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Articles about Businesses

Turbulent times at 19th century Bloomington hotel

 By Bill Kemp. Published on April 4, 2006.
The Ashley House, Bloomington’s largest hotel from the Civil War until its fiery end in 1900, had a tumultuous history replete with fin...
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Brown’s delivered white-collar education

 By Bill Kemp. Published on November 29, 2008.
Business colleges played an important but often-overlooked role in American education. For the better part of a half-century, Brown’s B...
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In 1955, downtown Bloomington 'dressed in holiday style'

 By Bill Kemp. Published on December 20, 2009.
Back in 1955, Bloomington was less than half its current size, toys were still made in America, stores offered free home delivery of ev...
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Community fund drive kept C&A Shops in Bloomington

 By Bill Kemp. Published on March 6, 2016.
Local and state governments often offer incentives to keep existing businesses or attract new ones. These inducements—in the form of la...
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Great Fire couldn’t dampen Christmas spirit

 By Bill Kemp. Published on December 4, 2016.
The holiday season of 1900 brought more changes than usual for area shoppers flocking to downtown Bloomington. A little m...
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Silos sentinels of Corn Belt since late 19th century

 By Bill Kemp. Published on March 11, 2018.
Farm silos, an iconic symbol of the Corn Belt, have long flummoxed city and suburban folk. Frustrated parents clueless as to the purpos...
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Holidays bring turbulent year of ’68 to a close

 By Bill Kemp. Published on December 24, 2018.
Fifty years ago this week, December 1968, fast-approaching Christmas and New Year’s afforded many Americans an opportunity to reflect b...
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‘Dr. Mrs. Keck’ battled male-dominated medical establishment

 By Bill Kemp. Published on January 27, 2019.
Back in the 19th century when miracle pills, plasters, creams, powders and tonics promised to cure all—from mild indigestion to pancrea...
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TV’s early years included short-lived Bloomington station

 By Bill Kemp. Published on February 3, 2019.
Strange thought it may seem, in the early, golden days of commercial television there was an ABC affiliate right here in Bloomington....
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Pre-Civil War Butler House survived into 1920s

 By Bill Kemp. Published on February 24, 2019.
On the western edge of downtown, the no-frills, mom-and-pop Butler House was an old friend to the weary traveler and local resident ali...
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Local tractor company never gained traction

 By Bill Kemp. Published on June 23, 2019.
“More from the soil, with less toil” was the promise of the Illinois Tractor Co., which for a few short years sold its Bloomington-made...
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Cigar shop was where old men came to talk (and nap)

 By Bill Kemp. Published on December 1, 2019.
In the late 1800s, there was no better place in Bloomington to grumble about the “gov’ment,” debate the issues of the day, recount a we...
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Eastland Mall transformed Twin Cities

 By Bill Kemp. Published on December 9, 2019.
“A shopping trip takes on all of the glamour and excitement of the space age when you visit the beautiful new Eastland Shopping Center....