On the Square Blog
November 4th, 2016
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 “Beltline” is now Veterans Parkway. Also seen here are the Illinois Agricultural Association (IAA) headquarters (“A”), which would be dedicated on September 7, 1961; Pem...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
November 2nd, 2016
General Telephone Building Empire Street / Route 9, August 1958
This summer 1958 aerial view, looking north-northwest, shows the under-construction General Telephone Building (“F”), once located on the 1300 block of E. Empire St. / Route 9. This three-story building (last occupied by Verizon) was torn down in 2011. “A” is Ewing Manor; “B” Towanda Ave.; “C” t...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
November 1st, 2016
Hawkins Studio & Camera Shop 100 N. Center St., Bloomington, undated
In the summer of 1965, Joseph G. Hawkins Studio & Camera Shop of Bloomington relocated from 214 W. Washington St. to this building, 110 N. Center St. Hawkins began his photography career in Bloomington back in 1913. He passed away in November 1976, and this studio and shop closed one year lat...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 31st, 2016
Happy Halloween!
The Museum Board, staff, and volunteers wish you a safe, spooky, and happy Halloween. May we all pay heed to the advice on this card:O let us cast dull care away Again be children for a day....
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 29th, 2016
Jack Cruser ‘Ugliest’ Costume Winner, 1968
On Oct. 31, 1968, the Normal Parks and Recreation Department and the Optimist and Rotary clubs sponsored a Halloween costume parade at ISU’s Horton Field House. Seen here is Jack Cruser of Normal, who won the grand prize after taking first place in the “ugliest costume” category for those in the ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 28th, 2016
World War II Home Front Gas Rationing, July 1943
Ted Colteaux hands over his gasoline ration book to Lee Harris of Harris Super Service Station, 807 S. Main St., Bloomington. During the summer of 1943, the federal government’s Office of Price Administration cracked down on abuses in the gasoline rationing program occurring in McLean County and ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 27th, 2016
Halloween Party Mystery
The exact date of this photo, let alone the name of the group are unknown. It is c.1918 and the room is in the Illinois House lobby, a building on the NW corner of Jefferson and Center St. The fact that this is a Halloween party, though, is obvious, given that the party hats are decorated with pu...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 26th, 2016
Bird House Contest, 1930s Anchor Grade School
This wonderful photograph comes from the Museum’s William Brigham Collection. Brigham was the longtime superintendent of McLean County Schools, and this photo appears in his 1951 history of county schools.Unfortunately, no one is identified here, though we do know Lucy Spires (not shown) was the ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 25th, 2016
Hougham’s Halloween Party? Village of McLean, ca. 1890
Not much is known about this photo other than the handwritten caption indicating it was taken at Albert and Betty (or Bettie) Hougham’s home in McLean, about 1890, and might show a Halloween party. It’s believed Elon and Eva Crane, Leota and Sue Hougham, Carrie Wheelock, and Lou Yancy are shown h...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 24th, 2016
Corn map of McLean County December 1909
The Farmers’ and Teachers’ Institute was held in mid-December 1909 at the “Normal University,” as ISU was most often called back then. A highlight of the corn exhibit room was a county map made of corn by nine boys from Price School, located southeast of Bloomington.“The townships, towns and rail...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 23rd, 2016
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 Jefferson streets. This building was torn down in late 1959. Today, the downtown PNC Bank occupies this site. The Unitarian Church of Bloomington is now located ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 21st, 2016
Bloomington Boys Visit Wrigley Field September 13, 1947
Back on September 14 we showed another photo from this day when four Bloomington Junior Legion ballplayers were treated to a Chicago Cubs-Philadelphia Phillies game at Wrigley Field. Seen here is local boy Bob Lemme with Cubs right fielder Bill “Swish” Nicholson, one of his favorite players. Nich...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 20th, 2016
Aaron Copland at IWU February 1958
Composer Aaron Copland was the featured guest for Illinois Wesleyan University's Seventh Annual Symposium of Contemporary American Music, held in mid-February 1958. kemCopland, one of the greatest American artists (music other other-wise) of the 20th century, is seen here listening to R. Dwi...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 19th, 2016
Tilden-Hall’s Sad Demise February-March 1962
Yesterday we showed the Tilden-Hall Hotel in its 1930s glory. The six-story hotel, located at the corner of Madison and Washington streets, was torn down by Peoples Bank (now Commerce) for a surface parking lot in 1962. Seen here is the removal of the neon sign in mid-February 1962 and the razing...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 18th, 2016
Tilden-Hall Hotel Downtown Bloomington, 1933
Located at the corner of Madison and Washington streets, the six-story Tilden Hall is seen here in September 1933. The hotel was built around 1900 and was first known as the Arnold (and then the Hills and then the Arlington).People Bank (now Commerce) purchased the hotel and tore it down in March...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 16th, 2016
