and celebrate the end of the outdoor Farmers' Market season. Come dressed in costume. All kids will receive "boo bucks" good for small items at vendor booths.

At 10:00 a.m. author Deborah Car Senger will be signing copies of her book . "Haunted Bloomington", in the Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center until noon.

DBA F1rst Fr1day Halloween Trick or Treat with a Twist

Friday, October 28, 2016
5:00 PM

Visit the Museum of History for a twist on treats ( non-candy) for the kids from 5-8 p.m.

Illinois Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference

Thursday, October 20, 2016
12:00 AM

The Second Annual Route 66 Miles of Possibility Conference will be held in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois this year from October 20-23. As with the inaugural event last year in Edwardsville, the conference will feature several informative speakers covering a variety of topics related to Route 66. There will also be historical tours, a Route 66 Short Film Festival, music from local band Wagon Load a Trouble, and much more to be announced.

For more information visit: http://www.route66milesofpossibility.com/

To register online visit : https://www.regonline.com/Register/Checkin.aspx?Ev...

Evergreen Cemetery Walk 2016

Saturday, October 1, 2016
11:00 AM

After 22 years, the Evergreen Cemetery Walk continues going strong!This year’s roster of eight McLean County individuals will share stories of how they helped shaped, not only our history, but in some cases helped shape the landscape upon which we walk.One of these stories even directly impacted how the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery were shaped!This event serves over 3,500 people every year. To date, we have featured 157 different individuals from all walks of life, whose stories continue to illustrate the deep and lasting impact the people of McLean County have had on history. Put on your walking shoes and bring your family to this fascinating, outdoor theatrical program.

Performances are held twice daily at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 01, and Sunday October 02 and the following weekend, Saturday, October 08 and Sunday, October 09.

Advanced Ticket Sales Begin September 6

$17 general public, $14 Museum members, $5 under 18 and students with ID. A special $2.00 pre-sale discount is available for general and Museum member tickets if purchased at least 24 hours before the day of the performance.There is no discount on children/student tickets.All ticket sales are final.No refunds or exchanges.

For more information about the event or who this year's feature characters are, please click here.

A History of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Thursday, September 8, 2016
7:00 PM

Join the Museum's Director of Education, Candace Summers, for a program exploring the Evergreen Cemetery Walk. This event is the Museum's longest running and most successful outreach program serving almost 4,000 people every year. This event began in 1995 as a call to action because vandalism was a major problem at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. The Museum, in partnership with Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Illinois Voice Theatre, came together and created the Cemetery Walk with the purpose of educating the public about the importance of cemeteries to our collective history and why cemeteries are places that deserve our respect and protection using the voices of the people who created our history and are buried in the cemetery. This program will delve into the history of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, investigate monument styles and materials, explore cemetery architecture and symbolism (using the beautiful monuments of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery to illustrate) outline the history and purpose of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk, and of course introduce audience members to the people that will be featured during the 2016 Walk.

This program will be held in the Community Room at Bloomington Public Library. It is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org.

Evergreen Cemetery Walk: Tickets on Sale Today

Tuesday, September 6, 2016
9:00 AM

Tickets cost $17.00 for non-members, $14.00 for Museum members, $5.00 for students with ID and children. Buy them at least 24 hours in advance and save $2.00 each on each adult ticket! (There is no discount on student tickets.) Tickets can be purchased at the Museum, The Garlic Press, Casey’s Garden Shop, and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Bloomington. All ticket sales are final. No refunds or exchanges.

For more information about the event and this year's featured characters, please click here.

Labor Day - Museum closed

Monday, September 5, 2016
12:00 AM

Museum Participating in 2016 Bruegala

Friday, August 26, 2016
6:00 PM

The Museum is honored to have been selected as one of six non-profits that will benefit from the 2016 Brüegala, a charity beer and wine festival run by the Bloomington-Normal Jaycees.

The 17th annual Brüegala will be held on Friday, August 26th 6-11 pm and Saturday, August 27th 5-11 pm at the Corn Crib in Normal, IL. The event offers more 300 beers and 50 wines, features multiple food vendors, and provides music throughout the two-day event.

Stop by the Museum tables to sample the beer and wine poured by Museum staff, Board members, and volunteers! Brüegala ticket proceeds will benefit the Museum and five other local charities. For more information, visit bruegala.com.

History Careers Day Camp

Monday, July 25, 2016
8:00 AM

Presented in partnership with David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and Sugar Grove Nature Center, this 5-day summer camp for students entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grades offers firsthand experiences in the history related fields of law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Three separate sessions of 20 students each are offered each summer.

Registration is open until July 18. Please following this link to register your child online or download a printable application to submit by mail.

History Careers Day Camp 2016 is in part made possible by the sponsorship of State Farm Bank.

Abraham Lincoln Route 66 Festival

Thursday, July 14, 2016
10:00 AM

History Careers Day Camp

Monday, July 11, 2016
8:00 AM

Presented in partnership with David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and Sugar Grove Nature Center, this 5-day summer camp for students entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grades offers firsthand experiences in the history related fields of law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Three separate sessions of 20 students each are offered each summer.

Registration is open until July 18. Please following this link to register your child online or download a printable application to submit by mail.

History Careers Day Camp 2016 is in part made possible by the sponsorship of State Farm Bank.

Back 2 School Supply Drive at Farmers' Market!

Saturday, July 9, 2016
8:00 AM

The McLean County Museum of History and the Downtown Bloomington Association are teaming up and bringing the Back 2 School Supply Drive to the Farmers’ Market again this summer!The Back 2 School Supply Drive donation bin will be stationed at the DBA information booth (located at the corner of Main and Jefferson Streets) today from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. for anyone to drop off donations to the Back 2 School Supply Drive!

Supplies collected during the drive will be distributed to students who participate in the Back 2 School Party on August 9 at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Items will also be distributed throughout District 87 and Unit 5 to those who cannot attend the party.This endeavor will ensure that all students start the school year off right, with all necessary supplies and an awesome backpack to boot! Supplies

Any NEW school supply from the list below can be donated:

Backpack- 13 inches to 18 inches in height

Zippered Binder- 1.5 inches or 2 inches

3-Ring Binder- 1.5 inches

Divider Tabs- 5 count per package

2-Pocket Folders

Index Cards- 3x5, lined

Loose Leaf Paper- wide ruled

Spiral Notebook- wide ruled, 70 count pages

Ruler- standard/metric 12 inches

Colored Pencils- 12 count

Markers- washable, thick, classic colors

#2 Pencils- 12 count

Black or Blue Pens- 10/12 count

Glue Sticks- washable

Crayons- 24 count

Highlighters

Fiskar Scissors (blunt and pointed tip)

Pink Erasers

For more information, please contact the Museum’s Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. You can also visit the Back 2 School Alliance’s website at back2schoolalliance.org/.

Please donate! After all, what’s the first day of school without a fresh pencil, sharp scissors, and funky-colored folders in hand?

Museum Closed In Observance of Independence Day

Monday, July 4, 2016
12:00 AM

History Careers Day Camp

Monday, June 20, 2016
8:00 AM

Presented in partnership with David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and Sugar Grove Nature Center, this 5-day summer camp for students entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grades offers firsthand experiences in the history related fields of law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Three separate sessions of 20 students each are offered each summer.

History Careers Day Camp 2016 is in part made possible by the sponsorship of State Farm Bank.

Museum Closed for Memorial Day

Monday, May 30, 2016
12:00 AM

The Irish in Evergreen Cemetery Bloomington

Tuesday, April 19, 2016
6:30 PM

April 19, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. The Irish Heritage Society and the McLean County Genealogical Society will co-sponsor “The Irish in Evergreen Cemetery Bloomington”. Margaret Bratcher and Denise DeFries will present the program.

History Careers Day Camp Registration Begins

Friday, April 8, 2016
9:00 AM

Calling all future historians! Registration for the 2016 season of History Careers Day Camp at the McLean County Museum of History is soon approaching. Registration for three separate sessions of camp will open Monday, April 18. Registration for the three sessions is open to the first 20 students to apply for each week of camp. Preference will be given to those students who have never attended camp before. The dates for the three sessions are as follows: June 20-24; July 11-15; and July 25-29. Camp registration is available to all area children entering fourth through sixth grade. Online registration will be available through the Museum’s website at http://mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php. Printable registration forms will be available through the Museum’s website, as well as through the Unit 5 and District 87 online backpacks. Registration will close Friday, May 27.

This summer’s campers will have the chance to explore five different careers related to the field of history: law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. Over the course of the five-day camp, students will visit the David Davis Mansion and Sugar Grove Nature Center, and will, of course, become well acquainted with the Museum and Downtown Bloomington’s own Museum Square. For more information, please contact the Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. We can’t wait to hear from all of you young history buffs in April!

Greg Koos Retirement Reception 4-7 p.m.

Thursday, March 31, 2016
4:00 PM

After 38 years of dedicated service, our Executive Director Greg Koos will retire on March 31, 2016. It was Greg’s vision and guidance that helped the Museum become a nationally accredited community asset that moved from the McBarnes Building to the 1903 McLean County Courthouse where we operate today. On March 31, we hope you will attend a retirement reception in the Museum’s historic Governor Fifer Courtroom that will start at 4:00 p.m., followed at 5:30 p.m. by some additional fun and recognition.

Want to send Greg a card or share a memory or photo? Please bring them to the party or mail them for a special scrapbook to:

ATTENTION: John Killian
McLean County Museum of History
200 N. Main Street
Bloomington, IL 61701

Related story: Executive Director Greg Koos to retire after 38 years of leadership, preservation, vision

John Wesley Powell, Stephen Alfred Forbes, and the Illinois Natural History Society at Illinois State (Normal) University presented by Bill Kemp

Thursday, February 11, 2016
4:00 PM

John Wesley Powell, Stephen Alfred Forbes, and the Illinois Natural History Society at Illinois State (Normal) University presented by Bill Kemp, Librarian, McLean County Museum of History

Held on Thursday, February 11, 2016 at 4:00 p.m. at Illinois State University, Moulton Hall 214, this presentation is part of the ISU School of Biological Sciences Spring 2016 Weekly Seminar Series.

The Illinois Natural History Society, established in 1858 with grand pronouncements and lofty
expectations, disbanded after thirteen short years. Yet the Society, based on the campus of Illinois State Normal University, deserves notice in the narrative of nineteenth-century American scientific organizations.

A roll call of the more prominent members—Robert Kennicott, Cyrus Thomas, George Vasey,
And Benjamin Dann Walsh, among others—is testimony to the measurable role that the Society played in nineteenth century American science. And two major figures played defining roles in the Society: John Wesley Powell and Stephen Alfred Forbes. From 1867 to 1871, Powell was curator of the Society’s expansive and habitually disordered museum collections. From that position, he organized several expeditions to the Rocky Mountains and the arid lands beyond, most notably leading the first recorded journey through the Grand Canyon. After resigning as Curator, Powell became the architect of the federal science bureaucracy, founding and then leading the Smithsonian Institution’s Bureau of Ethnology and the U.S. Geological Survey.

A secondary but significant legacy of the Illinois Natural History Society was the establishment of successor scientific organizations. After the dissolution of the Society, Forbes transformed the museum into a dynamic center for biological research. Serving dual roles as State Entomologist and head of the State Laboratory of Natural History, Forbes conducted groundbreaking biological research. He also played an integral role in merging the State Laboratory and Office of State Entomologist into the Illinois Natural History Survey at Champaign.

Contact Angelo Capparella (apcappar@ilstu.edu) for appointments with this speaker. Pre-seminar refreshments will be served from 3:30-3:50 p.m. in Felmley Science Annex outside Room 133.

Lunch and Learn - The Liberal Arts College presented by Jonathan Green, Provost, IWU

Thursday, February 11, 2016
12:10 PM

The "Liberal Arts College" is a uniquely American contribution to higher education. Universities around the world are using it as a best-practice model for educational reform at a time when U.S. media are challenging its value. This session will provide a brief history of liberal education and provide compelling evidence that it is more relevant than ever before in preparing students for “the real world."

Bring your brown bag lunch to the Museum’s series, featuring engaging and enlightening topics for discussion. Join us the second Thursday of every month from now until May for a new topic to explore and discuss. The programs are held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom from 12:10-12:40 p.m. each time. The Spring 2016 series will run January – May. These programs are free and open to the public and sponsored by Illinois Wesleyan University, the McLean County Museum of History, and the Collaborative Solutions Institute.

Attraction to Crime and Crimminals

Tuesday, February 9, 2016
12:10 PM

Attraction to Crime and Criminals presented by Amanda Vicary, IWU Assistant Professor of Psychology

Exploring people’s interest in crime stories and attraction to prisoners, this talk will explore the reasons behind women’s interest in the true-crime book genre, including why it is more appealing to women than it is to men. A similar topic—people writing to prison inmates for romantic purposes—also will be discussed.

Bring your brown bag lunch to the Museum’s series, featuring engaging and enlightening topics for discussion. Join us the second Thursday of every month from September through May for a new topic to explore and discuss. The programs are held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom from 12:10-12:40 p.m. each time. These programs are free and open to the public and sponsored by Illinois Wesleyan University, the McLean County Museum of History, and the Collaborative Solutions Institute.

"What’s Coming Down the Line?" with historian Mike Matejka

Sunday, February 7, 2016
2:00 PM

On Sunday, February 7, come to the "What’s Coming Down the Line?" program and take a look at the railroad's impact on the nation's economy, culture, folklore, and children. This Bloomington Public Library Community Room program will be presented by Mike Matejka at 2 p.m.

DBA Tour de Chocolat

Friday, February 5, 2016
5:00 PM

The McLean County Museum of History and BEER NUTS, Inc. have teamed up once again for the 2016 Tour de Chocolat' during the February F1rst Fr1day!

Join us for free milk chocolate covered pretzels, dark chocolate covered pretzels, milk chocolate covered graham crackers and dark chocolate covered graham crackers (while supplies last) produced at Long Grove Confectionery in Long Grove, IL and donated by BEER NUTS, Inc.

Look for BEER NUTS Brand Snacks, chocolates from
The Chocolatier, and other local gifts items in the
Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center located on the ground floor of the Museum.

Find other Tour de Chocolat' stops on the
Dba Bloomington website at downtownbloomington.org

Presidents' Day Open House 12-3 pm

Friday, February 5, 2016
12:00 PM

Presidents’ Day 2016 at the McLean County Museum of History will be a celebration of America’s great righthand men because this year, Presidents’ Day will be Vice Presidents’ Day! Join us 12-3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 15 for a free, family-friendly open house featuring games, crafts, cake by Sweet Temptations Cupcake, and our annual mock election. This free event is sponsored in part by State Farm Bank.

Special Activity This Year: The event will kick off at 12:00 p.m. with the unveiling of an interpretive plaque to help commemorate the perimeter of the 1836 Lincoln-era courthouse on the current Museum Square. The ceremony will take place inside, on the first floor of the Museum. We hope that you will join us for this photo-op moment!

