Posts about Places
North Gate Subdivision Northeast Normal, July 1964
During the summer of 1964, ranch and split-level homes were popping up in the North Gate subdivision in northeast Normal, adjacent to t...
Downtown Bloomington September 1938
This view of downtown Bloomington looks north. The foreground includes a good look at the old city hall, which was located at the north...
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 city’s Fourth of July activities, includ...
Irvin Theater, Bloomington Circa 1958
The Irvin was the Twin City’s premier movie house for much of the 20th century. Located on the 200 block of East Jefferson Street, it o...
Paving, 400 block North Main Street June 1938
Workmen with local contractor Berenz & Son lay asphalt down the 400 block of North Main Street in Bloomington. Today, the Jaeger’s ...
Miller Park Beach July 1941
For decades Miller Park beach was the most popular spots in the Twin Cities to cool off during the summer months. If you can identify a...
Davis Lodge, Under Construction Lake Bloomington, April 1932
Since its formal opening on June 29, 1932, the Davis Lodge has hosted innumerable wedding receptions, family reunions, public meetings,...
Excuse me, comin’ through May 1968
On May 22, 1968, workers removed a roof off a gas station being dismantled at the corner of Lee and Washington streets on the west end ...
Book Lover in Seventh Heaven May 1968
Retired schoolteacher Elsa Schilling found a quiet corner of Withers Public Library hoping to find a few keepers during the 10-cent boo...
Waiting for the wrecking ball, 1971 200 block South Main Street
These buildings, located on the west side of the 200 South Main Street, were demolished in the early 1970s to make way for the McLean C...
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Bloomington Under Construction, circa 1967
This circa 1967 aerial looks northwest. That’s under-construction St. Joseph’s Hospital in the center, with the Route 66 “beltline” (no...
300 Block North Main Street May 1937
This lovely Depression-era view of a bustling downtown Bloomington shows the east side of the 300 block of North Main Street, one block...
Franklin Park’s new evergreens April 1958
In the spring of 1958, the Bloomington-Normal Garden Club planted a series of evergreens at Franklin Park, the city’s oldest green spac...
Eureka Williams aerial June 1966
This summer 1966 view of the near southeast side of Bloomington, looking east, offers a wealth of information. “A” is Oakaland School; ...
Penney’s Readies Eastland Store November 9, 1966
J.C. Penney opened in the new Eastland Shopping Center (now Eastland Mall) on November 10, 1966. This photograph was taken a day before...
Urban Renewal, Bloomington Future Site of Library, 1971
This view, looking north-northeast, shows the future site of Bloomington Public Library (opened in 1977). Many of the residences shown ...
Payless Drugs, July 1940 Downtown Bloomington
Payless Drugs, 317 N. Main St., opened on July 18, 1940. “It’s new! It’s different! It’s the latest in modern drug stores,” promised a ...
Lathrop's Barbershop, 1914
George Lathrop was a Bloomington barber for many years. This February 1914 photograph shows the interior of his barbershop when it was ...
Emerson School, Bloomington March 1976
Built in the early 1900s, Emerson School was demolished in 1985. Designed by prominent Bloomington architect Arthur L. Pillsbury, it wa...
Mobile Home Living, Bloomington Catherine Heineman, January 1953
By 1953, there were at least 10 mobile home parks with a combined 165 “trailers” in the Twin Cities. Here’s Catherine Heineman, a resid...
Lost Bloomington Grace Methodist Church
Grace Methodist Church, located on the northwest corner of East and Locust streets, was dedicated in July 1889. More than 3,000 service...
C.W. Frey’s Showroom Downtown Bloomington, circa 1929-30
Clarence W. Frey & Sons was a longtime auto dealership and service center located at 300-314 W. Washington St. Seen here is a Frey ...
Bloomington Municipal Airport Terminal, April 1964
The period from Wednesday through Sunday around Thanksgiving is usually the busiest travel time of the year in the U.S. Fortunately for...
Village of Colfax February 14, 1938
The view is looking east. “A” is Main Street; “B” Center Street; “C” the Illinois Central Railroad’s “Bloomer Line” (today it’s the All...
Veterans Parkway as the Route 66 ‘Beltline’ December 1960
This aerial, looking due north, shows the corner of Route 66 (“D”) and Route 9 / Empire Street (“G”) in late 1960. The Route 66 “Beltli...
Unitarian Church of Bloomington 209 N. East St., undated
Bloomington has a rich Unitarian tradition. Seen here is the old Unitarian Church in downtown Bloomington, southeast corner of East and...
National Bank of Bloomington Main and Washington, 1930s
This view of downtown Bloomington, looking east and taken sometime in the 1930s, offers a lovely view of the Richardsonian Romanesque-s...
LeRoy Aerial East of Downtown, January 1933
The view here is looking south. Today, there’s a new high school and more residential in-fill, but some of what’s seen here remains muc...
Men with Hats Passenger Service Inaugurated Old ‘Bloomington’ Airport, 1931
The first Bloomington Airport was actually located several miles north of Normal and featured a turf landing field. This October 1, 193...
Up and Over Downs May 1953
Even the small Village of Downs had a post-World War II housing boom (relatively speaking). This view looks southwest. “A” indicates Hi...
Back to School Illinois Wesleyan, September 1938
Monday, August 29, 2016 marked the first day of classes for the 2016-2017 school year at Illinois Wesleyan University. Seen here are IW...
McLean County Fairgrounds Old East Side Location, Undated
This site, Illinois Route 9 just east of what would become Veterans Parkway, served as home for the McLean County Fair from 1955 to 199...
Sinoark’s ‘Frontier Room’ Opens October 1959
Located at the junction of South Main Street and the Route 66 Beltline (now Veterans Parkway), the Phil-Kron drive-in theater (named fo...
Downtown Bloomington, circa 1927 100 Block of East Front Street
The view here is looking east down the 100 block of E. Front St. The streetcar is turning onto Front from Main Street (or vice versa, w...
Idle Youth Miller Park, July 1957
These unidentified boys are seen here a few days before Independence Day 1957, hanging out at Miller Park on Bloomington’s west side.Th...
Booker T. Washington Home West Side of Bloomington, Undated
Impoverished, neglected, and unwanted children in the Twin Cities were once separated by race.Established in 1918, the McLean County Ho...
My Store, undated Downtown Bloomington
Oscar Mandel and brother-in-law Albert Schwarzman opened this five-story “trade palace,” located on the northeast corner of Center and ...
Ritter School, 1941 Martin Township
Before paved roads, school buses, and district consolidation, there were something like 250 one-room schools in McLean County alone. Se...
Future Flying Farmers? Bloomington Municipal Airport, 1953
The McLean County chapter of Flying Farmers offered free airplane rides to some 70 moms and dads on Father’s Day, June 21, 1953. Mother...
North Side of Courthouse Square Downtown Bloomington, circa 1956
Here’s a wonderful view of the 100 block of West Jefferson Street, or the north side of the Courthouse Square. Pictured here are Roland...
Bloomington High School Under Construction, August 1958
This aerial shows the “new” Bloomington High School, corner of Towanda Avenue and Locust Street on the city’s eastside, roughly one yea...
Knights of Columbus’ New Home 1206 N. Main St., Bloomington December 1927
Corn Belt Bank executive J. Thornton Snell had this magnificent Queen Anne-style home built in 1889-1890. He died unexpectedly in April...
New Corn Belt Bank, November 1961 East and Jefferson, Downtown Bloomington
Construction began on a new Corn Belt Bank home office on September 13, 1960. The Bloomington bank was moving two blocks east from its ...
Irvin Theatre, June 1938 202 E. Jefferson St., Bloomington
Opened in 1915 as the finest movie house in the Twin Cities, the Irvin (or at least its marquee) is seen in this June 1938 sidewalk-and...
Lost Bloomington South End of Downtown
This undated aerial photo shows the six blocks bounded by Front, East, Olive, and Madison streets (outlined in red) that were razed beg...
Illinois Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home Home Band, 1930
The Sunday April 3, 2016 Pantagraph recounted the story of the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home Band, organized in 1897-98 and active into the 1...
Mount Hope Ladies Aid Moore’s Mill Marker, August 1968
The most famous gristmill in McLean County was the one operated by the Moore family of Mount Hope Township. Situated on the south bank ...
That’s Why They Call It Six Points Outer Bloomington, Early October 1933
What was once the far southwestern edge of Bloomington is seen here in this 1933 aerial. The view is looking north-northeast. “A” is Bl...
Village of Saybrook Center Street, 1941
Seen here is a section of downtown Saybrook in the spring of 1941. The view is from the intersection of West Lincoln and South Center s...
General Electric Plant Route 66 “Beltline,” 1968
Hey wait minute, where did Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano go? Clearly, back in 1968 there wasn’t much at what’s today the intersection of...
East Washington Street 200 Block, Circa 1956
Seen here is the north side of the 200 block of East Washington Street about 1956. Partially visible on the left edge of this photograp...
Waterless Lake Bloomington Circa July 1929
This aerial, taken by The Pantagraph’s own news plane “Scoop,” shows the northern end of under-construction Lake Bloomington in the sum...
Another One Bites the Dust Mar-Len Hotel, June 1988
Ross Griffin of Stark Excavating keeps an eye on crane operator John Quiram as he makes short work of the Mar-Len Hotel, 309 N. Center ...
Ensenberger’s, 1925 West Side of Square, Bloomington
Back in the summer of 1925 iron workers were completing the steel frame for the new Ensenberger’s furniture store high rise. This seven...
The Gem Saloon, c. 1880 West Side of Courthouse Square, Bloomington
Peter J. Neuerburg (note the name on the cornice) owned The Gem from the late 1870s into the early 1880s. He is likely one of the unide...
Home Sweet Home Mission, 1923 1006 W. Washington St., Bloomington
Home Sweet Home City Rescue Mission (now known as Home Sweet Home Ministries) has provided “food, shelter, and hope to the hungry, home...
Downtown Bloomington, April 1948 East Side of Courthouse Square
This photograph showing the 200 block of North Main Street was snapped on April 4, 1948.Looking left to right, one can see Kresge,’s, B...
BHS Athletic Field Undated Aerial
This undated view of Bloomington High School’s Athletic Field is looking southeast. “A” signifies Bloomington Country Club; “B” Elmwood...
Lakeside Country Club Aerial 1930
Established in 1923, Lakeside Country Club made use of a former clay brick and tile pit enjoying a second life as a small recreational ...
Second Presbyterian Church block Pre-Parking Lot Mania
This undated aerial shows a section of the east side of downtown Bloomington prior to the loss of much of the built environment to surf...
Lost Treasure of Bloomington First Church of Christ, Scientist
Designed by Bloomington architect Arthur L. Pillsbury, this Classical Revival-style First Church of Christ, Scientist featured a Greek ...
Bohemian Bloomington Evans Building, December 1947
In the mid-1940s, the Evans Building earned the nickname “Little Greenwich Village” due to all the colorful characters that made the do...
Anchor School Circa 1900
The small community of Anchor, located in the northeastern corner of McLean County, was once home to this attractive 1896 school buildi...
Miller Park and Bloomington’s West Side Undated Aerial
This undated view, looking north, shows Miller Park and much of Bloomington’s west side as seen from on high.“A” shows the Chicago &...
‘Union’ Depot, December 1979 Bloomington’s West Side
Opened in 1913, Union Depot (also known as Bloomington Depot) was located just south of West Washington Street on the west side of the ...
Dedication of Holton Homes Bloomington’s West Side, July 1954
Several hundred folks sat in the shade of a box elder tree on Sunday, July 11, 1954, for the dedication of Bloomington’s new public hou...
Bloomington’s “Great West Side” July 1932
This aerial view, taken on July 20, 1932, shows the near west side of Bloomington. The view is looking northeast.“A” marks the western ...
Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church Bloomington, June 9, 1940
Founded in October 1865 as South Hill Baptist Church, Mt Pisgah Baptist Church has played an important leadership role in the local Afr...
“A City Unto Itself” Chicago & Alton RR Shops
This undated aerial photograph, looking northwest, gives one a sense of the impressive size of the sprawling Chicago & Alton Railro...
200 Block W. Washington St. Downtown Bloomington, 1965
This photograph, taken from the roof of The Pantagraph building in March 1965, shows a row of four brick commercial buildings stretchin...
Improvements Slated for Danvers, 1936
In June 1936, the Danvers Farmers Elevator Association announced plans to upgrade its facilities, a project that included replacement o...
Union Bus Station, 1956 523 N. East Street, Bloomington
“A feeling of sadness that only bus stations have” Jack Kerouac mused in his 1957 novel “On the Road.” Well, we’re pretty sure that Ker...
Downtown Bloomington Early 1920s
This aerial view is undated but several clues helped us assign an approximate date.Note the vacant lot at the northwest corner of East ...
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 of the 65 new mercury vapor streetlamps...
Community Players Groundbreaking December 7, 1960
On December 7, 1960, Community Players Theatre broke ground for the playhouse on 201 Robinhood Lane. Seen here (left to right) are arch...
Bloomington Municipal Airport June 20, 1941
This aerial view of Bloomington Municipal Airport (now Central Illinois Regional Airport, or CIRA) looks northwest and shows the main h...
East Side Exodus, November 1966 Penney’s to Eastland Mall
On November 10, 1966, JCPenney moved into the still under-construction Eastland Shopping Center on what was then the far eastern edge o...
Twilight of the Interurban Downtown Bloomington, 1950
This September 1950 scene shows an Illinois Terminal Railroad car trundling past the 200 block of North Madison Street in downtown Bloo...
Esquire Theatre, circa 1944 Downtown Bloomington
There aren’t too many known photographs of the Esquire Theatre, 108 N. Madison St., Bloomington. This one was taken by longtime Bloomin...
