Holiday

A Community in Conflict

1 item

1966

In 1965 the Bloomington-Normal NAACP decided it was time to challenge how the community viewed local businesses that discriminated.

Digital Exhibit

Articles

11 items

Community Christmas ‘sing’ once annual event

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancellation of countless holiday gatherings, school pagea...

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Emancipation Day once Black community’s July 4th

In the years before the Civil War and for several decades afterward, Bloomington’s African-Amer...

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This illustration of the new Griesheim Building appeared in a 1901 Bloomington Business Men’s Association promotional piece touting the city’s reconstruction efforts after the Great Fire of June 19, 1900.

Great Fire couldn’t dampen Christmas spirit

The holiday season of 1900 brought more changes than usual for area shoppers flocking to downto...

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Halloween 1945 followed world war’s end

World War II still loomed large over American life during the Halloween season of 1945. The sur...

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two men stand next to a pail, with a salvation army sign

Holidays bring turbulent year of ’68 to a close

Fifty years ago this week, December 1968, fast-approaching Christmas and New Year’s afforded ma...

Article

Located at the corner of Madison and Monroe streets in downtown Bloomington, this building served as the McLean County jail from 1882 to 1977.

Homemade Christmas dinner once a McLean County jail tradition

“Unfortunate souls who spend Christmas Day in the county jail will at least have a tasty dinner...

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The two giant Santas looming over the entryway to local retailer Livingston’s can be seen in this circa late 1950s photograph.

In 1955, downtown Bloomington 'dressed in holiday style'

Back in 1955, Bloomington was less than half its current size, toys were still made in America,...

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Intrepid Pantagrapher paid visit to Santa’s North Pole

In 1897, 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon famously wrote the New York Sun newspaper to ask if that ...

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New Year’s Eve 1919 meant hope for better times

One hundred years ago, New Year’s Eve 1919 brought hope for better days to come. After all, the...

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a large crowd is seen in front of Ensenberger Furniture store and the W.B.READ & CO buildings.

Spirits high for Depression-era Christmas

During the 1936 Christmas season, Americans faced an Ebenezer Scrooge writ large — the hard tim...

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a family stands in front of a fireplace, looking at stockings hanging

War’s end makes Christmas ’45 extra special

On Dec. 22, 1945, President Harry Truman switched on the twinkling lights of the nation’s Chris...

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Blog

50 items

All I Want for Christmas … Lincoln School First Graders, 1965

Back in early December 1965, these six-year-old first graders from Lincoln School in Bloomingto...

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Armistice Day, 1945 Courthouse Square, Bloomington

Veterans Day was first known as “Armistice Day,” which goes back to November 11, 1919, the firs...

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Be of Good Cheer Livingston’s, Early 1950s

Seen here from the early 1950s is Livingston’s, the gone-but-not-forgotten local department sto...

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Bo Peep Has Found Her Sheep Halloween Parade, Bloomington 1938

A Depression-era tradition in Bloomington was the annual Halloween Mardi Gras parade and street...

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Bright Lights in Time for Christmas Downtown Bloomington, December 1958

On Dec. 19, 1958, Bloomington Mayor Robert McGraw threw a ceremonial switch to light about half...

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Christmas 1953

On December 25, 1953, The Pantagraph ran a series of Christmas Day photographs such as this one...

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Christmas Caravan, 1935

During the Great Depression 80 downtown Bloomington merchants staged a “Christmas Caravan” prom...

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Corny Christmas Contest, 1934 Guess the Number of Kernels

Back in December 1934, the Bloomington Association of Commerce (now the McLean County Chamber o...

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December Sleigh Ride, 1963

These young women appear to be having the time of their lives. Unfortunately, we do not known t...

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Easter Parade, LeRoy Style, 1937

On Sunday, April 9, 1937, The Pantagraph ran a photo spread on LeRoy ladies getting ready for E...

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Flag Day, 1948

Local Girl Scouts hoist Old Glory at Forrest Park in south Bloomington in preparation for Flag ...

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Halloween Party Mystery

The exact date of this photo, let alone the name of the group are unknown. It is c.1918 and the...

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Halloween Traditions

Although there are several theories regarding the origin of Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, its ...

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Happy Halloween!

The Museum Board, staff, and volunteers wish you a safe, spooky, and happy Halloween. May we al...

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Happy Halloween! Jefferson School, Bloomington, 1957

James and Evora Ross, pictured here with their four-year-old daughter Janet, chaired the all-fa...

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Happy Thanksgiving

This “Turkey Day” card comes from the Museum’s Greetings Cards Collection. The Museum Board of ...

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Herman Glaser, December 1952 Stanford’s Toy Maker

During the 1952 holiday season Stanford resident and retired farmer Herman Glaser displayed sev...

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Herman Jack’s Christmas tree December 1952

In April 1950, DeWitt County farmer Herman Jack planted 1,500 evergreen seedlings on sloping, e...

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Ho ho ho Livingston’s Santas, 1940s

From the 1940s to the mid-1970s, A. Livingston & Sons in downtown Bloomington hoisted two g...