Did you know?

• * Prior to 1967 there was no official line of succession to the presidency. People merely assumed that the vice president would be happy to fill the role.
• * Of the United States’ 47 vice presidents, 14 have become president.
• * William King holds the title of the United States’ shortest lasting vice president, having held the office for a mere three weeks.
• * Famed Tonight Show host Johnny Carson once said, “Democracy means that anyone can grow up to be president, and anyone who doesn’t grow up can be vice president.”

We’ll see if Johnny’s words ring true as we put America’s VPs in the VIP spotlight. Make plans to join us for this annual Open House event

History Reads Book Club: The Negro in Illinois: The WPA Papers edited by Brian Dolinar

Tuesday, February 2, 2016
7:00 PM

All avid readers are welcome to join us on February 2 at the Museum for the first History Reads Book Club of 2016. The discussion will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Governor Fifer Courtroom. The featured book this winter is The Negro in Illinois: The WPA Papers (2015) edited by Brian Dolinar. This free, quarterly program is brought to you by the Museum and Bloomington Public Library.

The discussion will last approximately 60 minutes.

Participants are welcome to explore the Museum and the Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center before and after the meeting. Free parking is available at the Lincoln Parking Deck, located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

Copies of this book will be available for checkout at Bloomington Public Library or may be requested via interlibrary loan through your local public library. For more information on this program please contact the Museum’s Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428; or contact Karen Moen at Bloomington Public Library at reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org. The Museum looks forward to seeing you then!

McLean County Genealogical Society 50th Anniversary Open House

Saturday, January 23, 2016
1:00 PM

The McLean County Genealogical Society was formed on January 17, 1966 by a group of individuals interested and dedicated to the preservation of family history and records. The MCGS shares with the McLean County Museum of History a passion for researching and preserving the history of the people of the County of McLean and joined the McLean County Historical Society in raising the funds to preserve Old Courthouse and make it home to both organizations.

Join the MCGS on Saturday, Jan. 23rd 1-3 p.m. to celebrate 50 years of research and improving public access to historical and genealogical documents. Visitors to the Museum get access to ancestry.com thanks to the MCGS too. It's a great place to start your family tree exploration.

Challenges, Choices, & Change: Making a Home - Exhibit Grand Opening

Monday, January 18, 2016
10:00 AM

The Museum is preparing to unveil the first of five new exhibit galleries, ushering in a new era for how we connect visitors and students in particular, to local history. ""Challenges, Choices, & Change"", a core part of the Museum's ongoing $3 million campaign is scheduled to open on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Monday, January 18, 2016. Visitors will be able to explore new inter-actives , local artifacts and imagery, digital technology featuring hands-on learning activities that will answer the questions: Who are the people who have made McLean County their home? Where did they come from and how did they travel to get here? What were their experiences like when they arrived?

From the arrival of native people to the immigration of Asian Indians and Latinos in the late 20th century, the new exhibit looks at the experiences of individuals and families from all over the world who came to make McLean County their home.

Please join us for the grand opening on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday with a special presentation at 10:30 a.m. followed by a ribbon cutting. Refreshments will be served after the program. The new gallery is the culmination of the work of Dr. Gina Hunter, Illinois State University associate professor of Anthropology and Sociology, Museum curator, Susan Hartzold, and staff.

Science Fiction made into Science Reality with IWU Professor of Physics Gabe Spalding

Tuesday, January 12, 2016
12:10 PM

Science Fiction made into Science Reality with IWU Professor of Physics Gabe Spalding

Come enjoy a few videos illustrating how we’ve turned some of the fantasies of science fiction into experimental realities. For example, we’ve now made holograms that don’t just look three-dimensional, they cause nearby nano-components to self-assemble into place, providing real three-dimensional substance to the structures. Following Star Trek, we call this "The Holodeck." We’ve also made functional “Tractor Beams” and “Sonic Screwdrivers” and have even experimentally produced a movie of something that, in a basic sense, is traveling backwards in time.

Christmas Holiday - Museum Closed

Thursday, December 24, 2015
12:00 AM

"Carols in the Courtroom" presented by ISU Civic Chorale

Tuesday, December 15, 2015
7:30 PM

Get in the Christmas Spirit with this beautiful concert of carols. Tuesday December 15 at 7:30p.m. at the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington in the beautiful Governor Fifer Room on the 2nd floor, admission is free but free will donations will be taken at the door all proceeds go to supporting the ISU Civic Chorale.

Hot Cocoa and Christmas Cookies will be provided!

Making Poetry Matter: Poetry and the Archive in the 21st Century with Joanne Diaz

Thursday, December 10, 2015
12:10 PM

Archives provide poets with a way to capture the past and retool it for their own uses. Many poets have turned to archives to exhume some of history’s most difficult narratives of race, gender, and violence central to the American experience. Joanne Diaz, Associate Professor of English, IWU, will read and discuss selections from Martha Collins’ Blue Front to better understand her use of the archive and how she creates a poetics of engagement.

Christmas at the Courthouse

Saturday, December 5, 2015
11:00 AM

The Twin Cities’ annual Jaycees Christmas parade ends each year at the doorsteps of one the community’s largest free holiday parties.

Christmas at the Courthouse has become a time honored tradition. The McLean County Museum of History opens its doors to the entire community each year on the first Saturday of December for a day of family fun and holiday cheer. Visitors can enjoy holiday music, caroling, homemade cookies, cider and more on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. You can also play along with 101.5 WBNQ's "Elf on the Shelf" contest!

Musical performances will feature Bloomington High School Quartet, Loving Missionary Choir, Sound of Illinois Chorus, and more.

Like us on Facebook and visit mchistory.org to learn more about the new "Making A Home" exhibit gallery scheduled to open Jan. 18 and the Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center and gift shop.

This free event is supported by our generous Museum members and these community sponsors:

Once Upon a Holiday

Friday, December 4, 2015
5:00 PM

Join us for the Downtown Bloomington Association's Once Upon a Holiday Friday evening, December 4, 5-8 p.m. Come and see the live window vignettes throughout the downtown, enjoy live music and refreshments in the Rotunda (including adult eggnog!), a hands-on model train. This event is free and open to the public.

Be sure to stop in for celebrity readings of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” with Normal Mayor Chris Koos at 6 p.m. and Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner at 7 p.m., and for holiday shopping in our new Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center.

This free public event is supported by our generous Museum members and these community sponsors:

Book Lovers Holiday - Meet authors & historians

Saturday, November 28, 2015
10:00 AM

Guebert, Fraker, Cobb headline Thanksgiving weekend holiday event

Get out of the house after your holiday meal! The Museum and Visitors Center Gift Shop will be open on Black Friday, Nov. 27 (the day after Thanksgiving) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bring your family and out of town guests to shop for unique local items, explore our galleries and see the new Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 exhibit. Members will get 10% off all purchases and of course Museum memberships make a great holiday gift.

On Saturday, Nov. 28 we will participate in the popular Small Business Saturday with a new event called "Book Lovers Holiday" with special giveaways and an exclusive lineup of popular authors and local historians. Join us in the historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom for three different book programs then buy a signed copy in the Visitors Center.

At 10 a.m. Alan Guebert, author of the weekly syndicated column “The Farm and Food File” will present a holiday-themed program filled with stories about Christmas, good food, and Howard the Dairyman. We'll also enjoy Lutheran Christmas hymns! Guebert’s latest book The Land of Milk and Uncle Honey will be for sale and he will sign copies. Guebert’s co-author and daughter, Mary Grace Foxwell, will also participate in the event. She conceptualized, compiled, and edited the book. She also wrote the epilogue which details her own memories of her father and lessons gleaned from her grandparents’ farm.

At 1 p.m. local attorney and author Guy Fraker will take you on a journey along the Eighth Judicial Circuit where Abraham Lincoln and David Davis established their successful legal careers. His book Lincoln’s Ladder to the Presidency: The Eighth Judicial Circuit examines Lincoln and his circle of influence in Illinois that helped him win the White House. It is also available for purchase in the Visitors Center.

At 2 p.m. Ruth Cobb will present a local history presentation on the former Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailers’ Children’s School in Normal. She edited the popular book A Place We Called Home: A History of Illinois Soldiers' Orphans' Home 1864-1931, Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's School 1931-1979. It will be available for purchase.

Admission to the Museum is FREE all day Saturday, Nov. 28 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the Visitors Center is always free during operating hours. To learn more, visit www.mchistory.org or call Marketing and Community Relations Director Jeff Woodard at 309-827-0428.

Thanksgiving Day - Museum closed

Thursday, November 26, 2015
12:00 AM

Bobbin Lace Makers Demonstration

Thursday, November 19, 2015
1:00 PM

Bobbin lace making dates back further than the 14th Century. The ancient art is practiced in many countries including Belgium, Ireland and France to name a few. A group of artisans in McLean County are hoping to generate more interest here in the U.S., and will be conducting demonstrations at the McLean County Museum of History in the Textiles room on the third floor on Thursday, November 19 at 1:00 p.m.

Bobbin lace is produced by twisting, weaving and braiding of multiple threads attached to bobbins, sometimes one hundred or more at a time. In the past few decades an effort to revive the art has produced patterns, many directly traced from antique laces. Working diagrams can now be found in books with step by step instructions. Lace guilds, informal groups, and even lace retreats and conventions are becoming popular.

For more information on the upcoming demonstration contact Robin Bagwell at 309.828.7476 or email:Bobbinlace@frontier.com

Urban Barns: Livery Stables in Bloomington-Normal

Thursday, November 12, 2015
7:00 PM

Museum Librarian and Pages From the Past author Bill Kemp will present Urban Barns: Livery Stables in Bloomington-Normal at the upcoming Barn Keepers of Central Illinois meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Evergreen FS building (the old McLean County Farm Bureau office) at 402 N. Hershey Road in Bloomington. The public is invited to this free event. Barn Keepers was formed to promote the documentation, restoration, and preservation of these vanishing landmarks of McLean County's rural countryside. To learn more, visit www.barnkeepers.org.

Ask the Architect presented by Russel Francois

Thursday, November 12, 2015
12:10 PM

To hire or not? When should you hire an architect? What is a custom house? What does an architect do? What does a contractor do? Who is responsible for what? How to avoid conflicts with the architect/contractor/builder.

Bring your brown bag lunch to the Museum’s series, featuring engaging and enlightening topics for discussion. Join us the second Thursday of every month from now until May for a new topic to explore and discuss. The programs will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom from 12:10-12:40 p.m. each time. The first three Lunch and Learns will be on September 10, October 8, and November 12, 2015. These programs are free and open to the public and sponsored by Illinois Wesleyan University, the McLean County Museum of History, and the Collaborative Solutions Institute.

Veterans Day Observance

Wednesday, November 11, 2015
10:30 AM

This year's Veterans Day Observance will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 11 on the east side of the McLean County Museum of History in downtown Bloomington starting at 10:30 a.m. This year's ceremony will commence at 11 minutes before 11 a.m. with U.S. military veterans firing one round each minute until 11 a.m. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved inside to the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom. The public is welcome to stay afterward to view the “Those Who Served: Vietnam” boards in the Museums’ first-floor table case exhibits. No admission fee is required to participate.

The display boards will also be featured at Tri Valley’s annual Veterans Day program, which will be held on Friday, Nov. 6. The public celebration will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Tri-Valley Middle School with an outdoor parade around the school’s circle drive. Immediately following the parade an indoor K-8 assembly will take place 10-11 a.m. in the middle school gym, during which time the boards will be displayed. A full Thanksgiving meal will be served following the assembly for all veterans and spouses who are able to attend.

“Those Who Served: Vietnam” was published in The Pantagraph Aug. 16-Oct. 4 to honor veterans as the nation marked the 50^th anniversary of the start of ground troops from the U.S. in Vietnam. If you missed the series, The Pantagraph is reprinting all of these stories in a special section on Veterans’ Day, Nov. 11.

Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to mark the cessation of hostilities during World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Today, it is a federal holiday that is observed to honor people who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, November 7, 2015
10:00 AM

Knitters and crocheters—mark your calendars for the next Under the Dome Knit-In on Saturday, November 14! The Museum welcomes all knitters and crocheters to come down and create charity items or work on your own project at this highly popular ongoing program. This event is free and open to the public and is held in the Museum's Governor Fifer Courtroom from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Our local knitters and crocheters have made hundreds of hats, scarves, gloves, and more for many local and national charities including; residents of the Home Sweet Home and Safe Harbor shelters, for victims of the Washington, IL tornado, and victims of Super Storm Sandy, since the Knit In began three years ago!And we continue to find out about more charities that need our help!As always, information about the "Knitting for Victory: Knit Your Bit" campaign, other local knitting and crocheting charity opportunities, and copies of free patterns used to make items for those charities will be available.Light refreshments will also be served.Just bring your own project or the materials to begin a new one.

So grab a friend or two, some needles or hooks, and of course don't forget your yarn, and come on down to the Museum and Knit For A Bit!

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or via email at education@mchistory.org. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck on Front Street located one block south of the Museum.

History Reads Book Club - Lincoln's Manager: David Davis by Willard L. King

Tuesday, November 3, 2015
7:00 PM

The final History Reads Book Club of 2015 is going on the road! All avid readers are invited to the David Davis Mansion on November 3 to join in on a discussion of Lincoln's Manager: David Davis by Willard L. King. The event will begin at 7:00 pm. in the mansion’s Visitor Center. This free, quarterly program is brought to you by the Museum and Bloomington Public Library.

The discussion will last approximately 60 minutes. Parking will be available on the mansion grounds.

Copies of the book will be available for checkout at Bloomington Public Library or may be requested via interlibrary loan through your local public library. For more information on this program please contact the Museum’s Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428; or contact Karen Moen at Bloomington Public Library at reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org. The Museum looks forward to wrapping up the season with our local literature lovers in November!

Downtown Trick or Treat

Friday, October 30, 2015
5:00 PM

The Museum and Visitors Center will participate in the annual Downtown Merchant Trick or Treat – 5-7 p.m.

Visit the following merchants and business around the Historic Downtown Square!

Washington Street:
McLean County Museum of History - by the Lincoln Bench
A spooky specter will hand out prizes and family passes to the Museum! (#TealPumpkinProject)

Windy City Wieners

Main Street:
Behind the Glass Art Gallery and Studio
Mid City Salon and Day Spa
Bill’s Key and Lock Shoppe
Sugar Mama
That Dapper Pet Boutique and Spa
Churchill’s Formal Wear
Common Ground Grocery
Hobbyland

Jefferson Street:
USA Ballet/ My Loveable Angels
Heritage Enterprises
Bloomington Police Department Benevolent Society

Center Street
Fox & Hounds/ Monroe Centre hosting the BCPA

http://downtownbloomington.org/event-list/4637/

Barbara Egger Lennon: Teacher, Mother, Activist with Tina Brakebill

Saturday, October 24, 2015
1:30 PM

The Museum is pleased to announce that Tina Brakebill, author and Illinois State University instructor, will be delivering a talk about her most recent work—Barbara Egger Lennon: Teacher, Mother, Activist—on Saturday, October 24 at 1:30 pm in the Governor Fifer Courtroom. This program is free and open to the public.

