Bloomington, Illinois

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Bloomington, the county seat of McLean County, Illinois, was founded in 1830. About midway between Chicago and St. Louis, Missouri, it is located next to Normal (north). Originally known as Keg Grove, the property was renamed Blooming Grove due to the abundance of wildflowers in the region when it was inhabited in 1822. Bloomington was renamed in 1831 when the town was built out and established. A plaque marks the location where Abraham Lincoln gave his "lost speech" against slavery at a Republican Party conference in Illinois in 1856. Farming (especially maize and soybeans), cattle husbandry, and the production of farm seeds are the city's primary sources of income, although insurance and the manufacturing of confectionery and vacuum cleaners are also significant.

Before the first Euro-American settlers came in the early 1820s, the Bloomington region was at the edge of a huge grove populated by the Kickapoo people. Bloomington was established on December 25, 1830, from the town of Keg Grove, afterwards known as Blooming Grove.

The old city hall and the police station were still there, but there was a fire in a laundry across the street in 1900. There was a fire and he called the fire department. Most of the downtown was destroyed by the fire, especially to the north and east of the courthouse, where the fire started. George Miller and Paul O. Moratz, two architects who live in the area, quickly rebuilt the area that was burned.

First two decades of the 20th century saw Bloomington grow even more than it already had. People in Bloomington and its downtown area grew because of agriculture, the building of highways and railroads, and the growth of the insurance business (especially State Farm Insurance). The downtown area became a place where people from other counties came to buy things. There were more labor unions and they became more powerful.

In 1977, Ray and Irene Denbesten established Denbesten Real Estate in Bloomington, Illinois. Their daughter, Cathy Denbesten, now runs the business. Call them right now at (309) 6662-4228 if you need assistance purchasing or selling a house.

The city had a population of 76,610 people and a total of 30,454 homes in the 2010 census. 2,814.8 people per square mile (1,099.5/km2) was the population density. At an average density of 1,261.5 units per square mile (492.8/km2), there were 34,339 dwelling units. There were 77.5 percent White residents, 10.1% African Americans, 0.3 percent Native Americans, 7.0% Asian, 1.42 percent other races, and 2.9% people who identified as two or more races in the city as a whole. 5.6 percent of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 34,339 homes in 2010, with 28.8% having children under the age of 18, 46.7 percent being married couples, 9.1 percent having a female householder without a husband, and 41.1 percent being non-families. Individuals made up 32.6 percent of all households, with 9.2 percent having someone 65 or older living alone. The average family size was 3.12 members, with a household size of 2.41 members.

The population of the city was diverse, with 27.3 percent under the age of 20, 9.0 percent between the ages of 18 and 24, 29.8 percent between the ages of 25 and 45, 23.8 percent between the ages of 45 and 64, and 10.2 percent above 65. The average age of the participants was 33. Males outnumbered females 95.4 to 100.

Family income was $81,166 and family income was $58,662 in the city's median household income. Males earned $56,597 on average, compared to $39,190 for females. The city's average annual income was $32,672. An estimated 5.7% of households and 11.0% of the population lived in poverty, with 12.6% of those under the age of 18 and 6.3% of those 65 and over being among those at risk.

The Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department operates the 200' by 85' full-size ice sheet at the Bloomington Ice Center (formerly the Pepsi Ice Center). There are skating classes, public skating sessions, a hockey program, learn-to-curl programs, and a concessions stand at the facility.

The first Bloomington Public Library was built in 1857 by the Ladies' Library Association, which was formed in 1856. The Ladies' Library Association built the first library. The small library mostly got money from book donations and membership fees. In 1871, the library moved to 105 W. North Street (which is now West Monroe Street.) People in the area raised $1,100 to keep the library open after it was closed in 1880 because of a lack of money. In 1888, the library moved into a new two-story building at the corner of East and Washington streets. The land was given to the library by Mrs. Sarah B. Withers, and the library moved into the building. It was renamed "Withers Library." because of the money that was given.

1976: People who want to build a new public library start a group called "Followers of the Library." They want voters to let bonds be sold that will raise money for the library. The campaign worked, and the library reopened in 1977 at 205 East Olive Street as "Bloomington Public Library." Public programs are still available at the library. One of them is a Bookmobile, which was first called "Library on Wheels" in 1926. It delivers books to people in their own neighborhood.

Tobacco use and alcohol use are forbidden in all parks. Pets on leashes are permitted in all parks. Water spray parks, complex playgrounds, miniature golf, baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields, cricket grounds, and illuminated tennis courts are common features. Indoor tennis courts are available at Evergreen Racket. Park (west) and Holiday Park (east) include public swimming pools (east). Indoor pools are available in YMCAs and private fitness clubs.

The Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail is a 24-mile (39 km) jogging, walking, cycling, and rollerblading trail that operates on dedicated right-of-way through much of the city. Bridges and tunnels are used to separate the trail from traffic when crossing the busiest streets. The trail runs from Kerrick Road in Normal to Grove Street in Bloomington. It follows the abandoned Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) railroad from Kerrick Road in Normal to Grove Street in Bloomington.

The Ewing Cultural Center's Genevieve Green Gardens were inaugurated in 2007 as part of Illinois State University's 150th anniversary celebration. The gardens were designed by a number of architects and landscape designers, including the late Bruce V. Green, an ardent gardener who generously donated $5.2 million to get the project off the ground. An expanded pathway and more flora have been included in the grounds, which feature a formal plaza that leads guests to the manor's main entrance, grass terrace, and theater walk.

