Collection Highlights

Normal Sanitary Dairy baseball uniform donated to Museum

January 9th, 2014

The Museum recently received a Normal Sanitary Dairy baseball uniform worn during the late 1930s and early 1940s. The dairy not only sponsored its own team, but owned its own baseball diamond located directly behind its building. Wilbur “Deacon" Barton, one of McLean County's most talented African American athletes, remembers playing on the Dairy's field as a member of the Jackson's Furniture baseball team.

Located at 301 Broadway in Normal, the Normal Sanitary Dairy sold milk and other dairy products to McLean County residents from 1930 to 1959. If anyone has any memories of the dairy, its baseball field, or local baseball leagues, we would love to hear those stories!The McLean County Museum of History is fortunate in that our community has generously helped us build an object collection that reflects the community's history. More than 99% of the collection has come from previous or current residents of McLean County. Our county's story is a fascinating one and we love to tell it!

Thank you to David Hall for this generous donation. We are thrilled that you thought of us!

Tod Eagleton