Through her research, Brakebill has made it her mission to “[amplify] the previously unheard voices of so-called ordinary women as a means to further our understanding of historical forces.” Staying true to that mission, Brakebill’s close look at the life of Lennon, a native of Switzerland but an honorary Bloomingtonian, seeks to address the tenuous intersection between a Midwestern woman’s duties to her career, her children, and her ideals. In 1920, Lennon ended an almost 20 year career in public education to get married. Within three years, her husband was dead and she was left to raise and provide for an 18-month old child alone. As described by the author, "Those challenges reinforced her belief in the need for social and political change. For the next several decades, her activist role rivaled her responsibilities as mother and teacher.” As mother, educator, and political activist, Lennon “helped to launch the first local teachers union, worked with the Bloomington Trades & Labor Assembly, aided in the founding of Bloomington’s first Civil Liberties Union, lobbied as an officer for the Women’s Trade Union League, and electioneered for local, state, and national Democratic candidates.”

Through the lenses of Lennon's story, Brakebill’s talk will emphasize the realities of past and present women in the public sphere and hope to draw attention to the “more static reality of assumptions regarding women’s family responsibilities.”

The book Barbara Egger Lennon: Teacher, Mother, Activist (Westview Press, 2015) will be available for purchase in the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center at the price of $20.00 plus tax. A book signing by the author will directly follow the program.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

Under That Rock, Look What I Found - A Genealogical Journey of Discovery

Tuesday, October 20, 2015
7:00 PM

Mr. James Weirman, MCGS Librarian and Board member will present a slide show entitled, " Under that Rock, Look What I Found- A Genealogical Journey of Discovery" at the October meeting of the McLean County Genealogical Society, held on Tuesday, October 20, at 7 p.m. in the historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom. Jim and his wife, Joanna, have long researched their family lines with histories dating back to the 15th century, culled from research done in, and about Colonial America, England, Quebec, France, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.

The program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For information call Eleanor Mede 309-454-2688, or Sara Cushing at 309. 828.9848.

Common Sense Counseling presented by Julia Madden Bozarth

Thursday, October 8, 2015
12:10 PM

Positive communication skill to practice in ever relationship: workplace, parenting, friendships, couples, social settings, as well as common sense 'boundaries' to maintain your own sanity in a busy life This presentation will be hosted by Julia Madden Bozarth, Clinical Counselor and Motivational Speaker with Collaborative Solutions Institute

Bring your brown bag lunch to the Museum’s new series, featuring engaging and enlightening topics for discussion. Join us the second Thursday of every month from now until May for a new topic to explore and discuss. The programs will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom from 12:10-12:40 p.m. each time. The first three Lunch and Learns will be on September 10, October 8, and November 12. These programs are free and open to the public and sponsored by Illinois Wesleyan University, the McLean County Museum of History, and the Collaborative Solutions Institute.

Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Saturday, October 3, 2015
11:00 AM

With the Evergreen Cemetery Walk entering its third decade, the Museum and our partners, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Illinois Voices Theatre, are committed more than ever to preserve and protect our local history.

Every year the Evergreen Cemetery Walk brings the voices of McLean County's history to life. Costumed actors portray individuals representing all walks of life from the county's past on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Put on your walking shoes and bring your family to participate in this fascinating, award-winning outdoor theatrical program.

Evergreen Memorial Cemetery is one of the richest historical resources in our community. People from all walks of life are buried in this over 150 year old cemetery. Rich, poor, famous, infamous, loved or forgotten alike, they are all buried here. Evergreen provides an honorable resting place for all members of our community.

This annual event is a collaboration between the McLean County Museum of History, Illinois Voices Theatre and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

Public performances are held at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day. Tickets are $17, $14 for museum members and $5 for students.

See the 2015 lineup of historic characters

The Museum is pleased to announce that because of this year’s event sponsor, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, with additional support from CEFCU, The Copy Shop, Willie Brown, and members of the Museum, over 2,000 students and chaperones will be able to attend performances of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk free of charge. These school performances take place on weekdays between the two weekends of public performances. Without the support of these sponsors and our members, many of these students would not be able to attend. Thank you!

If you have any questions or need special accommodations, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428

Reception for Bill Kemp's 500th Column in The Pantagraph

Saturday, September 19, 2015
10:30 AM

Normal 1-5-0 History Fair

Sunday, September 13, 2015
12:00 PM

History Fair 12-5 p.m.

Organizations, businesses and individuals are invited to show off their Normal memorabilia at the Normal History Fair to be held as part of the 150th celebration in Uptown. The Normal 1-5-0 Committee is hoping to fill the Marriott Conference Center with postcard collections, dairy bottles, campaign buttons, yardsticks, seed corn sacks, matchbooks, signs, bottle openers, shoehorns, historic photos and more. Larger items with a connection to the Town are welcome as long as display space is available. There is no charge for booth space; sales of items will not be allowed during the event.

Two six-foot tables and two chairs will be provided with each booth. Additional tables may be available if space allows. Booths should be attended at all times. Normal 1-5-0 is not responsible for safeguarding the contents of booths. An entry application for space is required, and the Normal 1-5-0 Committee will determine if booth content complies with the intent of the History Fair.

To participate in the History Fair, visit www.normal.org/150

Normal 1-5-0 Celebration

Saturday, September 12, 2015
4:30 PM

The Museum is proud to team up with the Town of Normal and other community partners to celebrate 150 years of Normal. Public events will include a lecture series on Normal’s past, historic portrayals of people who made history in Normal, a fun-filled Circus Day in Uptown Normal, a History Fair and more! Normal 1-5-0 committees are planning these events culminating in a weekend celebration in Uptown Normal Sept. 11-13, 2015. You can find a complete list of official Normal 1-5-0 events on the Town’s website at www.normal.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/normal150.

Exploring Pluto with Linda French

Thursday, September 10, 2015
12:10 PM

The latest results from the NASA New Horizons flyby through the Pluto system will be discussed with IWU Professor of Physics, Linda French. Scientists are learning that this fascinating world- 40 times as far from the Sun as the Earth- is far more active than we ever imagined it could be.

Bring your brown bag lunch to the Museum’s new series, featuring engaging and enlightening topics for discussion. Join us the second Thursday of every month from now until May for a new topic to explore and discuss. The programs will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom from 12:10-12:40 p.m. each time. The first three Lunch and Learns will be on September 10, October 8, and November 12. These programs are free and open to the public and sponsored by Illinois Wesleyan University, the McLean County Museum of History, and the Collaborative Solutions Institute

Evergreen Cemetery Walk Tickets Go on Sale

Tuesday, September 8, 2015
9:00 AM

With the Evergreen Cemetery Walk entering its third decade, the Museum and our partners, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery and Illinois Voices Theatre, are committed more than ever to preserve and protect our local history.

Performances will be held on October 3-4 and 10-11, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

Tickets are avaliable for purchase at the following locations:
McLean County Museum of History
Casey's Garden Shop
Evergreen Memorial Cemetery
The Garlic Press

Tickets are $17 for the general public, $14 for Museum members, and $5 for children and students with ID. A special $2.00 pre-sale discount is available for general and Museum member tickets if purchased at least 24 hours before the day of the performance. There is no discount available on children/student tickets.

To see who this year's featured characters are, please visit http://www.mchistory.org/learn/programs/cemwalk.php.

The Museum is pleased to announce that because of this year’s event sponsor, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, with additional support from CEFCU, The Copy Shop, Willie Brown, and members of the Museum, over 2,000 students and chaperones will be able to attend performances of the Evergreen Cemetery Walk free of charge. These school performances take place on weekdays between the two weekends of public performances. Without the support of these sponsors and our members, many of these students would not be able to attend. Thank you!

If you have any questions or need special accommodations, please contact the Education Department at education@mchistory.org or 309-827-0428

Museum Closed in Observance of Labor Day

Monday, September 7, 2015
12:00 AM

The Museum will be closed on Monday September 07, 2015 in observance of the Labor Day and will reopen on Tuesday September 08, at 9:00 a.m.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, August 15, 2015
10:00 AM

Knitters and crocheters—mark your calendars for the next Under the Dome Knit In on Saturday, August 15 from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.! The Museum welcomes all knitters and crocheters to come down and create charity items or work on your own project. This event will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom.

Our local knitters and crocheters have made hundreds of hats, scarves, gloves, and more for many local and national charities including; residents of the Home Sweet Home and Safe Harbor shelters, for victims of the Washington, IL tornado, and victims of Super Storm Sandy, since the Knit In began three years ago!And we continue to find out about more charities that need our help!As always, information about the “Knitting for Victory: Knit Your Bit” campaign, other local knitting and crocheting charity opportunities, and copies of free patterns used to make items for those charities will be available.Light refreshments will also be served.Just bring your own project or the materials to begin a new one.

This quarter’s featured knitting/crocheting charity is Warm Up America.Warm Up America is a charity made up of volunteers across the nation who knit and crochet handmade afghans and clothing for those in need.Whether they work along or in groups with friends, family members, or co-workers, participants share a commitment to help their neighbors and serve their communities.Volunteers make entire blankets and other clothing items or groups can get together and make knitted or crocheted squares which are then assembled into completed blankets!This is a great way to use up those leftover bits of yarn from other completed projects!Items are then distributed to a number of organizations across the nation such as the American Red Cross Chapters, Children’s Hospitals, Women’s Shelters, Veterans’ Homes, Homeless Shelters, Nursing Homes, and more!The Museum will be collecting completed 9 inch knitted or crocheted squares to send to the Warm Up America Foundation in Carrollton, TX.You can drop off your completed squares any time between now and September 1^st.For more information on Warm Up America by visiting http://www.warmupamerica.org/.

The Under the Dome Knit In is FREE and open to everyone. Grab a friend, some needles or hooks, and of course don’t forget your yarn, and come on down to the Museum to “knit for a bit!”

Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck, one block south of the Museum on Front Street. For more information or any questions, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or education@mchistory.org

How Corn Changed Itself and then Changed Everything Else with Cynthia Clampitt

Tuesday, August 11, 2015
7:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to announce that Cynthia Clampitt, self-proclaimed “fourth generation foodie” and author of Midwest Maize: How Corn Shaped the U.S. Heartland, will be presenting her talk, “How Corn Changed Itself and then Changed Everything Else,” at 7:00 p.m. in the Governor Fifer Courtroom. This program is free and open to the public.

Over the course of her career as a food historian and travel writer, Clampitt has traveled to 37 countries across six continents. Recently, however, the focus of Clampitt’s studies has been more centrally located.In fact, Clampitt’s research for Midwest Maize first began in the Museum’s very own Stevenson-Ives Library.

Keeping in theme with the subject of her most recent book, Clampitt will discuss how approximately “10,000 years ago, a weedy grass growing in Mexico possessed of a strange trait known as a ‘jumping gene’ transformed itself into a larger and more useful grass—the cereal grass that we would come to know as maize and then corn.” In later years, following First Contact, the influence of this same grain would expand from “rescuing a few early settlers to creating the Midwest.” Clampitt’s talk is guaranteed to satisfy the curiosities of any manner of corn enthusiast—from the everyday lover of corn on the cob, to the informed agriculturalist, to the appreciator of biofuel technology.

Midwest Maize: How Corn Shaped the U.S. Heartland (University of Illinois Press, 2015) will be available for purchase at the price of $19.95 plus tax. A book signing by the author will immediately follow the program.

Clampitt’s other works have been published by a number of renowned educational publishers, including University of Illinois Press, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and National Geographic Learning. Clampitt is a member of Culinary Historians of Chicago, the Society of Women Geographers, the Agricultural Society, and the history section of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

The Land of Milk and Uncle Honey

Saturday, August 8, 2015
10:30 AM

The Museum is pleased to host nationally syndicated agricultural columnist Alan Guebert and his daughter Mary Grace Foxwell, who will present a program on their recently released book The Land of Milk and Uncle Honey.This free program will be held from 10:30am to 12:00pm in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom.

Guebert and Foxwell’s book is a collection of personal memories written over the past two decades as part of Guebert’s Farm and Food File column, which runs weekly in the Pantagraph and in more than 70 other newspapers across the United States and Canada.Each column recalls and reflects on the people, food, and values he learned on the 720-acre, 100-cow “southern Illinois dairy farm of my youth” in the late 1960s.

“Uncle Honey,” explains Guebert, “was my great uncle who retired from his in-town job to ‘help’ my father on our farm. Several of the stories in the book center on how this gentle, quiet man—truly, a ‘honey’ of a guy—turned into a steel-bending, throttle-breaking terror as soon as he put any tractor into gear, without the use of the clutch, of course.”

Guebert’s co-author and daughter, Mary Grace Foxwell, conceptualized, compiled, and edited the book. She also wrote the epilogue which details her own memories of her father and lessons gleaned from her grandparents’ farm. “While the majority of the book’s characters passed away long before I was born,” notes Foxwell, “I have often smiled and laughed hearing their stories, much like my father’s longtime readers. I wanted to honor those people and those values—hard work, honesty, and humility—for generations to come.”

Copies of the book will be available for purchase and a book signing will immediately follow the program.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

McLean County Agriculture Discussion - McLean County Farm Bureau building

Wednesday, August 5, 2015
9:00 AM

Museum seeks public input for new farming exhibit

The McLean County Museum of History is seeking public input for a brand new exhibit on local agriculture history. Challenges, Choices, & Change: Farming in the Great Corn Belt is set to open in March of 2017 in the Museum’s first floor Franklin Family Gallery. Don Meyer, retired University of Illinois McLean County Extension Director and current agriculture educator with Illinois State University, will serve as guest curator. He and the Museum are seeking public input for the new exhibit.

Farmers can share stories, photos Aug. 5. Farmers, landowners and others are welcome to join in a group discussion about what is important in the history of McLean Country farming. This discussion will be held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5 at the new McLean County Farm Bureau auditorium located at 2242 Westgate Drive in Bloomington. Participants are encouraged to bring photos of equipment, tools and farming activities, as well as personal stories of on-farm challenges and choices.
Planned in conjunction with Opening Day of the 2015 McLean County Fair, the group discussion will focus on the farmer experience in

McLean County. Questions discussed will include:

• • What artifacts or stories would you want or expect to see included in an exhibit about farming in McLean County?
• • When you reflect on the past 200 years of agriculture, what do you see as a defining moment in history?
• • What is your favorite recollection or family story about farming in McLean County?

Farming in the Great Corn Belt is one of five exhibits being planned to replace the Museum’s current permanent exhibit. It has a budget of $325,000 and is being funded through corporate and private donations made to the Museum’s ongoing Extending Excellence campaign. This new long-term exhibit is expected to attract local, national and international attention.