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Holiday season comes to an end January 4, 1965

Is there anything sadder than a dry and tindery Christmas tree, sans ornaments and lights, unce...

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Independence Day 1964 Miller Park, Bloomington

For well over a century, Miller Park on Bloomington’s west side has served as home to many the ...

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Labor Day Parade Bloomington, 1985

“Buy American—Save the USA” was the theme for the September 2, 1985, Labor Day parade. Blooming...

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Labor Day in Bloomington Circa 1920

Bloomington’s first Labor Day parade was held on September 7, 1891, three years before the day ...

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McLean Harvest Festival September 26, 1952

The Village of McLean in the southwestern corner of McLean County used to stage an annual Harve...

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Memorial Day 1936 Downtown Bloomington

The McLean County Legion Drum Corps, debuting their new uniforms, march south down Main Street ...

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Memorial Day 1964 Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington

The Twin Cities and surrounding communities have honored their war dead since the first local D...

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New Year’s Eve 1948 In with the new, out with the old …

The Pantagraph ran this staged photograph of Father Time and Baby New Year on the last day of 1...

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Photo of the Week, 30: Gertrude Fifer and Grandson Joe Bohrer

Unitarian Church, Downtown Bloomington Easter Day 1932, Seen here are Gertrude Lewis Fifer and ...

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Photo of the Week, 43: Happy Thanksgiving from the Museum!

This photograph appeared in The Pantagraph on Thanksgiving Day 1956. The original caption read:...

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Photo of the Week, 45: Christmas in Bloomington, 1941

Eighteen days after the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States held a rathe...

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Photo of the Week, 46: Santa Spotted in Downtown Bloomington, 1929

The annual Bloomington-Normal Jaycees Christmas Parade, held this year on Saturday, December 7,...

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Photo of the Week, 47: Seasons Greetings . . . from South of the Border!

Sixty years ago this month, during the 1953 Christmas season, former Bloomington residents Stan...

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Photo of the Week, 92: Thanksgiving in the Great Depression, 1938

On the evening of Wednesday, November 23, 1938, the day before Thanksgiving, the Young Men'...

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Photo of the Week, 94: Thanksgiving at ISSCS, 1962

For more than a century, the Town of Normal was home to a state-run orphanage: the Illinois Sol...

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Photo of the Week, 96: The Most Popular Guy in the Room

On December 23, 1944, more than 600 grade school children attended the Town of Normal's th...

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Red, White, and Kaboom! Independence Day 1941

Nine-year-old Tommy Roberts of Bloomington stocks up on fireworks for the July 4, 1941 festivit...

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Remember the Fallen

McLean County has long honored its war dead. In 1869, local officials saw to the erection in th...

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Salute from a Korean War Vet Memorial Day 1982

Robert R. “Bob” Neal salutes a fallen veteran at Bloomington’s Park Hill Cemetery, Memorial Day...

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Santa No Replacement for Mama Downtown Bloomington, December 4, 1948

Santa arrived by train to Bloomington on December 4, 1948, and spent much of the day greeting c...

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Santa and His Six (?) Reindeer Bloomington Christmas Parade, 1929

The December 3, 1929 Christmas parade in Bloomington featured Santa Claus, six marching bands, ...

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Santa at the Courthouse Square Downtown Bloomington, 1948

On December 4, 1948, Santa Claus arrived in Bloomington via the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroa...

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Santa on Parade December 1948

On December 5, 1948, Santa arrived in Bloomington via the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad. Fro...

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Saybrook’s last Civil War widow Emma Cook, May 1938

In May 1938, the Village of Saybrook prepared to celebrate its first Decoration Day (now known ...

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Spooktacular 1957 Jefferson School, Bloomington

The Jefferson School PTA held an all-family Halloween party on October 28, 1957. Seen here are ...

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T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G 1980 Towanda Grade School

Towanda Grade School kindergartners perform Thanksgiving themed poems and songs for their paren...

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Toy, toys, and more toys Christmastime 1953

This week we’ve posted several photographs from a set showing downtown Bloomington holiday shop...

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Valentine’s Day 1947 Raymond School, Bloomington

The Pantagraph ran this photograph on Valentine’s Day 1947—nearly 70 years ago. Seen here are R...

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Veterans Day, 1958 McLean County Courthouse Lawn

Veterans Day ceremonies have been held on the lawn of the old McLean County Courthouse (now the...

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We All Scream for Ice Cream

How long exactly have people been screaming for ice cream? No one really knows for sure; but, I...

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Why did the Turkey Cross the Road?

To escape the Thanksgiving Day dinner table, of course! Seen here are a wild turkey hen and her...

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Finding Aids

1 item

Christmas

Christmas is an annual winter festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primar...

Finding Aid

Speakers Bureau

1 item

McLean County Holiday Stories

Speakers Bureau

Videos

4 items

Crafting History: Embroidering Festive Felt Ornaments

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Lunch & Learn: Christmas Past and Present at Ewing Manor

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Lunch & Learn: Relocating the Nativity in Song and Celebration with Adriana Ponce

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McLean County Holiday Stories

Video