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Lexington

A Community in Conflict

1 item

1921
During the early 1920s, McLean County experienced an intense period of Ku Klux Klan (KKK) recruiting, meetings, and public gatherings.

Digital Exhibit

Articles

2 items

A man kneels, inserting an American flag next to a grave stone in a cemetery.

Central Illinois final resting place for once-enslaved persons
The stain of slavery pervades the American experience, dating well before the nation’s founding...

Article

a dirt trail meets water, surrounded by trees and bushes

For pioneers, river crossings sometimes matter of life and death
Of all the hardships faced by pioneers, the danger of crossing swollen rivers and creeks is one...

Article

Blog

4 items

Lexington Art Show July 1962
Jack Statz and Jann Thompson Anderson served as judges for an art show held in conjunction with...

Blog Post

Lexington Dog Show July 31, 1940
Seen here are 5 of the 30 some entries for the children’s dog show, held July 31, 1940, in Lexi...

Blog Post

McHistory: Voices Of The Past Come Alive
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big momen...

Blog Post

Pony Giveaway Courthouse Square, August 1947
On Saturday, Aug. 23, 1947, Bloomington merchants staged a promotional drawing on the west step...

Blog Post

Farming in the Great Corn Belt

4 items

1946 to 2000: Larger Farms
After World War II the number of farms and farmers in McLean County slowly decreased. At the sa...

Digital Exhibit

Erosion
Intensified farming and the use of tractors caused wind and water erosion, but area farmers did...

Digital Exhibit

Farm Improvements
Farm improvements, such as fences, barns, sheds, and grain storage were expensive additions. Bu...

Digital Exhibit

Frontier Resources
The rich prairie soil was not the frontier farmer's first choice — the dense root systems ...

Digital Exhibit

Finding Aids

5 items

Finley, Ada Collection
Ada was born in Hudson, Illinois, to George and Josie Lentz on July 19, 1898. She married Steph...

Finding Aid

Patton Cabin
The Patton Cabin was built by John Patton in 1829, making it the oldest extant building in McLe...

Finding Aid

Pierson, A.V.
Arthur Van Dyke (A. V.) Pierson was born in Ohio in 1849 and his family traveled by wagon to Mc...

Finding Aid

Rowlands Family
Howell Rowlands was born on April 15, 1847, in Llanbrynmair, North Wales, and immigrated to McL...

Finding Aid

Trimmer Family
John David Trimmer (1781-1826) and Elizabeth Lanterman Trimmer (1779-1847) and their children m...

Finding Aid

Publications

4 items

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Lexington, McLean County, Illinois 1885

Publication

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Lexington, McLean County, Illinois 1892

Publication

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Lexington, McLean County, Illinois 1899

Publication

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Lexington, McLean County, Illinois 1906

Publication