Nation’s Best Corn Huskers November 1939
Into the 1940s, corn was picked not by machine but by hand. Local, state, and national corn husking contests were all the rage in the 1930s. Seen here (left to right) are Ecus Vaughn of Piatt County, Illinois; Leland Klein of Metamora, Illinois; and Lawrence Pitzer of Attica, Indiana in early Nov...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 15th, 2016
Illinois Terminal Railroad September 1950. Pt. 2
Pantagraph reporter Wilma Tolley traveled on the Bloomington-to-Peoria Illinois Terminal light rail “interurban” sometime in September 1950, taking photographs along the way. Seen here is motorman John W. Bryan (right) talking to fellow motorman Clarence Purdue, who’s partially visible in the cab...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 13th, 2016
Susan Emrath Computer Pioneer, 1968
In early November 1968, The Pantagraph profiled Susan Emrath, a recent Illinois State University graduate working as a systems engineer for IBM. Emrath, 22 years old at the time, was the youngest in IBM’s eight-member account/marketing team providing technical support to State Farm Insurance.Emra...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 12th, 2016
Illinois Terminal Railroad September 1950
Pantagraph reporter Wilma Tolley traveled on the Bloomington-to-Peoria Illinois Terminal Railroad “interurban” sometime in September 1950, taking photographs along the way. Seen here is a weary, unnamed worker heading to Danvers. The Illinois Terminal was a light rail network of electric-powered ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 11th, 2016
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-style National Bank of Bloomington (purple arrow). It was torn down in 1961.The green arrow points to the old YMCA building across East Street. The red arrow indic...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 11th, 2016
Questers help restore priceless 1873 ‘bird’s eye’ view of Bloomington
International Questers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the study, conservation, and preservation of historical objects, donated $1,500 to the McLean County Museum of History for the restoration of a priceless 1873 "bird's eye" view of Bloomington. Half the donation came from...
5 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 10th, 2016
Winning Pumpkins Normal Parks & Rec, 1963
Gordon Jaeger, Town of Normal parks and recreation director, is shown here in late October 1963 posing with the eight winners in Normal’s pumpkin carving contest....
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 8th, 2016
Beich Bowlers, 1942
Not much is known about this photograph, including the reference to “Merry-Go-Round.” We do know that at least four of the five women shown here were working at Paul F. Beich Co., the local candy maker, at the time. Left to right: Marguerite Cotner, Gladys Creemens, Eileen Cochran, Grace Pisell. ...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 7th, 2016
Bloomington Letter Carriers Circa early 1930s
These spiffy letter carriers pose in front of the pre-1932 downtown Bloomington post office, which was located at the northwest corner of East and Jefferson streets. Many old timers will remember the successor post office, which opened in 1932 on the 400 block of N. East St., and is today part of...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 5th, 2016
Windsor Hotel Downtown Bloomington, undated
Located at northwest corner of Center and Jefferson streets on the Courthouse Square, this Italianate-style hotel was Bloomington’s finest for many years. Originally known as the Ashley House, it opened sometime around 1860. In the latter half of the 1880s it became the Windsor Hotel. It was lost...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 4th, 2016
Normal’s Streetcar ‘Subway’ Ca. 1912
This viaduct (or “subway,” as they were once called) was built to enable Bloomington & Normal Railway Co. streetcars to safely cross the Chicago & Alton Railroad mainline in Normal. Opened in October 1904, this viaduct connects West Beaufort and West Vernon streets.Although streetcars las...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 3rd, 2016
Addison Pancake ‘Deaf Mute’ Photographer, ca. 1869
In 1860, hearing impaired photographer Addison Pancake (1844-1900) operated a studio at 108 W. Front St. in downtown Bloomington. He was a graduate of what’s today known as the Illinois School for the Deaf. Pancake billed himself as a “deaf mute photographer.”He later moved to Missouri and marrie...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
October 2nd, 2016
Mennonite Church of Normal 908 S. University St.
Mennonites have a long and rich history in this area, both in the countryside and in the Twin Cities. Seen here is the old Mennonite Church of Normal when it was located on South University Street. In January 1981, the church relocated to its present location, 805 S. Cottage Ave.This photo is und...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
September 30th, 2016
Cooksville Ball Club 1908
Back in the early 20th century baseball was not only the National Pastime but the National Obsession. At this time even tiny communities such as Cooksville, located northeast of the Twin Cities and home to 330 residents, fielded competitive teams—though it’s possible this club included a “ringer”...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp
September 27th, 2016
Lone Star School Dawson Township, undated
Lone Star School teacher Florence Lauritson (in white, standing) is seen here with her students. Located north of Ellsworth, Lone Star was one of eight one-room schools in Dawson Township, which is east of Bloomington. The interesting name speaks to the fact the schoolhouse, painted white, was ea...
1 mins read by Bill Kemp