“The present farming exhibit has served the Museum well for the past 20 years,” Meyer said. “But, the focus in it has largely been the 19th Century. We have much to include from the past 100 years.”

Exhibit themes, such as changing technology, farm consolidation and specialization, nature’s forces, marketing challenges, the growth of agribusiness and others, will be explored and include five eras: Native People (pre-1823), the Western Frontier (1823-1852), after the railroad (1852-1899), the advancement of mechanization (1900-1945) and specialization and innovation (1946-2000).

For more information about this exhibit or the Aug. 5 discussion program, please call or email Museum curator Susan Hartzold (309-827-0428 or skhartzold@mchistory.org) or Don Meyer (309-531-2825 or donemeyer@gmail.com). To learn about the Extending Excellence campaign, visit www.mchistory.org/campaign or contact Beth Whisman at the Museum (309-827-0428 or bwhisman@mchistory.org).

The Farmer from Merna: A Biography of George J. Mecherle

Tuesday, August 4, 2015
7:00 PM

History Reads Book Club -The Farmer from Merna: A Biography of George J. Mecherle

This free quarterly program is open to the public. It is held in the historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom. Each book session begins at 7:00 p.m. and lasts approximately 1 hour.

History Career Day Camp Session III

Monday, July 27, 2015
8:30 AM

Collaborators for Emancipation: Abraham Lincoln and Owen Lovejoy with William and Jane Ann Moore

Saturday, July 18, 2015
2:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to welcome retired UCC ministers and historians William and Jane Ann Moore who will present a program on Lincoln and Owen Lovejoy, outlining how Lovejoy’s visits to Bloomington during various political occasions made a difference in getting Lincoln elected. The program is based on their new book, Collaborators for Emancipation: Abraham Lincoln and Owen Lovejoy, and will be held in the Governor Fifer Courtroom at 2:00 p.m. This program is free and open to the public and being held in conjunction with the seventh annual Lincoln's Festival in Bloomington.

The Moores' program explores the thorny issue of the pragmatism typically ascribed to Lincoln versus the radicalism of Lovejoy, and the role each played in ending slavery. Detailing the two mens' politics, personal traits, and religious convictions, the book traces their separate paths in life as well as their frequent interactions. The program will also investigate Lincoln’s and Lovejoy’s connection to local figures David Davis and Jesse Fell, as well as to the Pantagraph; Lincoln and Lovejoy’s speeches at Majors Hall in May 1856; and Lovejoy’s persuasive remarks before a hostile audience during his first Congressional campaign in July 1856.

William Moore graduated from Bates College and the Boston University School of Theology. Jane Ann Moore graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, the Yale Divinity School, and received her PhD from the Boston University African Studies program. The Moores are the co-directors of the Lovejoy Society of the Prairie Association of the UCC in Princeton, Illinois, an organization which promotes the study of Betsey, Elijah, and Owen Lovejoy. They have organized state-wide symposiums at the church Lovejoy served at in Princeton, published newsletters, and presented over 20 papers at Illinois State Historical Society Symposiums and Illinois History Conferences. Their previous work, His Brother’s Blood: Speeches and Writings of Owen Lovejoy 1838-64, was published in 2004. A book signing will immediately follow the program. Copies of Collaborators for Emancipation: Abraham Lincoln and Owen Lovejoy will also be for sale.

Lincoln News Conference presented by George Buss and Robert Lenz

Saturday, July 18, 2015
1:00 PM

Lincoln News Conference

July 18, 1:00 – 2:00pm Governor Fifer Courtroom, McLean County Museum of History, 200 North Main Street, Bloomington, Illinois

On Saturday, July 18, 2015 a Presidential News Conference will be held featuring George Buss of Freeport as Abraham Lincoln, and Bob Lenz of Bloomington a museum board member and past president of the Abraham Lincoln Association, as a his press secretary.

Mr. Buss has been recognized as one of the best, if not the best contemporary portrayer of the 16th president in the nation, and has appeared in Bloomington on a number of occasions. Buss portrays Lincoln in the popular video shown on the new Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center

For this “press conference” Mr. Lincoln (Buss) will first take questions from the audience in the style of a Presidential news conference late in 1864 as the Civil war is nearing its conclusion. Bob Lenz, as press secretary will manage the question period.

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for what will surely be a lively event, where you will have the chance to hear the thoughts of Lincoln as he answers questions put to him about the course of the war, his plans for the healing of the nation at the war’s end, and his plans for his own life after his presidency.

This program is free and open to the public.

Encounters with Lincoln

Friday, July 17, 2015
6:00 PM

On Friday, July 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. the Museum is pleased to host Encounters with Lincoln’s Bloomington, which showcases our many connections to Lincoln with performances in historic Downtown buildings situated around the Museum Square where Lincoln once walked. The end of the Civil War and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln keenly affected Bloomington area residents. These events and their aftermath will be highlighted this year’s performances.

Actors in period dress will perform inside the Museum (two locations) and at Monroe Centre, Heritage Plaza, Ensenberger Condominiums, and François Associates Architects for a total of six performances. This year’s vignettes featuring members of the Historic Acting Troupe will include portrayals of local people who experienced the Civil War both on the home front and on the battlefield, and those who mourned and honored Lincoln as his funeral train passed through town. Stories of how our community responded to the plight of war widows and orphans, as well as the changing role of single women in America, will also be shared. There is no charge to attend the performances. The Museum will serve as the starting point, and visitors are urged to arrive no later than 6 p.m. in order to see the entire presentation.

This event is part of Lincoln's Festival in Bloomington, which continues with activities in various locations both Saturday July 18 and Sunday July 19. Watch the Festival website for future updates at www.lincolnsfestival.com.

Lincoln's Festival in Bloomington

Friday, July 17, 2015
5:00 PM

July 17-19 at various sites around Bloomington

Museum Events July 17 and 18

Encounters with Lincoln's Bloomington July 17 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Museum, Monroe Centre, Heritage Plaza, Ensenberger Condominiums, and François Associates Architects.

Looking for Lincoln Scavenger Hunt July 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Lincoln themed craft activity July 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Museum's third floor classroom

Lincoln Sites Walking Tour with Greg Koos July 18 at 11:00 a.m. (meet at Museum's main entrance on Washington Street)

Lincoln News Conference July 18 at 1:00 p.m. Gov. Fifer Courtroom

Collaborators for Peace: Abraham Lincoln and Owen Lovejoy with William and Jane Ann Moore 2:00 p.m. Gov. Fifer Courtroom

Back 2 School Supply Drive July 6 through August 1

Monday, July 6, 2015
9:00 AM

Back 2 School Supply Drive – We Need your Help!

From July 6 through August 1 the Museum will be participating in the Back 2 School Alliance School Supply Drive, helping to collect school supplies for the 2015-16 school year that will be given to local students in need.

The Back 2 School Supply Drive, organized by the Back 2 School Alliance in coordination with Bloomington District 87, Normal Unit 5, and the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, is an effort to ensure that all students start the school year off right, with all necessary supplies and an awesome backpack to boot! Supplies will be distributed to students who participate in the Back 2 School Party on August 11 between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Items will also be distributed throughout District 87 and Unit 5 to those who cannot attend the party.

During our supply drive, you may bring in any new school supply from the list below and receive free admission to the Museum on the day you visit!

Backpack- 13 inches to 18 inches in height

Zippered Binder- 1.5 inches or 2 inches

3-Ring Binder- 1.5 inches

Divider Tabs- 5 count per package

2-Pocket Folders

Index Cards- 3x5, lined

Loose Leaf Paper- wide ruled

Spiral Notebook- wide ruled, 70 count pages

Ruler- standard/metric 12 inches

Colored Pencils- 12 count

Markers- washable, thick, classic colors

#2 Pencils- 12 count

Black or Blue Pens- 10/12 count

Glue Sticks- washable

Crayons- 24 count

Highlighters

Fiskar Scissors (blunt and pointed tip)

Pink Erasers

The donation bin to drop off your items will be located on the first floor of the Museum. For more information, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. You can also visit the Back 2 School Alliance’s website at http://back2schoolalliance.org... donate! Every pen, pencil, binder, and notebook you donate helps the Museum support our local teachers by getting students the tools they need for the new school year!

History Career Day Camp Session II

Monday, July 6, 2015
8:30 AM

Museum Closed for 4th of July Holiday

Saturday, July 4, 2015
12:00 AM

4th Annual History Makers Gala

Thursday, June 25, 2015
5:30 PM

Each year, the History Makers Gala recognizes senior citizens whose outstanding, lifelong contributions of time and talents have helped to make McLean County the thriving community it is today. The Gala dinner will feature live dramatizations and music that celebrate the honorees and their lives of service.

The 2015 honorees are Merlin Kennedy, Peg and John Kirk, and Sonja Reece. Read more about them here. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program begins at 6:15 p.m. at the Brown Ballroom in the Illinois State University Bone Student Center Thursday, June 25.

Tickets are $60 for the general public and $50 for Museum members. Tickets can be purchased at the Museum located at 200 N. Main Street in downtown Bloomington or online at www.mchistory.org. Proceeds support the Museum's free educational programs that serve more than 7,000 local school children and 1,200 senior citizens each year.

For more information contact Beth Whisman, director of development, at bwhisman@mchistory.org or call (309) 827-0428.

History Careers Day Camp - Session I

Monday, June 15, 2015
8:30 AM

History Career Day Camp Session I June 15 - June 19, 2015

WGLT 2015 Summer Concert

Saturday, June 13, 2015
3:30 PM

The WGLT Summer Concert is the best street party in town on the Museum Square in downtown Bloomington.

For more information visit: See more at:http://wglt.org/events/summer_concert.shtml#sthash...

DBA Route 66 Cruise In

Saturday, June 6, 2015
3:00 PM

DOWNTOWN BLOOMINGTON ROUTE 66 CRUISE IN
"Get your kicks on Route 66"

The Downtown Bloomington Association, in partnership with the Car Community Automobile Club, The Twin City Cruisers, McLean County Antique Automobile Club and The Illinois Flat Land British Car Club invites you to “Get Your Kick’s on route 66” as the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center Opening Celebration Continues!

More than 300 cars –vintage, classics, muscle cars and street rods – will be on display throughout the central Downtown Bloomington core on Saturday, June 6, from 3-9 pm, following the regularly scheduled Farmers’ Market. Car owners and enthusiasts will be on hand to answer your questions, and the Illinois Route 66 Association will be there with items of interest for fans of all ages.

In addition, the Museum of History welcomes renowned Historian and author Terri Ryburn who will share her nostalgic recollections of growing up in “The Road.” Ms. Ryburn will speak at 3 pm in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom. Please note - In the event of rain, the car show will take place on Sunday, June 7 from 1-6 pm

For more information please contact tstiller at 309-829-9599 or email at tstiller@downtownbloomington.org.

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, May 16, 2015
10:00 AM

Under the Dome Knit-In

Knitters and crocheters—mark your calendars for the next Under the Dome Knit-In on Saturday, May 16! The Museum welcomes all knitters and crocheters to come down and create charity items or work on your own project at this highly popular ongoing program. This event is free and open to the public and is held in the Museum's Governor Fifer Courtroom from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Our local knitters and crocheters have made hundreds of hats, scarves, gloves, and more for many local and national charities including; residents of the Home Sweet Home and Safe Harbor shelters, for victims of the Washington, IL tornado, and victims of Super Storm Sandy, since the Knit In began three years ago!And we continue to find out about more charities that need our help!As always, information about the "Knitting for Victory: Knit Your Bit" campaign, other local knitting and crocheting charity opportunities, and copies of free patterns used to make items for those charities will be available.Light refreshments will also be served.Just bring your own project or the materials to begin a new one.

So grab a friend or two, some needles or hooks, and of course don't forget your yarn, and come on down to the Museum and Knit For A Bit!

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or via email at education@mchistory.org. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck on Front Street located one block south of the Museum.

The History of Cycling in Illinois with Chris Sweet, Associate Professor of English Info Literacy Librarian

Thursday, May 14, 2015
12:10 PM

It is often forgotten that from 1890 until about 1930 bicycling reigned supreme as the most popular sport in America. Bicycle racers were well-paid celebrities and races routinely attracted thousands of spectators. The social elite were members of cycling clubs with private clubhouses. This period of cycling history is particularly significant because it had a direct impact on social progress in the areas of race, class and gender. Historically, Illinois was home to the majority of the country's bicycle manufacturers (Schwinn being the most well-known). Bicycle races were big business in both Chicago and Central Illinois. Chris will explore this forgotten history, which has been buried in archives and old newspapers.

The Forgotten Storm: The Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925 by Wallace E. Akin

Tuesday, May 5, 2015
7:00 PM

History Reads Book Club

All avid readers are welcome to join us on May 5 at the McLean County Museum of History for the second History Reads Book Club of 2015. Our discussion will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Governor Fifer Courtroom. The featured book this spring is The Forgotten Storm: The Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925 by Wallace E. Akin. This free, quarterly program is brought to you by the Museum and Bloomington Public Library.

The discussion will last approximately 60 minutes. Participants are welcome to explore the Museum before the meeting. Free parking is available at the Lincoln Parking Deck, located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.
Copies of this book will be available for checkout at Bloomington Public Library or may be requested via interlibrary loan through your local public library.

For more information on this program please contact the Museum's Education Department by email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428; or contact Karen Moen at Bloomington Public Library at reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org. The Museum looks forward to seeing our local literature lovers in May!

Volunteer Reception

Wednesday, April 29, 2015
6:30 PM

The annual Volunteer Reception will be held Wednesday evening , April 29, at 6:30 in the historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom.. Recognition, laughs, smiles, entertainment, desserts and more. Did we mention desserts?

"Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66" Visitors Center Grand Opening

Saturday, April 25, 2015
10:00 AM

Saturday, April 25 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
200 N. Main Street, Bloomington, IL 61701

Join us for this free public event to celebrate the new Visitors Center and Gift Shop, and to acknowledge our partners and supporters of this new venture. The day will include tours, family entertainment, music by Wagon Load A Trouble, giveaways, refreshments and more. This event is free and open to the public.

The "Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66" Visitors Center is the result of the partnership between the Illinois Office of Tourism, the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the McLean County Museum of History, the County of McLean, the City of Bloomington, and the Public Building Commission of McLean County.

Door Prize Drawings All Day!

10 a.m. - Ribbon Cutting - Ground Floor

10:20 a.m. - Program & Refreshments - 2nd Floor

11 a.m. - 2 p.m. - Live Music in Rotunda with "Wagon Load A Trouble"

11 a.m.-3 p.m. -- Face Painting -- 3rd Floor

1 p.m. -- Photo Opportunity -- 1st Floor Work Gallery

"Get Busted" with Route 66 Hall of Famer Chester Henry

4 p.m. -- Final Door Prize Drawing for collector print

Stephen P. Thomas to discuss the career of Illinois Sculptor Lorado Taft

Tuesday, April 14, 2015
7:00 PM

Co-editor to Speak on the Career of Illinois Sculptor Lorado Taft

Please join the McLean County Museum of History in welcoming Stephen P. Thomas, Chicago historian and co-editor of Lorado Taft: the Chicago Years, for a talk on Taft and his Chicago career on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the Governor Fifer Courtroom.

