On the Square Blog
June 11th, 2021
McHistory: Inhumane Conditions at the McLean County Poor Farm
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episode...
2 mins read by Bill Kemp
June 2nd, 2021
0 mins read by Susan Hartzold
May 13th, 2021
McHistory: Bowles Street Named for the ‘old singing soldier” with the medicine wagon
Listen to the audio on W...
2 mins read by Bill Kemp
April 23rd, 2021
McHistory: Fighting to get women right to vote
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be he...
2 mins read by Bill Kemp
April 15th, 2021
Barbara Stuart -- 2021 History Maker Honoree
Barbara served for several years as president of the Normal Public Library Board and became the first president of the Friends of the Normal Public Library. She founded seven activist organizations: Young Adult Problems Study Group, The Minority Advocacy Council, the Minority Complaints about Pol...
2 mins read by Norris Porter
April 15th, 2021
Robert and Marilyn Sutherland -- 2021 History Maker Honorees
During their over five decades in Bloomington-Normal, Bob and Marilyn Sutherland participated in many ways to help make this a better community for everyone, particularly for those who often cannot make their own voices heard. Bob "has been arrested, investigated, and vilified, but he can�...
2 mins read by Norris Porter
April 15th, 2021
Jerry and Carole Ringer -- 2021 History Maker Honorees
Jerry and Carole’s shared passion for the arts is well-known in the community. Carole says, “(Art) helps to define the quality of life. Even if you are well able to put food on the table, culture is needed for the soul, mind, and spirit.”Carole was a volunteer and ultimately a professional...
2 mins read by Norris Porter
March 4th, 2021
0 mins read by Susan Hartzold
February 15th, 2021
McHistory: The 1914 McLean County Basketball Champions
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can b...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
December 1st, 2020
0 mins read by Susan Hartzold
August 18th, 2020
0 mins read by Susan Hartzold
June 1st, 2020
0 mins read by Susan Hartzold
April 16th, 2020
Cemetery Walk Videos Now Online
The McLean County Museum of History has been a strong supporter of the arts and live theater for many years. And in turn, the arts community has reciprocated that strong support of the Museum and our educational programs, helping us bring to life our vibrant and diverse local history through live...
2 mins read by Candace Summers
March 13th, 2020
Museum Closed to the Public
In the interest of the safety of our patrons, volunteers, and staff in light of the developing COVID-19 situation regionally and nationally, the McLean County Museum of History and Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center will be closed to the public beginning Saturday, March 14. Should condit...
2 mins read by Jeffery Woodard
March 1st, 2020
0 mins read by Susan Hartzold
February 26th, 2020
McHistory: 19th Century Cabbie Saw all of Bloomington-Normal Society
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
February 12th, 2020
McHistory: Segregation in Bloomington-Normal
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be hea...
2 mins read by Bill Kemp
December 2nd, 2019
McHistory: Bloomington-Normal’s Sole Documented Lynching
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
December 1st, 2019
0 mins read by Susan Hartzold
November 5th, 2019
McHistory: Blazing the trail for women who write
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be hear...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
November 5th, 2019
McHistory: From Cabinets to Coffins
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be heard periodicall...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 11th, 2019
McHistory: Louise Calimese and the McLean County Home for Colored Children
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory ep...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
September 30th, 2019
Practicing Inclusion at the McLean County Museum of History
The McLean County Museum of History welcomes and values all visitors. We are committed to representing the entire community by sharing your history, your story. In fact, it is part of our mission to “reflect the diversity of McLean County,” and we take that mission seriously. As an educational in...
4 mins read by Torii Moré
September 23rd, 2019
McHistory: Early 20th Century Feminism
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be heard periodic...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
September 23rd, 2019
McHistory: Bloomington’s Unsung Baseball Great
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be heard p...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
September 1st, 2019
0 mins read by Susan Hartzold
August 15th, 2019
Intern Reflection: Logan Janicki
For my internship this summer, I researched and wrote biographies of the historical figures to be featured in this year’s Evergreen Cemetery Walk. Other museum staff had already decided who was to be featured and done preliminary research, finding as much material on each person as possi...
3 mins read by Logan Janicki
August 14th, 2019
McHistory: Bloomington-Normal’s Last Switchboard Girls
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
August 13th, 2019
Intern Reflection: Marcel Tworek
Since the end of May, I have been working under my supervisor Emma Meyer to help in Collections by working on biographies of people who are associated with an artifact or document that the museum has in its collection. During my time at the museum, I have learned to work with the Past Perfect sof...
3 mins read by Marcel Tworek
July 25th, 2019
McHistory: Illinois’ First Female State Senator
Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be heard ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp