Posts about Animals
McHistory: Bloomington’s War on Dogs
Listen to the audio on WGLT's ...
Glen Dotson and ‘Sparky’ Towanda, January 1941
Glen Dotson is seen here in late January 1941 with his new pet pigeon “Sparky.” Glen’s previous pigeon had been killed by an automobile...
Lexington Dog Show July 31, 1940
Seen here are 5 of the 30 some entries for the children’s dog show, held July 31, 1940, in Lexington. They’re at Lexington Park, with t...
Bull in Barbershop Hudson, June 19, 1947
We’ve all heard the expression “bull in a china shop,” but how about one in a barbershop? Herb Abrams (astride the mauve bull) promised...
Ms. Stanberry and Queenie July 21, 1938
Gretchen Stanberry, a senior in the school of music at MacMurray Women’s College in Jacksonville, was the guest speaker before the Bloo...
Miller Park Zoo’s newest arrival June 1964
Miller Park’s Ed Denniston welcomes the zoo’s new arrival in early June 1964. This little mule’s parents were a Shetland pony mare and ...
Pointer and Setter Club Field Trials, April 1946
That’s “Jake,” a pointer puppy owned by “bird dog man” G.S. Bryant of Springfield and handled here by E.T. Burke of Farmersville. Jake ...
Top hog gets pie January 1947
A.V. Ritchie of Colfax received $225 (or about $2,500 in today’s dollars) for this gilt at a January 22, 1947 Spotted Poland China sale...
‘Fancy Pants’ Gets a Trim April 1946
This April 13, 1946, scene shows Bloomington veterinarian Dr. Fred H. Conover giving a warm weather trim to Fancy Pants. This pedigreed...
Shirley by Horseback March 5, 1942
Earlier this week, we ran a photograph illustrating the severe WWII rubber shortage and its impact on Corn Belt farms. This photo comes...
Freitag children, rural Stanford February 1959
Jane and Doug Freitag horse around with a canine friend at their family farm outside of Stanford in Allin Township. They’re standing at...
Grand Champion Poland China ISNU Farm, January 16, 1947
Thelma Thomas and her brother Glenn examine her grand champion gilt at the Illinois State Normal University Farm. In mid-January 1947, ...
Society Horse Show Fans Field, Bloomington, 1953
Fans Field, an old minor league ballpark once located on Bloomington’s south side, off Main Street and behind (or east) of the National...
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 chick crossing Cabintown Road in Bloomi...
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 dance. Seen here from the parade of Oct...
Photo of the Week, 130: Dogs of War, 1946 Bella and Her Two Surprises
U.S. Army veteran Dwight Pierceall of Normal received quite a shock on June 6, 1946, when he opened a crate sent from Europe. Inside wa...
Photo of the Week, 129: Reserve Champions Illinois State Fair, August 17, 1949
The Illinois State Fair gets underway today in Springfield and runs through Sunday, August 23. McLean County 4-H youth have an enviab...
Miller Park Fishing Season Underway June 1938
Fishing at Miller Park on Bloomington’s west side has been a time-honored local tradition since the late 1800s. This Depression-era pho...
Photo of the week, 121: Miller Park Fishing Season Underway -- June 1938
Did you know today, June 18, is National Go Fishing Day? Fishing at Miller Park on Bloomington’s west side has been a time-honored loc...
Photo of the Week, 120: Carl Loeseke’s Homing Pigeons, 1938
Seen here is Bloomington restaurateur Carl J. Loeseke tending to many of his homing pigeons at his 1103 W. Moulton St. (now MacArthur A...
Slitherin’ no more Mystery Pic, 1958
This fascinating photograph is a mystery to Museum staff. The only thing we’re sure about is that it was taken on June 30, 1958. We do ...
Photo of the Week, 108: Beekeeping During Wartime Sugar Shortage
In late February / early March 1942, Cropsey area farmer Edward Adams discussed the benefits of raising honeybees during the sugar shor...
Rudolph the Red-Nosed … Llama? McLean County Christmas, 1958
In the week before Christmas 1958, Santa Claus paid a visit to Bloomington’s Forest Park to inspect the local reindeer stock. But Old S...
Photo of the Week, 70: A Real Animal House
Although both Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities have their share of fraternities, the only honest-to-goodness animal ho...
Photo of the Week, 52: Feeding Time at Miller Park Zoo … Brought To You By Stern’s Furniture!
As a non-profit institution, the McLean County Museum of History relies to a considerable extent on the generosity of its members and t...
Photo of the Week, 22: A Little Off the Top
Not much is known of this curious scene other than the fact that the chimpanzee is from the Miller Park Zoo. If you know the name of th...
Photo of the Week, 2: Don Munson & LaJean, 1968
I stumbled across this photograph while perusing a collection of recently donated photographs. I knew that the smartly dressed figure i...