For residents of Illinois, the name Lorado Taft may or may not be readily recognizable—but a number of the renowned sculptor's works most certainly are. Works of particular interest to those familiar with Central Illinois may be the Fountain of the Great Lakes (1913) situated outside the Art Institute of Chicago, the Alma Mater (1929) located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), or even Bloomington's own Trotter Memorial Fountain (1911) located in Wither's Park on East Washington Street.

In his book, Lorado Taft: the Chicago Years (University of Illinois Press, 2014), author Allen Stuart Weller, addresses the most productive years of the sculptor's prolific career. A native Illinoisan, Taft was born in Elmwood, IL in 1860 and received his education at UIUC. His skills as a sculptor were sought for numerous commissions in Chicago that greatly contributed to the city's reputation as a center for public art and a symbol of the City Beautiful movement. Upon his return to Chicago in 1886 after three years of study in France, Taft opened a studio and began instructing at the Art Institute—a position he held for 21 years prior to his 30-year-long stint as head of the Midway Studios at the University of Chicago. Taft continued to create until the time of his death in October, 1936. Just three weeks prior to his passing, Taft traveled to Quincy, IL to attend a dedication of his sculpture commemorating the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858.

Bloomington born and East Peoria raised, Stephen P. Thomas is a graduate of UIUC, Harvard Law School, and the University of Chicago (U of C). In the years following his retirement from commercial law in 1999, Thomas completed his master's in Liberal Arts at U of C in 2008—during which time he became active in the Chicago Literary Club and discovered his burgeoning interest in the artist Taft.
Lorado Taft: the Chicago Years by Allen Stuart Weller will be available for purchase at the price of $39.95 plus tax. A book signing by the co-editor will directly follow the program.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

Segregation—Our Community's Secret presented by Dr. Mark Wyman

Saturday, April 11, 2015
1:30 PM

Segregation—Our Community's Secret

The Museum is pleased to welcome back Dr. Mark Wyman, who will present a program on the now largely forgotten history of segregation in this community. The program will be held at the Museum on Saturday, April 11, at 1:30 p.m. in the Governor Fifer Courtroom. This program is free and open to the public.

According to Wyman, a local African American leader once commented that "People don't know how bad it was here—even black kids don't know how bad it was." He referred to local customs that barred African-Americans from many aspects of life in Bloomington-Normal, which are now largely forgotten by all but those who were victims of these unwritten laws of racial exclusion. Wyman decided to investigate this for himself and began an extensive examination of local newspapers to help to help bring this part of the African American story in McLean County to light. His program will examine those findings.

Dr. Mark Wyman is a Distinguished Emeritus Professor of History from Illinois State University, having taught from 1971 until his retirement in 2004. A former newspaperman, his history publications have ranged from Western hard-rock miners, to immigrants returning to Europe, to hoboes harvesting crops across the West. Wyman was also guest curator of the Museum's past exhibit Adlai! The Life and Times of Adlai E. Stevenson II 2002-2004.

Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck on Front Street located one block south of the Museum. The Museum can also be accessed through ground level entry on the south side of the building on Washington Street. For more information about this program, please contact the education department by calling 309-827-0428 or via email at education@mchistory.org.

Furnishing the Soul: Medieval Maps, Meditation, and Metaphor

Thursday, April 9, 2015
12:10 PM

Professor Dan Terkla with Illinois Wesleyan University provides a new context in which to think about how some world maps from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were used. He argues that these maps worked in concert with the architectural layouts and furnishings of Gothic churches--especially tableau, painted and lettered informational tablets--to guide visitors through the terrestrial realm while pointing them toward its celestial counterpart.

Route 66 Hall of Famer and author Chester D. Henry presents, "Route 66, My Home Away from Home"

Saturday, March 28, 2015
1:00 PM

On Saturday, March 28, at 1:00, we invite you to take a tour down memory lane along the country's Mother Road—historic Route 66. Join retired lieutenant Chester D. Henry and his family for an afternoon of lively reminiscences of the Grand Old Road spanning the state trooper's 26 year career from 1958 to 1984.

In 1995, Henry endeavored to preserve his memories of patrolling Route 66 in book form in hopes of ensuring that his stories would always be available to future family members. In the fall of 2014, this personal collection of anecdotes and memories, entitled Route 66, My Home Away From Home, was made available to the general public.

In the words of Henry, "The old roadway may be gone, the restaurants, gas stations, motels, garages, may be torn down, …the policeman may be retired, and the bus drivers…may no longer be running up and down her miles, but the memories will be in our hearts and mind…for many years to come."

Route 66, My Home Away from Home by Chester D. Henry will be available for purchase at the price of $15.00 plus tax. A book signing by the author will directly follow the program.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by phone at 309-827-0428. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

Lincoln’s Two Trips between Springfield and Washington presented by author Guy Fraker

Thursday, March 12, 2015
12:10 PM

In February 1861 Lincoln left Springfield on his long circuitous route to Washington. In April 1865 Lincoln's body returned on the same route to Central Illinois. Fraker's talk contrasts the two trips. The return to Springfield detoured from Indiana to Chicago and passed through Bloomington's 8th Circuit on May 3, 1865. Fraker is the author of Lincoln's Ladder to the Presidency The Eight Judicial Circuit.

Lincoln Practiced Law Here: Summary of the Archaeological findings of the Lincoln Era Courthouse presented by Floyd Mansberger

Saturday, February 28, 2015
1:00 PM

Join the Museum for an afternoon exploring the archaeological findings unearthed about the Lincoln era courthouse, McLean County's second courthouse (1836-1868).Floyd Mansberger, Director of Fever River Research and one of the archaeologists who helped unearth the "footprint" of the Lincoln era courthouse, will present a program on his team's findings on Saturday, February 28 at 1:00 p.m. in the Governor Fifer Courtroom.This program is free and open to the public.

Archaeological excavations were performed in July of last year in order to mitigate the adverse affects that construction for Bloomington-Normal's new visitors center, Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66, would have on the historic landscape on the south side of the Museum. The Visitors Center will be located in the ground floor of the Museum with entry through a broad plaza, located on Washington Street. For more information about the Visitors Center project, please visit the Museum's website www.mchistory.org/visitor-center-updates.php. archaeological excavations not only uncovered portions of the foundation of the Second Courthouse, (which Abraham Lincoln practiced law in during his time as a lawyer on the Eighth Judicial Circuit from 1837-1861) but also exposed several artifacts from the same time period.The team's findings will allow the Museum plot out the exact location of the Lincoln era courthouse and to provide more complete interpretation of the site during that time period.

Floyd Mansberger received his bachelor's degree in Archaeology from the University of Illinois and his master's degree in History from Illinois State University.He started Fever River Research in 1984 as a part-time business conducting archaeological and architectural surveys.Today, the full-time firm (based out of Springfield) specializes in cultural resource management projects concerning historical properties.For over the past 20 years, Mansberger has participated in a variety of cultural resource management projects such as archaeological and architectural surveys, archaeological excavations, and archival research, as well as preparing historic structure reports for historic buildings. Mansberger has published articles on his research in such journals as Illinois Archaeology, Transactions of the Pioneer America Society, Historic Illinois, Wisconsin Archaeologist, Agricultural History, Journal of the Illinois Geographical Society, and Western Illinois Regional Studies.

Free parking will be available for attendees at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.The Museum can also be accessed through ground level entry located on the south side of the building on Washington Street. For more information contact education@mchistory.org or call 309.827.0428.

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, February 21, 2015
10:00 AM

Knitters and crocheters—mark your calendars for the next Under the Dome Knit-In on Saturday, February 21! The Museum welcomes all knitters and crocheters to come down and create charity items or work on your own project at this highly popular ongoing program. This event is free and open to the public and is held in the Museum's Governor Fifer Courtroom from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Our local knitters and crocheters have made hundreds of hats, scarves, gloves, and more for many local and national charities including; residents of the Home Sweet Home and Safe Harbor shelters, for victims of the Washington, IL tornado, and victims of Super Storm Sandy, since the Knit In began three years ago!And we continue to find out about more charities that need our help!As always, information about the "Knitting for Victory: Knit Your Bit" campaign, other local knitting and crocheting charity opportunities, and copies of free patterns used to make items for those charities will be available.Light refreshments will also be served.Just bring your own project or the materials to begin a new one.

So grab a friend or two, some needles or hooks, and of course don't forget your yarn, and come on down to the Museum and Knit For A Bit!

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department at 309-827-0428 or via email at education@mchistory.org. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck on Front Street located one block south of the Museum.

Presidents' Day

Monday, February 16, 2015
12:00 PM

Presidents' Day is a family friendly event on February 16 from 12:00-4:00. All activities will be free and open to the public. In anticipation of the Museum's upcoming Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center, come celebrate our nation's founding fathers by taking a trip down the Mother Road! Did you know the official starting point of Route 66 is Chicago, IL—the former home of current president Barack Obama? Or that the development of the U.S. interstate highway system in 1956 was championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower—the political opponent of Bloomington native and Democratic presidential nominee Adlai E. Stevenson II? Find out this and more at the 2015 Presidents' Day open house. Activities will include a mock election, crafts, games, and... celebratory cookies baked by our downtown neighbor Sugar Mama Bakery!

Backdoor Scholarship: A Report on the John Updike Childhood Home by James Plath, IWU Professor of English

Thursday, February 12, 2015
12:10 PM

As head of the John Updike Society, James Plath led efforts to purchase the childhood home of John Updike. He will discuss the transformation of the home into a literary center and educational museum.

Tour de Chocolat

Friday, February 6, 2015
5:00 PM

The McLean County Museum of History will participate in this year's annual DBA Tour de Chocolat. Visitors will enjoy chocolate covered BEER NUTS Brand Snacks during this year's Tour de Chocolat 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6. Tour our galleries and stop by the Rotunda to sample different flavors of the famous sweet & salty nuts dipped in the finest of chocolates.

Museum Volunteer Amy Miller also put together three display cases on local chocolate history, from Beich's to Pease's and a few tasty things in between. The cases are located on the main floor near the free chocolate samples.

After your visit, make your way to the BCPA for the a culinary cook-off. Celebrity judges will be doing sampling and making determinations at the beginning of the event. You get to vote, too! Take samples and vote with your dollars! More information

When the Mississippi Ran Backward: Empire, Intrigue, Murder and New Madrid Earthquakes by Jay Feldman

Tuesday, February 3, 2015
7:00 PM

This free quarterly program is open to the public. It is held in the historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom. Each book session begins at 7:00 p.m. and lasts approximately 1 hour.

A Demonstration of Newspapers.com

Tuesday, January 20, 2015
7:00 PM

The McLean County Genealogical Society is sponsoring this special demonstration of the online resource www.newspapers.com. Museum Archivist and George Perkins will give a presentation on changes at the Museums' Stevenson-Ives Library and demonstrate how to use this popular website to search through a national newspaper database for articles, obituaries, etc.

The meeting will be held in the Stevenson-Ives Library on the second floor of the Museum on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served following the meeting. For more information, please call Eleanor Mede (309-454-2688) or Sara Cushing (309-828-9848).

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - Free Admission

Monday, January 19, 2015
10:00 AM

MUSEUM CLOSED DUE TO SCHEDULED POWER OUTAGE

Saturday, January 17, 2015
12:00 AM

The McLean County Museum of History will be closed for the day on Saturday, January 17 due to a scheduled power outage in the downtown area for electrical repair.

The Museum will be open for the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday on Monday, January 19 with regular hours from 10:00a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with free admission to all exhibit galleries.

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration,

Jeff Woodard

'Not in Our Town' with Willie Halbert & Camille Taylor

Thursday, January 8, 2015
12:10 PM

Bloomington-Normal "Not In Our Town" (NIOT) activities started in 1995 with the original screening of "Not In Our Town" on PBS, a series of community forums on local issues of discrimination. In the summer of 1996, there was a NIOT march. For the following 18 years there have been marches, diversity celebrations, community forums and outreach through local schools. Given recent national events, it is imperative that we raise our local level of discussions on discrimination and racism.

On Thursday, Jan. 8 at 12:10 p.m., bring your bag lunch and join us in the Museum's historic Governor Fifer Courtroom on the second floor for a special presentation and group discussion led by longtime NIOT organizers Willie Halbert and Camille Taylor.

The monthly Lunch and Learn series is sponsored by the Collaborative Solutions Institute, Illinois Wesleyan University and the McLean County Museum of History. Sessions are free and open to the public.

New Year's - Museum Closed

Wednesday, December 31, 2014
12:00 AM

The Museum will reopen Friday, Jan. 2.

Museum Closed

Wednesday, December 24, 2014
12:00 AM

Lunch and Learn - Private corporations vs. the Sheriff's Office: Does it matter who manages your foreclosure?

Thursday, December 11, 2014
12:10 PM

The legal process to foreclose on a residential property is a deliberate and time-consuming affair. How expedient is the county's Sheriff's Office, relative to for-profit legal corporations, in the handling of the administrative elements of this process? A study of 1,241 foreclosure processes completed between 2006 and 2013 offers some unexpected answers. Bring your brown bag lunch to the Museum's historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom at 12:10 p.m. to hear more from Diego Mendez-Carbajo, Chair and Associate Professor of Economics at Illinois Wesleyan University. This event is free and open to the public thanks to our partners IWU and Collaborative Solutions.

Christmas at the Courthouse

Saturday, December 6, 2014
11:00 AM

"Christmas at the Courthouse" has become a time honored tradition.

The McLean County Museum of History opens its doors to the community each year on the first Saturday of December for a day of free family fun and holiday cheer. Visitors can enjoy live musical performances, caroling, storytelling, homemade cookies and cider, hands-on crafts, a visit with Santa Claus, and more!

Santa makes his annual stop 11 a.m.-2 p.m., and world-famous storyteller Mike Lockett returns from a recent tour of China. Special this year, we will hold an unveiling of our first Visitors Center item at 11 a.m. featuring Reggie Redbird, Andy Shirk with Beer Nuts, Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner, and Museum Board President Craig Alexander. Don't miss the fun!

Join us Saturday, Dec. 6 from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. immediately after the annual Jaycees Holiday Parade that ends on our Museum Square.

This annual gift to the community is sponsored by State Farm Bank.

Once Upon a Holiday

Friday, December 5, 2014
5:00 PM

On Friday, Dec. 5 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., the Museum will offer free admission during the Downtown Bloomington Association's "Once upon a Holiday" event. Enjoy celebrity readings of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" with The Pantagraph's Bill Flick and Illinois State University Women's Basketball Coach Barb Smith. Also, enjoy the musical styling of Marcos Mendez and refreshments including our popular adult eggnog.

The Museum will also be collecting non-perishable food items for the Clare House and Socks for Seniors.