Illinois Wesleyan University and a campus of Heartland Community College, which opened in 1990, are both in Bloomington. Illinois State University, which opened in Normal in 1857, is in Normal, also. The American Passion Play is staged every spring. The home of David Davis, a member of the Supreme Court, was built in 1872 and is a state historic site. Bloomington has museums about history and aviation, a zoo, and a Shakespeare festival in the summer. People who were vice presidents of the United States, Adlai E. Stevenson, and his grandson, Adlai E. Stevenson II, are both buried in Evergreen Cemetery. They both worked for the Democratic Party. You can go to a museum of gems and minerals in Shirley, which is southwest of the city. In 1839, there was a fire. 64,808 people lived there in 2000. The Bloomington-Normal Metro Area had 150,433 people living there.

Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts hosts the Illinois Symphony Orchestra's five Masterworks, two Pops, and three Chamber Orchestra performances each year.

The McLean County Arts Center is one of the oldest arts groups in the Midwest. It has been serving Central Illinois for more than 130 years now. Holiday Treasurers is one of 12 art shows that happen each year. The annual Amateur Competition has been showcasing amateur artists in Central Illinois for more than 70 years, highlighting the best amateur artists in the area. There are also a lot of community events that the Arts Center helps with, like the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in Uptown Normal and the Spring Bloom Arts Festival in Bloomington.

Located in McPherson Hall's Jerome Mirza Theatre, the Illinois Wesleyan University School of Theatre Arts showcases its students and faculty. From a playbill ranging from Shakespeare to musicals, four main stage plays are staged here each year. Theater, scene shop, classrooms and other facilities may be found in McPherson Hall, which was constructed in 1963 and named after IWU's 10th president, Harry W. McPherson.

Every year, the Miller Park Outdoor Summer Theatre, a Bloomington-based amateur theatre company, puts on two major theatrical shows.

The American Passion Play is now in its 92nd season. It is the oldest Passion Play in the United States that has been going on for that long. Each spring, the Passion Play is put on at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. It's set in Palestine and shows the whole life of Christ, from his birth to his death.

Many noteworthy Bloomington-Normal residents, including members of the Stevenson family, are buried at the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, often known as the Evergreen Cemetery. There are two Adlai E. Stevensons buried there: Adlai E. Stevenson I, Grover Cleveland's vice president, and Adlai E. Stevenson II, governor of Illinois, UN ambassador, and twice Democratic presidential contender. Stevenson's wife, Letitia Green Stevenson, who served as the Daughters of the American Revolution's second National President-General, and her sister, Julia Green Scott, the Daughters of the American Revolution's seventh National President-General, are also buried there. David Davis, Abraham Lincoln's friend and mentor; Charles Radbourn, probably 19th-century baseball's finest pitcher; and Dorothy Gage, the basis for the main heroine in the Wizard of Oz and the niece of author L. Frank Baum, are among the other important personalities buried there.

The David Davis Mansion provides an insight into the life of Abraham Lincoln's friend and mentor, David Davis, who served as a United States Supreme Court Justice and was a crucial figure in Lincoln's presidential campaign in 1860. The Davis Mansion, erected in 1872, is a paragon of mid-Victorian design and taste, combining Italianate and Second Empire architectural aspects. His Bloomington house, which was passed down through three generations of the Davis family, had all of the contemporary amenities of the time: a coal-burning furnace, gas lights, and indoor plumbing. The David Davis Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic landmark.

Bloomington, Illinois

Docents from the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts lead Behind the Curtain Tours. During the visits, you'll learn about the building's neo-classical interior architecture as well as its many additions and modifications.

The 36-room home of Judge David Davis may be toured by groups or individuals at the David Davis Mansion. It is through the tales of the Davis family that docents tell the rich social and cultural history of the American frontier from the 1850s through 1860. Family history (with a particular emphasis on children), servant life, domestic life and technology at the advent of the industrial revolution, and Victorian architecture are some of the specific subjects.

Museums, banks, a legal and governmental center, residential housing, a strong artist population, and a variety of specialized retail stores and related services may all be found in downtown Bloomington. Restaurants abound, and the nightlife is vibrant. Tour de Chocolat, Farmers' Market, Tour de Metro, Pub Crawl, and Once Upon a Holiday are just a few of the spectacular events that take place throughout the year. Downtown Bloomington is home to the City of Bloomington's and McLean County's government buildings, as well as significant companies such as State Farm Insurance, specialized shops, pubs, restaurants, and art galleries.

Bloomington, Illinois is the only town where Beer Nuts Brand Snacks are made. There are two Beer Nuts Company Stores in Bloomington, each offering a video tour of the Bloomington plant and history of Beer Nuts Brand Snacks.

the student/faculty ratio is 12 to 1 at Illinois Wesleyan University, founded in 1850. It used to be a United Methodist Church. The University is divided into three colleges: Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and Nursing. Illinois Wesleyan has added the Ames Library, the Center for Natural Science, and the Shirk Center for Athletics and Recreation in the last decade. Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology, Inc. offers classes in pivot point hair sculpture, long hair design, hair texture, hair color, people skills, and salon management.

Downtown Bloomington is home to City of Bloomington and McLean County government buildings, as well as a wide variety of unique shops, pubs, and restaurants.