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Corn

Articles

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In 1953, two McLean County corn farmers broke the 100-bushels-per-acre barrier. Newell Henderson, left, of Stanford and Merle Kuehling of Arrowsmith, second from left, are seen here on March 9, 1954, at the McLean County 100 Bushel Corn Club’s annual banquet. Also shown are Phyllis Kuehling, Merle’s wife, and Farm Adviser Eugene Mosbacher, far right.

100 Bushel Club pushed corn yields in the 1950s
In this age of genetically modified crops, once unimaginable corn yields topping 200-plus bushe...

Article

This all-steel “utility” farm building erected near LeRoy in November 1949 speaks to the transformation of Corn Belt barns in the post-World War II years, as the iconic wood-frame “big red barn” of rural Americana gave way to the utilitarian (and far less aesthetically pleasing) machine shed.

End of horse era spurs revolution in barn design
Though it may seem hard to believe, horses remained an integral part of Corn Belt farms well in...

Article

Blog

6 items

Corn Belt Harvest September 1939
In the 76 years since these photographs were taken the Corn Belt countryside has undergone an a...

Blog Post

Corn on the Square

Blog Post

Freitag children, rural Stanford February 1959
Jane and Doug Freitag horse around with a canine friend at their family farm outside of Stanfor...

Blog Post

James Moberly Farm Funks Grove Township, May 1936
This photograph was one in a series featured in the May 23, 1936 Pantagraph under the headline ...

Blog Post

McHistory: Painter and Scoundrel
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big momen...

Blog Post

McHistory: The 100 Bushel Corn Club boosted mid-century ag yields

Blog Post

Farming in the Great Corn Belt

11 items

1822 to 1852
Frontier farmers were faced with the challenge of producing enough livestock and crops to suppo...

Digital Exhibit

1853 to 1899: Diversified Farming
From 1850 to 1900, the typical McLean County farmer made a living as a diversified farmer, grow...

Digital Exhibit

1946 to 2000: Corn and Soybean Crops
After WWII many McLean County farmers reduced or totally eliminated livestock production in ord...

Digital Exhibit

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

A Scientific Revolution: Eugene Funk and Hybrid Corn
In 1883 McLean County farmer and entrepreneur Eugene D. Funk began to develop a modern system o...

Digital Exhibit

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

Digital Exhibit

Fertilizer
With every crop harvested, farmers removed nutrients from the rich prairie soil. But because Mc...

Digital Exhibit

Government Aid and Programs
The U.S. government first provided loans and incentive programs to farmers for farm land and eq...

Digital Exhibit

Hand Tools and Mechanization
Whether by their own resources, bank loans, or later government programs, a farmer’s success a...

Digital Exhibit

Outbuildings
During the 19th century, the height of a corn crib was generally limited to the height a farmer...

Digital Exhibit

Social Groups, Organized Groups, and Associations
Farmers looked to each other. They formed social groups, organized clubs, and created associati...

Digital Exhibit

Finding Aids

3 items

Corn on the Curb 2000
Corn-on-the-Curb, inspired by Chicago’s “Cows on Parade” in 1999, was conceived by Mayor Judy M...

Finding Aid

Exhibit: Just Corn: The 'Amaizing' Story
The Museum exhibit, “Just Corn: The ‘Amaizing’ Story,” opened in 1997. It was curated by then-M...

Finding Aid

Grain Elevators
Grain Storage Facilities play an important role in the process of agricultural production in Mc...

Finding Aid

Publications

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The Heart of the Cornbelt: An Illustrated History of Corn Farming in McLean County
An illustrated history of corn farming in McLean County....

Publication

Speakers Bureau

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Buckle of the Corn Belt: An Illustrated Tour of McLean County and Everyone’s Favorite Grain

Speakers Bureau