Articles about Food and Restaurants
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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...
Honeybees sweetened 19th century life in Central Illinois
By Bill Kemp. Published on May 20, 2012.
In November 1887, a poor local honey harvest led The Pantagraph to predict scarce inventories and high prices. “Biscuit will have to be...
Homemade Christmas dinner once a McLean County jail tradition
By Bill Kemp. Published on December 25, 2016.
“Unfortunate souls who spend Christmas Day in the county jail will at least have a tasty dinner to help them mull over their predicamen...
Clara Brian champion of farm families
By Bill Kemp. Published on March 26, 2017.
Clara Brian spent 25 years traveling to every corner of the McLean County countryside with the goal of improving the lives of rural hom...
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...
Picture postcard speaks to power of donations
By Bill Kemp. Published on January 10, 2021.
As a not-for-profit institution, the McLean County Museum of History relies to a considerable extent on the generosity of the public to...