Thanksgiving Day - Museum closed

Thursday, November 27, 2014
12:00 AM

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, November 15, 2014
10:00 AM

Grab your friends, needles, hooks and yarn and stop by the Museum to “knit for a bit”. Light refreshments will be provided. This program is free and open to the public.

Lunch and Learn- Decoding Dogs: The Psychology of Man's Best Friend with Ellen Furlong at BPL

Thursday, November 13, 2014
12:00 PM

Dogs and humans have a long and close association spanning thousands of years. However, in many respects, dogs are still a mystery to us. How do they thin? What do they know? Ellen Furlong, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University, will discuss some ways we ask dogs these questions and will share some insights into dog psychology we've gained in the past few years.

The Lunch and Learn runs from 12:10 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. at the Bloomington Public Library and is free and open to the public. The Lunch and Learn series is held collaboration with Illinois Wesleyan University, McLean County Museum of History, Collaborative Solutions Institute and the Bloomington Public Library.

Annual Veterans Day Ceremony

Tuesday, November 11, 2014
10:30 AM

Join Us for the Annual Veterans Day Ceremony

For several generations, McLean County has commemorated Veterans Day on the Courthouse Square (now known as the Museum Square) in the heart of historic downtown Bloomington. 

This year’s ceremony, Tuesday, November 11, will commence at 11 minutes before 11:00 a.m., with the color guard firing one round each minute until 11:00 a.m. Veterans Day began as Armistice Day to mark the cessation of hostilities during World War I on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.

As always, the local ceremony will be held on east steps of the Museum.

"The Irish Way: Becoming American in the Multiethnic City" presented by author James R. Barrett

Saturday, November 8, 2014
1:00 PM

James R. Barrett, author of The Irish Way: Becoming American in the Multiethnic City, will lead a program on the nature of the immigration and subsequent assimilation of America’s urban Irish population at the turn of the twentieth century. 

Barrett’s talk will be held in the Museum’s historic Governor Fifer Courtroom on Saturday, November 8 at 1 p.m. This program is presented in conjunction with the Museum’s current exhibit The Greening of the Prairie: Irish Immigration and Settlement in McLean County which is sponsored by State Farm.

Tri-Valley School District Honors Local Veterans

Friday, November 7, 2014
10:00 AM

On Friday, Nov. 7, the Tri-Valley School District will honor a large contingent of local veterans with a unique and powerful celebration. The celebration includes a parade with student re-enactors dressed in various eras of military uniform. The parade will conclude with a 21-gun salute and the firing of a Civil War era cannon. An assembly in the gym will follow the parade, both activities are open to the public. After the assembly, all honored guests will enjoy a Thanksgiving meal. For more information regarding timelines for the event, please contact Doug Roberts at Tri-Valley Middle School at droberts@tri-valley3.org or 309-378-3414.

History Reads Book Club: Reading with Lincoln by Robert Bray

Tuesday, November 4, 2014
7:00 PM

Join us at the Bloomington Public Library at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4 in the Adult Services Quiet Reading Room for the final History Reads Book Club discussion for 2014. This free program, held quarterly, is brought to you by the Museum and the Bloomington Public Library. For more information please contact Karen Moen at the Bloomington Public Library, reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org or call the Museum at 309.827.0428.

Copies of the book are available through your local library.

Book Lovers "Road Show"

Friday, October 24, 2014
5:00 PM

Held in the historic Gov. Fifer courtroom from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Jack Walsdorf will discuss Bloomington native Elbert Hubbard's connection to William Morris, an English textile designer, poet, novelist, translator, and socialist activist. Associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement, Morris was a major contributor to the revival of traditional British textile arts and methods of production.  Attendees are invited to bring one or two books for an " Antiques Road Show" style appraisal, with assessment of the objects narrated by Walsdorf.

This program is free and open to the public with free parking available in the Lincoln Parking Garage on Front Street, 1 block south of the Museum.

20th Annual Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Saturday, October 11, 2014
11:00 AM

Evergreen Cemetery Walk 2014

DATES: Saturday, October 4, Sunday, October 5 Saturday, October 11, Sunday, October 12

PERFORMANCE TIMES: 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 2

The Evergreen Cemetery Walk brings the voices of McLean County’s history to life. Costumed actors portray individuals representing all walks of life from the county’s past on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Put on your walking shoes and bring your family to participate in this fascinating, award-winning outdoor theatrical program.

Evergreen Memorial Cemetery is one of the richest historical resources in our community. People from all walks of life are buried in this over 150 year old cemetery. Rich, poor, famous, infamous, loved or forgotten alike, they are all buried here. Evergreen provides an honorable resting place for all members of our community.

This annual event is a collaboration between the McLean County Museum of History, Illinois Voices Theatre and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

For more information visit our website and face book page or call 309-827-0428.

Back to the Future? The Shape of Higher Education in the 21st Century

Thursday, October 9, 2014
12:10 PM

Professor Frank Boyd, associate provost and professor at Illinois Wesleyan University, will present his take on higher education, the change in structure and function and how students learn (or don't) learn after high school. His presentation will examine some of the factors that are driving this change and speculate on some future scenarios for higher education.

The Lunch and Learn runs from 12:10 p.m. to 12:40 pm.m at the Bloomington Public Library and is free and open to the public. The Lunch and Learn series is held collaboration with Illinois Wesleyan University, McLean County Museum of History, Collaborative Solutions Institute and the Bloomington Public Library.

20th Annual Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Saturday, October 4, 2014
11:00 AM

DATES: Saturday, October 4, Sunday, October 5 Saturday, October 11, Sunday, October 12

PERFORMANCE TIMES: 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 2

The Evergreen Cemetery Walk brings the voices of McLean County’s history to life. Costumed actors portray individuals representing all walks of life from the county’s past on the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. Put on your walking shoes and bring your family to participate in this fascinating, award-winning outdoor theatrical program.

Evergreen Memorial Cemetery is one of the richest historical resources in our community. People from all walks of life are buried in this over 150 year old cemetery. Rich, poor, famous, infamous, loved or forgotten alike, they are all buried here. Evergreen provides an honorable resting place for all members of our community.

This annual event is a collaboration between the McLean County Museum of History, Illinois Voices Theatre and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery.

"

McLean County Genealogical Society presents "Find-A-Grave"

Tuesday, September 16, 2014
7:00 PM

For details please email MCGS at mcgs.events@gmail.com or phone Eleanor Mede at 309-454-2688 or Sara
Cushing at 309-828-9848.

For Love of Neighbor: One Campus and One Community

Thursday, September 11, 2014
12:10 PM

Join us at the Bloomington Public Library, when IWU Chaplain Rev. Elyse Winger will lead a discussion which examines the question, "In this post 9-11 era, how does a community respond to a multicultural environment?"

The Lunch and Learn runs from 12:10 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. at the Bloomington Public Library and is free and open to the public. The Lunch and Learn series is held collaboration with Illinois Wesleyan University, McLean County Museum of History, Collaborative Solutions Institute and the Bloomington Public Library.

A Date with the Museum

Tuesday, September 2, 2014
6:00 PM

On Tuesday, September 2nd the Museum will offer free Monical's pizza from 6 to 8 PM to college students who bring their student IDs. The Museum is open till 9 PM, and is free all day for everyone. So before or after exploring history, take the time to relax and mingle with other students and enjoy downtown Bloomington.

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, August 16, 2014
10:00 AM

Grab your friends, needles, hooks and yarn and stop by the Museum to "knit for a bit".  Light refreshments will be provided.   This program is free and open to the public.

History Reads Book Club - The Devil in the White City at Bloomington Public Library

Tuesday, August 5, 2014
7:00 PM

The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson. This program is free and open to the public.

Back 2 School Party

Saturday, August 2, 2014
2:00 PM

Supplies from the annual Back 2 School Supply Drive will be handed out between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the U. S. Cellular Coliseum, and throughout Unit 5 and District 87. To donate supplies email education@mchistory.org, call 309-827-0428 or visit http://back2schoolalliance.org.

Illinois Tourism Road Show: The Museum's future visitor's center

Wednesday, July 30, 2014
3:00 PM

The Illinois Office of Tourism, the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and the Museum will hold a news conference in our historic Gov. Fifer Courtroom on Wednesday, July 30, at 3:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend and Museum members and volunteers are encouraged to attend to learn more and show your support of this important project.

The Visitor Center Project was partially funded from a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism. The McLean County heritage tourism center is a local partnership with the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau, Public Building Commission of McLean County, City of Bloomington, McLean County Museum of History and the County of McLean. 

"

History Careers Day Camp - Session III

Monday, July 28, 2014
8:30 AM

A one week educational and interactive camp brought to you by the McLean County Museum of History, in collaboration with the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and Sugar Grove Nature Center.  The five day History Careers camp is for students entering 4-6 grade next year.  The camp offers hands-on experiences in history, archaeology, architecture, museum studies and environmental science.  Participants also work on team building and leadership.

REGISTRATION BEGINS APRIL 14, 2014.

The camp offers three sessions to choose from. 

Session I:  June 23, 24, 25. 26. 27. 2014

Session  II:  July 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 

Session III:  July 28, 29, 30, 31, Aug.1.

Time:  8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. each day

(20 student maximum per session- first come, first serve)

COST:  $125.00 per student (includes: lunch, snack, activities, camp t-shirt, transportation from Museum to Sugar Grove Nature Center and back on Friday.  (Scholarships are also available for this program). Visit our site:

http://www.mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php  for registration or contact the Education Department at 309-827-04278 or education@mchistory.org  

Bilingual Story Time Program at Bloomington Public Library

Saturday, July 26, 2014
11:00 AM

On Saturday, July 26, the Museum and Bloomington Public Library will present another Bilingual Story Time open to families. It will begin at 11:00 a.m. and will be held in the Children’s Story Room on the second floor at Bloomington Public Library. This program is free and open to the public and is being held in conjunction with the Museum’s current exhibit ¡Fiesta! A Celebration of Mexican Popular Arts.

This program is intended for all children, but we especially want to reach out to English Language Learning students and families. Presenters are Rocio Morales, adjunct instructor of Hispanic Studies at Illinois Wesleyan University and Georgianne Schau, youth services librarian at Bloomington Public Library.

Short stories, including the book Grandma’s Chocolate by Mara Price and Wiggling Pockets by Pat Mora, will be read in both English and Spanish. Program participants will be taught several Spanish words as the stories are read and have a chance to see traditional Hispanic/Latino cultural items. The program will wrap up with a craft activity where children will learn how to make their own origami frog out of paper or make a paper bag puppet frog.

For more information about this program, please contact the Museum’s Education Department at education@mchistory.org, by phone at(309) 827-0428, visitwww.bloomingtonlibrary.org/ or contact the Library’s Children’s Services at (309) 828-6094 or via email at childreference@bloomingtonlibrary.org.This program is made possible by support from Country Financial.

"Lincoln Tales: Tall and True with Austin Gulihur" presented by Brian "Fox" Ellis

Saturday, July 19, 2014
11:00 AM

Join the Museum in welcoming back Brian "Fox" Ellis, acclaimed Central Illinois storyteller and folklorist, who will share a mix of history and humor with his stories of Abraham Lincoln, during this year's Lincoln's Festival in Bloomington. All ages are welcome to this free program.

Lincoln's Festival in Bloomington

Saturday, July 19, 2014
10:00 AM

Annual Lincoln’s Festival in Bloomington events set for July 18 – 20

The McLean County Museum of History will be part of the annual Lincoln’s Festival in Bloomington July 18 – 20. The weekend event will celebrate the community’s many connections to Abraham Lincoln and the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War with activities at multiple sites.

The Museum will host activities on Saturday, July 19.Museum Executive Director Greg Koos will lead a walking tour of Downtown Bloomington sites at 10 a.m. Storyteller Brian Fox Ellis will be featured in the Gov. Fifer Courtroom in the Museum at 11 a.m., and throughout the day, visitors of all ages are invited to participate in the Looking for Lincoln Scavenger Hunt.

At other area sites activities are planned including the Civil War generals, infantry and cavalry encampments, performances by the33rdIllinois Volunteer Regiment Band and the Orpheus Mandolin Orchestra. Living history interpreters in period dress, including Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln, will be on hand at numerous locations. Children’s activities, carriage rides and demonstrations of period craftsmanship will also be featured, along with cannon volleys and skirmishes between troops and more.

The event is free and open to the public. For schedules and details on activities at other locations, visit the website at: www.lincolnsfestival.com or call(309)824-8862.

Contact: Barb Adams, Bloomington-Normal Lincoln Fest Coalition

Phone (309) 824-8862 e-mail history.bea@gmail.com

Web Address:www.lincolnsfestival.com

Name: Lincoln’s Festival in Bloomington

Beginning Date: July 18, 2014

Ending Date: July 20, 2014

Venues

Downtown Bloomington, David Davis Mansion State Historic Site, Franklin Park, Burr House, McLean County Museum of History, Bloomington Public Library, and Illinois Wesleyan University

SEE WEBSITE FOR ACTIVITIESAT EACH SITE

Event Phone Number (Main):(309) 824-8862

Event Phone Number (Toll Free):

Web Address:www.lincolnsfestival.com

Address:history.bea@gmail.com

Encounters with Lincoln's Bloomington

Friday, July 18, 2014
5:00 PM

On Friday, July 18 5-8 p.m. spend a delightful evening enjoying a series of “Encounters with Lincoln's Bloomington”, in Downtown Bloomington. Visitors to the Museum Square will become time travelers as living history interpreters portray local people who will share stories of life in this area between 1850 and 1865 in one of Lincoln’s favorite towns on the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Storytelling and encounters with historical characters in period dress will provide you with a trip to the past you won’t want to miss.

Learn more about "Lincoln's Festival in Bloomington" here:  http://www.lincolnsfestival.com/

History Careers Day Camp - Session II

Monday, July 7, 2014
8:30 AM

A one week educational and interactive camp brought to you by the McLean County Museum of History, in collaboration with the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and Sugar Grove Nature Center.  The five day History Careers camp is for students entering 4-6 grade next year.  The camp offers hands-on experiences in history, archaeology, architecture, museum studies and environmental science.  Participants also work on team building and leadership.

REGISTRATION BEGINS APRIL 14, 2014.

The camp offers three sessions to choose from. 

Session I:  June 23, 24, 25. 26. 27. 2014

Session  II:  July 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 

Session III:  July 28, 29, 30, 31, Aug.1.