Prairie Birds to the Rescue! Great Chicago Fire, October 8-9, 1871
As the Great Chicago Fire raged out of control the night and early morning of October 8-9, 1871, Mayor Roswell B. Mason made a desperat...
Angelic Coeds, September 27, 1940 Dedication of the Van Leer Chime Tower
Bill Kemp's “Page from Our Past” column in the Pantagraph (linked below) detailed the history of the chime tower on the Broadview ...
Out with the Old . . . Keiser-Van Leer Expansion, 1936
Seen here is the northeast corner of East and Market streets in downtown Bloomington, late 1935 or early 1936. Keiser-Van Leer Co., a m...
The Times They Have Changed! Town of Normal, 1966
This view of the Town of Normal and Illinois State University, taken in 1966 from either Hewett or Manchester halls, two recently opene...
Old Main Comes Down September 9, 1958
On September 9, 1958, a one-ton wrecking ball made quick work of Illinois State University’s first campus building, affectionately know...
McLean County Fair, 1951
On August 5, 2015 The McLean County Fair got underway at the fairgrounds west of the Route 9 / Interstates 74 and 55 interchange on the...
Photo of the Week, 124: ‘Swing Time’ at Victory Hall October 1935
Opened in 1919 and located at 904 Hovey Ave. in Normal, Victory Hall was a safe place for boys from troubled families. At the time of t...
What a View!
The McLean County Museum of History occupies the old county courthouse in historic downtown Bloomington. The Museum’s photo collections...
Photo of the Week, 122: Watterson Towers, October 1967 -- Twenty-One Stories to Go!
Watterson Towers, a 28-story residence hall complex located on the Illinois State University campus, opened in 1969. It houses some 2,2...
Photo of the Week, 115: Threatened Downtown Beauty
Seen here is the Peoples Bank building (now Commerce Bank), corner of Center and Washington streets in downtown Bloomington, sometime i...
Chenoa Airport, 1948
The most recent Sunday Pantagraph “Page from Our Past” installment examined the fascinating history of Chenoa airport, which opened in ...
Photo of the Week, 114: Downtown Bloomington, 1931
Seen here is the 100 block of N. Madison St. in 1931. The crowd gathered outside the four-story building is likely comprised of unemplo...
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 thirteenth annual community Christmas prog...
Photo of the Week, 75: Amen and Let's Eat!
Established in 1864/1865, the Illinois' Soldiers' Orphans' Home (later renamed ISSCS) was a state-run orphanage in north...
Photo of the Week, 67: Welcome to Normal, 1969
Remember Hall's Tog Shop? Did anyone you know have an account at Normal State Bank, or buy a house from realtor Hal Riss? This 196...
Photo of the Week, 57: Dedication of the Normal Post Office, 1936
On March 1, 1936, several hundred area residents gathered for the dedication of the Normal Post Office, located at 200 West North Stree...
Photo of the Week, 55: McKnight & McKnight Building, August 1929
Located at the northeast corner of Center and
Market streets, this downtown landmark dates to 1913 when it first
served as an addition ...
Photo of the Week, 27: Shhhhh!
Many a “seasoned" citizen well remembers Withers Library, which stood at the northeast corner of East and Washington. Old Withers ...
Photo of the Week, 25: Et tu, Brute? “Julius Caesar” at the Consistory, 1931
Long before the 1978 inaugural season of what would become the Illinois Shakespeare Festival (held at the Ewing Cultural Center), local...
Photo of the Week, 23: World War II Drinking Fountain Flows Once More!
On October 19, 1948, the local Pearl Harbor chapter of the American War Mothers dedicated a drinking fountain to McLean County's W...
Photo of the Week, 20: Grocery Shopping in the Great Depression
Seen here is a 1935 photograph of the Nierstheimer Bros. grocery store at 428 North Main Street in downtown Bloomington. Back then, Hen...
Photo of the Week, 17: Tracy Green & Co., circa 1928
Tracy Green & Co., circa 1928, located at the southwest corner of Washington and Gridley streets east of downtown Bloomington. In t...
Photo of the Week, 16: Cropsey Railroad Station
This rare shot of the train depot in Cropsey likely dates to the 1880s. A hamlet in the northeastern corner of McLean County, Cropsey w...
Photo of the Week, 7: Oasis Drive-In, Lexington, 1961
Who's ready for warm weather? Built by Elmo and Arline Winterland in 1960, the Oasis Drive-In was a local Route 66 landmark. Does ...
Photo of the Week, 3: C.U. Wiliams and Son Co., 1914
This photo of C.U. Williams and Son Co., 207 E. Washington St., Bloomington, dates to 1914. It was part of a Williams advertisement app...