Time:  8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. each day

(20 student maximum per session- first come, first serve)

COST:  $125.00 per student (includes: lunch, snack, activities, camp t-shirt, transportation from Museum to Sugar Grove Nature Center and back on Friday.  (Scholarships are also available for this program). Visit our site:

http://www.mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php  for registration or contact the Education Department at 309-827-04278 or education@mchistory.org  

Back 2 School Supply Drive

Saturday, July 5, 2014
12:00 PM

Beginning July 5 through August 8, the Museum will be participating in the Back 2 School Alliance School Supply Drive to help collect school supplies for 2014-2015 school year for local students in need.  the initiative, sponsored jointly by District 87 and Unit 5, will help ensure that all students have a great start back to school on Day One.  The supplies collected will be distributed to students who participate in the Back 2 School Party on August 12 between 12 and 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the U. S. Cellular Coliseum, and throughout Unit 5 and District 87.  To donate supplies email education@mchistory.org, call 309-827-0428  or visit http://back2schoolalliance.org.

Red Cross of the Heartland Blood Drive

Saturday, July 5, 2014
8:00 AM

On Saturday, July 5 with the McLean County Museum of History as part of the Farmer’s Market and Artist Alley event, the American Red Cross of the Heartland will conduct a blood drive.

The bloodmobile will be parked the south side of the Museum on Washington Street and begin taking donors in starting at 8:00 am and ending at 12:00 p.m. The goal for the drive is to collect 25 units of lifesaving blood. If the drive reaches its goal, volunteers will receive a $100 Visa Gift Card.  To make your reservation ahead of time visit http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation-v5?dist...

The American Red cross of the Heartland will also give away a special Red Cross T-Shirt to donors while supplies last and everyone who gives will get cookies from Kelly's Bakery & Cafe. So, make sure to let everyone know about the added perks for giving the gift of life on July 5!  

For more information call 309-827-0428 x1206. 

"

Museum Closed - Happy Independence Day

Friday, July 4, 2014
12:00 AM

History Careers Day Camp Begins

Monday, June 23, 2014
8:30 AM

A one week educational and interactive camp brought to you by the McLean County Museum of History, in collaboration with the David Davis Mansion State Historic Site and Sugar Grove Nature Center.  The five day History Careers camp is for students entering 4-6 grade next year.  The camp offers hands-on experiences in history, archaeology, architecture, museum studies and environmental science.  Participants also work on team building and leadership.

REGISTRATION BEGINS APRIL 14, 2014.

The camp offers three sessions to choose from. 

Session I:  June 23, 24, 25. 26. 27. 2014

Session  II:  July 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 

Session III:  July 28, 29, 30, 31, Aug.1.

Time:  8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. each day

(20 student maximum per session- first come, first serve)

COST:  $125.00 per student (includes: lunch, snack, activities, camp t-shirt, transportation from Museum to Sugar Grove Nature Center and back on Friday.  (Scholarships are also available for this program). Visit our site:

http://www.mchistory.org/learn/programs/daycamp.php  for registration or contact the Education Department at 309-827-04278 or education@mchistory.org  

3rd Annual History Makers Gala

Thursday, June 19, 2014
6:15 PM

3rd Annual History Makers Gala honors those who have made history in our community Thursday, June 19, 2014 Illinois State University Bone Student Center, Brown Ballroom 5:30 p.m. Doors Open 6:15 p.m. Program Begins

Tickets: $60 non-members $50 Museum members (Buy online or at the Museum)

2014 Honorees:

• Sen. John Maitland – Illinois Senator for 24 years, legacy strengthened state support for education, agriculture, energy and health care
• Joanne Maitland - longtime community volunteer & fundraiser for many local service programs
• Margot Mendoza – a dedicated grassroots advocate for equality and change
• Carol Reitan – first female Mayor of Normal and collaborative spirit
• Pat Wannemacher (March 17, 1931-Dec. 24, 2013) – leading woman entrepreneur, first female president of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce

WGLT Summer Concert on the Museum Square

Saturday, June 14, 2014
5:00 PM

Special Museum Members-Only Access

5-7 p.m.

Museum Members are invited to relax in the Gov. Fifer Courtroom as the bands play outside. You can hear everything through our windows, and Members will have access to bathroom facilities, bottled water and snacks. (BYOB is also allowed for those aged 21+)

Member check-in will be located on the west side Museum entrance.

Click Here for more information on the free concert.

Unsure of your Membership status? Contact Beth Whisman at (309) 827-0428 or bwhisman@mchistory.org to check your status before the concert.  

Not already a Museum supporter?  Sign-up for a membership today at our front desk or at  http://mchistory.org/participate/membership.php . Every Museum membership is an act of philanthropy that supports educational opportunities for the entire community.  Membership also includes direct benefits to you and your family, including special events and our Time Travelers reciprocal membership program with free and/or discounted access to 200+ historic sites and museums across the U.S.

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McHistory on WGLT

Listen for special readings and interpretations of the Museum's historic documents on WGLT.  Sound Ideas host Charlie Schlenker and Museum Librarian Bill Kemp regularly collaborate to present ""McHistory"" on the midday program. Listen to archived episodes HERE.

"

Miller Park Zoo 123rd Birthday Party

Saturday, June 14, 2014
11:00 AM

Miller Park Zoo celebrates its 123rd birthday from 11am to 3pm and the party is free with paid Zoo admission.

Look for historic images from The McLean County History Museum and check out a display about the Zoo's past and Arthur L. Pillsbury, the architect of the Zoo's historic Katthoefer building. 

Special activities will include animal encounters and artifact interpretation by Zoo Staff, the McLean County Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists. Children can also enjoy laser tag with Laser Wars, yoga with Welcome Mat Family Yoga, activities with Reggie’s Kids Club and Noodles & Company, face painting by the Zoo Lady & her Zoo Crew and dancing with BCAI School of Arts.

Birthday treats will be provided by Cherry Berry, Denny's Doughnuts and Bakery, Kroger, Sonic and Papa Murphy's Pizza. Music will be provided by Chasing the Turn.

Illegal: Reflections of an Undocumented Immigrant

Tuesday, June 10, 2014
7:00 PM

Illegal: Reflections of an Undocumented Immigrant

  The Museum is pleased to welcome José Ángel N., who will present a program about his life as an undocumented immigrant and the constraints, deceptions, and humiliations that characterize alien life “amid the shadows.” The program will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom on Tuesday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m. This program is free and open to the public and is being held in conjunction with the Museum’s current exhibit ¡Fiesta! A Celebration of Mexican Popular Arts. 
  N.’s story is about the triumph of education over adversity.  He arrived in the United States in the 1990s with a ninth grade education.  He traveled to Chicago where he found access to ESL classes and GED classes.  He eventually attended college and graduate school and became a professional translator.  Despite having a well-paying job, N. was isolated by a lack of official legal documentation.  A frustrating contradiction, N. lived in a luxury high-rise condo but couldn’t fully live the American dream.  He did, however, find solace in the one gift America gave him—his education.  His program will also discuss (and debunk) the stereotype that undocumented immigrants are freeloaders without access to education or opportunity for advancement. 
  José Ángel N. is an undocumented immigrant. He lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter.
  Copies of his book, Illegal: Reflections of an Undocumented Immigrant, will be available for purchase immediately following the program.
  For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by telephone 309-827-0428.  Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.  This program is made possible by support from COUNTRY Financial.

DBA Bloomington Route 66 Cruise-In / "Route 66- Then and Now and Stories from the Road" with author John Weiss

Saturday, June 7, 2014
2:00 PM

Bloomington Route 66 Cruise-In Saturday, June 07, 2014 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

The Downtown Bloomington Association teams up with the Car Community Automobile Club, the Twin City Cruisers and the McLean County Antique Automobile Club for this exciting event in downtown Bloomington. Over 300 vehicles, including motorcycles and trucks expected to participate.

Music by "" The Bygones"" & JD's DJ Service. Come on down and enjoy the fun. Car registration begins at 2 p.m.

To register email ccacbi@gmail.com or call Don and Cindy Kopack at 309- 378-4391. Register early to reserve your dashboard plaque.

Special Route 66 themed activities are planned at the McLean County Museum of History on the museum square.

3:00 p.m.

""Route 66 - Then & Now"" and ""Stories from the Road""-  Presented by John Weiss in the historic governor Fifer Courtroom 

Learn why Route 66 is so well known and why it almost died. It is a fascinating, ongoing story of real Americana.   Explore the  history and folklore of this historic highway. 

Tens of thousands of people travel from around the world to experience the nostalgia of Route 66. This program will provide you with the opportunity to enjoy the mystique of this famous road. You will learn and feel the history of this magical ribbon of road as we, “Get our kicks on Route 66.”

This exclusive program conducted by John Weiss, award winning author of the only Route 66 guide, Traveling the…New Historic  Route 66 of Illinois.

John is the recipient of the prestigious John Steinbeck Award for his ongoing efforts of supporting and preserving the Mother Road. John was also inducted into the exclusive Route 66 Hall of Fame. Join him on a fascinating journey along the Mother of all roads.

Copies of all three of his Route 66 books and video will be available for sale.

Memorial Day - Museum is Closed

Monday, May 26, 2014
12:00 AM

Cemeteries and Graves: American Historical and Literary Perspectives with Dr. John Hallwas

Tuesday, May 20, 2014
7:00 PM

"The Museum in partnership with the McLean County Genealogical Society is pleased to welcome Illinois historian and Distinquished Professor Emeritus at Western Illinois University, Dr. John Hallwas, who will present his program, ""Cemeteries and Graves: American Historical and Literary Perspectives."" This program will be held in the Museum's Governor Fifer Courtroom on Tuesday, May 20, at 7:00 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

Hallwas will examine the ever-changing view of cemeteries and graves, especially in the 19th century, when park-like burying grounds were developed and attitudes toward death became more complex.

John Hallwas was born and raised in Illinois; Hallwas taught English for 34 years at WIU and hosts a namesake lecture series there each September. Now retired from WIU, Hallwas is a member of the Illinois Humanities Council's ""Road Scholars"" program."

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, May 17, 2014
10:00 AM

"Under the Dome Knit- In

Saturday, May 17 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Grab your friends, needles, hooks and yarn and stop by the Museum to “knit for a bit!” Light refreshments will be provided. This program is free and open to the public."

The History of Cycling in Illinois presented by Chris Sweet , Associate Professor Info Literacy Librarian

Wednesday, May 14, 2014
12:10 PM

It is often forgotten that from 1890 until about 1930 bicycling reigned supreme as the most popular sport in America. Bicycle racers were well-paid celebrities and races routinely attracted thousands of spectators. The social elite were members of cycling clubs with private clubhouses. This period of cycling history is particularly significant because it had a direct impact on social progress in the areas of race, class and gender. Historically, Illinois was home to the majority of the country's bicycle manufacturers (Schwinn being the most well-known). Bicycle races were big business in both Chicago and Central Illinois. Chris will explore this forgotten history, which has been buried in archives and old newspapers.

Chocolate: A Rich Dark History presented by William Munro

Thursday, May 8, 2014
12:10 PM

Dr. William Munro teaches courses in International Politics, African Politics, Conflict Areas in the Global South, Development Theory, and Social Movements at Illinois Wesleyan University. His research interests include the politics of state formation and development in the global south as well as popular organization in the international food economy. Munro uses candy to challenge you to think critically about what you eat.

“It takes enormous resources, human and otherwise, to make chocolate,” he said. “We should look at everything we eat in the same way, with the understanding that what we eat and how we eat is shaped by a wide network of social, cultural and historical relationships.”

Join the Museum, IWU and the Collaborative Solutions Institute for this FREE monthly event to "Lunch and Learn" together. 

Bring your bag lunch and join us in the Museum's historic Governor Fifer Courtroom on the second floor!

History Reads Book Club: Rising Tide

Tuesday, May 6, 2014
7:00 PM

Join us to discuss the book, Rising Tide, on Tuesday May 6 in the Gov. Fifer Courtroom. Copies of the book can be checked out at your local library. 

The Museum is open late and has free admission every Tuesday!

ISO presents Lincoln's Legacy

Saturday, May 3, 2014
8:00 PM

The ISO will present Lincoln’s Legacy at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 3 at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. The live concert will include a stunning display of visual-audio choreography set to Aaron Copland’s powerful and moving Lincoln Portrait and Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Before the performance, Museum staff will also be in the lobby to share Lincoln items from the Museum’s collections.

Concertgoers who purchased tickets for Lincoln’s Legacy through the ISO’s Community Partnership program will see half of their purchase go toward supporting Museum programs. Patrons who used this program will be able to pick up their tickets at the BCPA box office before the performance.

The DEADLINE for these special tickets has passed.  Regular ISO tickets can be purchased in person at the BCPA box office.

DBA Farmers' Market on Museum Square

Saturday, May 3, 2014
8:30 AM

The Farmers Market is located on the Museum Square in Downtown Bloomington and offers consumers local foods, baked goods, and art every Saturday morning through October. Come down for the best produce, meats, cheeses, dog treats, and baked goods; enjoy a cup of coffee and a breakfast treat; listen to the music and see why so many take part in this Saturday morning ritual.

Museum at the Market opens at 8:30 a.m. each Saturday.

 For further information visit the Downtown Bloomington Association website: www.downtownbloomington.org

Volunteer Recognition Reception

Wednesday, April 30, 2014
6:00 PM

Join us at the McLean County Museum of History as we honor ""Our Volunteer Family!"" That's the theme of this year's volunteer reception, which will be held on Wednesday, April 30th from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. in the Museum's courtroom. We'll celebrate with refreshments, entertainment, and a special presentation celebrating 40 years of successful collaboration with the McLean County Genealogical Society. All Museum volunteers are encouraged to attend. Call 827-0428 to RSVP.

Day of the Child/Day of the Book

Saturday, April 26, 2014
11:00 AM

"Museum to participate in El Dia de Los Niños/El Dia de los Libros celebration

In our continuing educational programming for the ¡Fiesta! exhibit, for the second year in a row the Museum will join a variety of community organizations in celebrating El Dia de los Niños/El Dia de los Libros (Day of the Child/Day of the Books) at Bloomington Public Library on Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. This bilingual program is FREE and open to the public.

The first Dia celebrations were held in New Mexico and Texas. Dia is a commitment to linking children and their families to diverse books, languages and cultures. The common goals of all Día programming are to:

• Celebrate children and connect them to the world of learning through books, stories and libraries.

• Nurture cognitive and literacy development in ways that honor and embrace a child’s home language and culture.

• Introduce families to community resources that provide opportunities for learning through multiple literacy.

• Recognize and respect culture, heritage and language as powerful tools for strengthening families and communities.

Nationwide, the celebration is now in its 17th year. Bloomington Public Library has presented this program annually for the past seven years and the Museum is excited to be participating again this year.

During this year’s celebration, attendees will enjoy music, crafts, face painting, dancing, mascots, community groups, food, and fun throughout the Library. Two craft activities will be featured for children to make: a Maraca, a traditional Mexican musical instrument; and a bracelet craft. There will also be representatives from community organizations with information about free services and opportunities available and each child who attends will receive a free book and goodie bag.

For more information about this program, please visit www.bloomingtonlibrary.org/ or contact the Library’s Children’s Services at (309) 828-6094 or via email at childreference@bloomingtonlibrary.org."

Foreclosures in McLean County presented by Dr. Diego Mendez-Carbajo

Thursday, April 10, 2014
12:10 PM

Dr. Mendez Carbajo is Chair and Associate Professor of Economics at IWU. Mendez-Carbajo's research is in the area of macroeconomics within an economic union and he has published articles on the productivity gains derived from membership in the European Union, as well as on the inflation dynamics in the periphery of the Euro-zone.

Currently he is studying how the international price of commodities impacts the exchange rates of small economies. Dr. Mendez-Carbajo has directed the university study abroad program in Spain. He teaches Introduction, Intermediate Macroeconomics, International Finance, and Time Series Analysis.

Furnishing the Soul: Medieval Maps. Mediation, and Metaphor presented by Dan Terkla, IWU Professor of English

Wednesday, April 9, 2014
12:10 PM

Prof. Dan Terkla provides a new context in which to think about how some world maps from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were used. He argues that these maps worked in concert with the architectural layouts and furnishings of Gothic churches--especially tabulae, painted and lettered informational tablets--to guide visitors through the terrestrial realm while pointing them toward its celestial counterpart.

"A Day Long to be Remembered: Lincoln in Gettysburg" with Dr. Michael Burlingame and Robert Shaw

Tuesday, March 25, 2014
7:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to welcome author and renowned Abraham Lincoln scholar Dr. Michael Burlingame, and professional landscape photographer, Robert Shaw, who will present a program on their new collaborative book, A Day Long to be Remembered: Lincoln in Gettysburg.

This program will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom on Tuesday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. This program is free and open to the public. In this presentation, Dr. Burlingame will explain how the Gettysburg Address has a close connection to Central Illinois. Lincoln’s message has its roots in places like Bloomington and many surrounding communities. Images photographed by Shaw will also be shown during the program.

Dr. Michael Burlingame is the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield. He has received numerous awards and honors for his scholarly research and writing. His two-volume biography Abraham Lincoln: A Life (2008), is the now predominant biography in the study of Lincoln. In 2010, Burlingame received the Lincoln Prize for this publication.

Robert Shaw has been a professional photographer for books and calendars for 27 years. He specializes in landscape images, photographing throughout the United States. He is co-author of the acclaimed book Abraham Lincoln Traveled This Way- The America Lincoln Knew, his first collaboration with Dr. Burlingame (2011). Shaw began working as a professional photographer in 1986. His photography has been published in books by National Geographic Books and Abrams Books.

A book signing will immediately follow the program and copies of the book, A Day Long to be Remembered: Lincoln in Gettysburg, will be available for purchase.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by telephone 309-827-0428. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

The Irish in America: The "Ethnic Fade That Didn't Happen

Saturday, March 22, 2014
1:00 PM

The Irish in America: The “Ethnic Fade” That Didn’t Happen

The Museum welcomes James Rogers, director of the University of St. Thomas Center of Irish Studies and editor of New Hibernia Review: A Quarterly Record of Irish Studies. Rogers will examine what Ireland has historically meant in America and what it has come to mean in our present multicultural society.

A book signing will immediately follow the program and copies of Rogers' most recent publication, Extended Family: Essays on Being Irish American from New Hibernia Review, will be available for purchase."

New Urbanism: What It Is, and Why It's Normal with Mayor Chris Koos

Thursday, March 13, 2014
12:10 PM

Chris Koos, a Town of Normal council member since 2001, became mayor in 2003. He is owner of Vitesse Cycle Shop and Often Running, retail specialty stores in Uptown Normal.

Mayor Koos will discuss the new urbanism, managed growth by raising standards for development, improving Town/Student relations and maintaining the integrity of our older neighborhoods.

"Old Hoss" the original play by Jared Brown

Friday, March 7, 2014
7:00 PM

The Museum of History, in collaboration with Illinois Voices Theatre, will present the original play ""Old Hoss"" by Jared Brown in March. In the play, Bloomington's hot-tempered Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher is forced to come face to face with his past. Rhys Lovell returns as Old Hoss and other cast include John Bowen and Danny Rice.

Rhys Lovell nearly stole the show with his performance as Old Hoss during the 2004 Evergreen Cemetery Discovery Walk.

Performances will be held in the historic Governor Fifer Courtroom Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8 at 7:00 p.m. There will be a matinee performance on Sunday, March 9 at 1:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $12 for members of the Museum, and can be purchased at the Museum or by phone at (309)-827-0428. Tickets can be purchased on the day of each performance. Seating is limited to 100 for each of the three performances so try to purchase your tickets early.

Charles Radbourn was born on December 9, 1854 in Rochester, New York. He spent his early days in Bloomington, where he learned to play baseball on corner lots. Radbourn made his first appearance on the baseball scene in 1876, playing with a Bloomington club. In 1880 he became the second baseman for the Buffalo Bisons of the National League. In 1884 Old Hoss led the Providence Grays to a World Series win with a record season of 59 wins, 12 losses and two ties. His pitching record of 59 wins in one season still stands today.

History Reads Book Club

Thursday, March 6, 2014
7:00 PM

History Reads Book Club in partnership with the Bloomington Public Library

Sundown Towns by James Loewen

The rescheduled book club is on Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m. at the Bloomington Public Library in the community room.

This program is free and open to the public.

Under the Dome Knit-In

Saturday, February 22, 2014
10:00 AM

Knitting has been around for thousands of years and has a rich history. To preserve the history of this ancient and traditional craft, the Museum welcomes all knitters and crocheters to come down and create charity items or work on your own project.

Information about the “Knitting for Victory: Knit Your Bit” campaign and local knitting and crocheting charity opportunities, plus copies of free patterns to make items for those charities, will be available. Light refreshments will also be served. Just bring your own project or the materials to begin a new one!

The program is FREE and open to everyone! So grab your friends, your needles or hooks, and yarn and stop by the Museum to Knit For A Bit!

Presidents' Day Open House 2014

Monday, February 17, 2014
12:00 PM

"Presidents’ Day OPEN HOUSE

The Museum will be hosting another Presidents’ Day celebration on February 17th from 12 – 4 p.m. This year we will commemorate fifty years since John F Kennedy’s assassination. Educational activities will focus on life during JFKs presidency. Participants will learn about JFK’s favorite foods, pastimes, style, and more through artifact based activities in each gallery. Vote in the mock election, play games, and enjoy cake and punch. Don’t forget to check out our presidential table case exhibit outside our library. This is a FREE program open to the public. At the Museum, we encourage families to explore, learn, and play together. So bring your entire family to the Museum on February 17th and give your children or grandchildren the gift of a fun educational experience this Presidents’ Day!

The JFK and McLean County Connection

John F. Kennedy arrived at the Bloomington Municipal Airport at 11:18 a.m. on October 24, 1956. Coming from Chicago, the senator flew in a 5 passenger Apache airplane. Because of the high crosswinds, reaching 45 mph, they could not land the plane on the runway but had to land in the ‘pasture.’ The senator admitted to being frightened. He then went to Davidson’s Restaurant on Rt. 66 for a reception with news reporters and gave a short speech ending with a quote by Robert Frost “We have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep.”"

New Light on Abraham Lincoln's Oldest Manuscript

Thursday, February 13, 2014
12:10 PM

"New Light on Abraham Lincoln's Oldest Manuscript presented by Ken Clements, Professor of Mathematics, ISU and Nerida Ellerton, Professor of Mathematics, ISU

The intersection of mathematics education and history is a special place for Ken Clements and Nerida Ellerton. That's where they found new insight into a teenage Abraham Lincoln's arithmetic skills, by connecting the dots on two pages of Abe's 1825 math workbook.

Clements and Ellerton made headlines with their Lincoln announcement. But that's only the latest achievement for this amazing partnership, which stretches back 28 years, the last eight as husband and wife. Together, the two Australians have studied the history of math education in the U.S. for years.

Collaborative Solutions Institute, Illinois Wesleyan University and the McLean County Museum of History Lunch and Learn sessions continues through May. Feel free to bring a bag lunch. 12:10 - 12:40 p.m."

DBA F1rst Friday February: 2014 Tour de Chocolat & Chocolat Challenge

Friday, February 7, 2014
5:00 PM

"The Tour de Chocolat' is just what the name implies! Participating downtown businesses offer chocolate samples and additional events. The Chocolat' Challenge is in its 7th year and is a culinary challenge of local talents both amateur and professional. This year's Challenge will be located at the Bloomington Center of Performing Arts (BCPA) Ballroom.

F1RST FR1DAY map and business directory

Chocolat' Challenge Entries

Youth Category: Chocolate Waffle Cookies, Corrie's Kentucky Pie, Especially Dark Chocolate Cake, Nutella Brownies, OREO Triple Layer Chocolate Pie, Peanut Butter Pudding in Chocolate Dishes, The Ultimate Chocolate Cake, and Wacky Chocolate Cake

Amateur Category: Audrey's Raw Vegan Truffles; Better Than Hostess Cupcakes; Brewmaster's Chocolate Cake Pops; Buffalo Chip Cookies; Chocolate Raspberry Bars; Chocolate Salted Caramel Hazelnut Tart; Tunnel of Fudge Cake; Chocolate Babka; Sweet, Spicy, Savory Mexican Brownies; and Guinness, Whiskey, & Irish Cream Cupcakes

Professional Category: Biaggi's Chocolate Strawberry Cannoli Parfait and The Cheesecake Cake

http://www.downtownbloomington.org/assets/files/February%202014%20Map.pdf"

Braceros on the Boundaries: Activism, Race, Masculinity, and the Legacies of the Bracero Program

Wednesday, February 5, 2014
7:00 PM

The Museum is pleased to welcome Dr. Mireya Loza, assistant professor in the Department of Latina/o Studies and History at the University of Illinois, who will present the program “Braceros on the Boundaries: Activism, Race, Masculinity, and the Legacies of the Bracero Program.” This enlightening talk will explore the impact of the bracero program, a controversial Mexican guest worker initiative of the 1940s.

The program will be held in the Museum’s Governor Fifer Courtroom on Tuesday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m. Free and open to the public, the program is being held in conjunction with the Museum’s current exhibit ¡Fiesta! A Celebration of Mexican Popular Arts.

The program will explore the bracero program, its impact on the history of this region, and its lasting legacy today. Millions of Mexican workers crossed the border to work in more than half of the states in U.S., including Illinois.

Dr. Loza earned her Ph.D. in American Studies from Brown University. Her dissertation, of the same title as this program, is based on her work with the National Museum of American History’s Bracero History Project.

For more information about this program, please contact the Education Department via email at education@mchistory.org or by telephone 309-827-0428. Free parking will be available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Illinois General Assembly, and support from COUNTRY Financial.

History Reads Book Club - CANCELLED Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism by James Loewen

Tuesday, February 4, 2014
7:00 PM

Due to harsh weather, this event has been cancelled.

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History Reads Book Club is a joint program offered by the Museum and the Bloomington Public Library. This free program is open to the public and held in the Museum's Gov. Fifer Courtroom. Each book discussion begins at 7:00 p.m. and last approximately 1 hour.

Participants are welcome to explore the Museum before and after each meeting. Free parking is available at the Lincoln Parking Deck located one block south of the Museum on Front Street.

Asteroids: Rogues and Rosetta Stones presented by Dr. Linda French

Sunday, January 19, 2014
12:10 PM

"Dr. Linda French received her B.A. in astronomy from Indiana University and a Ph.D. in planetary astronomy from Cornell University. Her scientific research, funded by the National Science Foundation, concerns the study of the shapes and surfaces of asteroids and comets. She is a frequent guest observer at Lowell Observatory in Arizona and at Cerro Tololo Inter- American Observatory in Chile, and is often accompanied by students on these research trips.

During her sabbatical in 2009-2010, Dr. French was a Visiting Professor of Physics at the University of York, England where she investigated the life of York astronomer John Goodricke (1764-1786). She has given lectures on Goodricke and his mentor Edward Pigott in York, Boston, and Toronto, and at major observatories in the United States and Chile."

Museum Closed

Tuesday, December 31, 2013
12:00 AM

Museum Closed

Tuesday, December 24, 2013
12:00 AM

DBA Indoor Farmers' Market

Saturday, December 21, 2013
10:00 AM

Indoor Farmers' Market Begins Saturday, December 21, 2013  10:00 AM -12PM

The market is open  every third Saturday through April 2014. ( 12/21/13 - 1/18/14 - 2/15/2014 - 3/15/2014 - 4/19/2014) The McLean County Museum of History located on Museum Square, 200 North Main Street in downtown Bloomington.  Access to the Museum galleries is free during market hours.Free Parking.  Special Holiday Market on 12/21 featuring goods from over 20 vendors! Local musicians perform each month.  Find regular updates on facebook.  You can also visit the DBA and Museum websites at: www.mchistory.org  and www.downtownbloomington.org

Mayor of Bloomington: Full-Time Job, Part-Time Pay, and No Honeymoon

Thursday, December 12, 2013
12:10 PM

Collaborative Solutions Institute, Illinois Wesleyan University and the McLean County Museum of History will resume Lunch and Learn sessions in September and continue through May.

The sessions are held at the McLean County Museum of History, 200 N. Main Street, Bloomington, Illinois, the second Thursday of each month over the lunch hour from 12:10 to 12:40 pm. Sessions are free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to bring their own brown bag lunch. With Terri Renner, Mayor of Bloomington and Professor of Political Science at Illinois Wesleyan University."

Quilt Raffle

Saturday, December 7, 2013
3:00 PM

Tickets cost $1 each or 6 for $5. They will remain on sale at the Museum through Saturday, December 7 when the winner’s name will be drawn at the annual Christmas at the Courthouse event. The winning ticket holder will receive the quilt, a matching pillow and the original Pantagraph clippings that contain the bird patterns.

_______________________________________________________________________

The Museum’s volunteer quilters have produced an heirloom, hand-stitched quilt that combines local history and nature. Now, they plan to raffle it off to benefit the Museum.

The piece is entitled The Audubon or Bird Life Quilt and the design comes from a 1929 Pantragraph special series that offered local quilters one block pattern each week over 24 weeks.  The blocks featured birds drawn by Ruby Short McKim in a style similar to the famous avian art of John James Audubon. From the robin and blue jay to the more exotic parrot and flamingo, readers were invited to transfer the designs from the newspaper.

Each week’s bird block came with instructions and a color code for the bird’s feathers, but quilters were free to create their own overall quilt design. The individual bird embroidery was completed many years ago by Lucille McNutt and Mary Bain, who donated their piece work to the Museum. The Museum’s quilters then decided to finish the quilt with a simple design of vintage teal and white blocks and a yellow trim.

Christmas at the Courthouse

Saturday, December 7, 2013
11:00 AM

Christmas at the Courthouse

Once Upon a Holiday F1rst Fr1day Event

Friday, December 6, 2013
5:00 PM

On Friday evening, December 6; from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. the Museum will participate in the Downtown Bloomington Association Once upon a Holiday event. Enjoy the musical styling of Marcos Mendez, refreshments, including adult eggnog and more. The Museum will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Clare House.