Bloomington, Illinois

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Bloomington, Illinois, 1830, U.S. In between Chicago and St. Louis, it is near Normal (north). The location was first called Keg Grove and then Blooming Grove due to the abundance of wildflowers in the region. Bloomington was platted in 1831. The legendary “lost speech” against slavery was given in 1856 at Major's Hall in Bloomington at a Republican Party conference. Due to its location, the city's economy is heavily reliant on agriculture (mostly maize and soybeans), cattle and farm seed production. Insurance, confectionery and vacuum cleaner manufacturing are other key industries in the city.

A county seat was created when McLean County was formed. It was suggested that Bloomington "would be located later." yet, in the law it was. It was announced that James Allin, one of the proponents of the new county, had volunteered to give his property to the new town. As a result of the acceptance of his proposition, the layout of Bloomington was completed. On the 4th of July in 1831, its lots were auctioned off in front of a large crowd to much fanfare. Rich soils lured more farmers to the newly constituted county at this time, bringing commerce to the newly formed county.

People from all over came to the town's center, which is now called Downtown Bloomington, to trade and do business. Abraham Lincoln, who was working as a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, was one of the people who came to the town center. A well-known Bloomington resident, Jesse W. Fell, came up with the idea for Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1854 and played a big part in getting Lincoln to run for President.

Ray and Irene Denbesten founded Denbesten Real Estate in 1977. Cathy Denbesten, their daughter, now runs it. Call them at (309) 6662-4228 for assistance purchasing or selling a house.

Illinois' fastest growing metropolis is Bloomington-McLean County. Between 1990 and 2006, the area's population increased 28%. According to a special census performed in Bloomington in February 2006, the city's population increased by 15.7% to 74,975.

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.

A family's median income in the city was $81,166, while a household's median income was $58,662. Males earned $56,597 on average, while females earned $39,190. The city has a per capita income of $32,672 dollars. Around 5.7 percent of households and 11.0 percent of the population were poor, with 12.6 percent under the age of 18 and 6.3 percent of those 65 and over falling into this category.

The Bloomington Ice Center (formerly known as the Pepsi Ice Center) is an indoor public ice skating facility that is run by the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department. It has a full-size sheet of ice that is 200' x 85' and can be used by anyone. The facility has ice skating lessons, public skating sessions, a full hockey program, learn to curl and curling leagues, skate rental, and a concession stand where you can buy food and drink. You can also rent skates.

The Ladies' Library Association, which had been founded in 1856, inaugurated the Bloomington Public Library in 1857. Book contributions and membership fees were the mainstays of the little library. 105 West North Street was the library's new address in 1871. (which is now West Monroe Street.) The library reopened when local citizens contributed $1,100 to sustain it after it was closed owing to a lack of money in 1880. The library relocated to a new two-story structure on property provided by Mrs. Sarah B. Withers at the junction of East and Washington streets in 1888. The library's name was changed to "Withers Library." in recognition of the contribution.

In 1976, Citizens for a New Public Library starts a group called "Friends of the Library." They want to get voters to let the city build a new public library by getting them to pass bonds that will raise money. It was a success, and the library reopened in 1977 at 205 East Olive Street as "Bloomington Public Library." Public programs are still available at the library, including a Bookmobile, which was first called "Library on Wheels" in 1926. The Bookmobile delivers books to people in their own neighborhoods.

It has four parts: Parks, Recreation, Golf, and the Miller Park Zoo. 44 parks and three golf courses make up the Department's 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) of land. They include: Airport Park, Atwood Wayside, Angler's Lake Nature Preserve, Bittner Park and Brookridge Park. They also include: Ewing Park 1, Ewing Park 2, EwingPark 3 and Fell AvenuePark. The Department also runs Lincoln Leisure Center and the Lincoln Recreation Center.

There are several exhibits at Miller Park Zoo, as well as chances for visitors to interact with zookeepers. Among the animals you'll see in the San Diego Zoo are a Sumatran tiger, an otter, a Galapagos tortoise, an Amur leopard, a sun bear, reindeer, a sea lion, and red pandas. ZooLab, Children's Zoo, Asia's Animals, and The Katthoefer Animal Building are just a few of the numerous attractions available to visitors. Tropical America Rainforest is the Zoo's newest exhibit.

On a designated right of way, the Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail is a 24-mile-long (39-kilometer-long) route for joggers, walkers, cyclists, and rollerbladers. When crossing the main streets, bridges and tunnels are utilized to protect the route from traffic. From Kerrick Road in Normal to Grove Street in Bloomington, the north–south stretch of the path follows the abandoned ICG railroad.

East–west intersects north at Normal City Hall Annex and continues east to Towanda-Barnes Road. Beginning at Commerce Drive and ending at the Old Farm Lakes Subdivision, the Liberty Branch is Lincoln Street serves as the starting point of the Freedom Branch, which finishes at Route 9 West. There are many adjacent parking lots in the vicinity where you may park. Wheelchair and other non-motorized users are welcome on the path. The trail is available to walkers, runners and other non-motorized users. Skiers may use it if the snow isn't too deep and the weather cooperates throughout the winter months.

For the 150th anniversary of Illinois State University, the Ewing Cultural Center dedicated the Genevieve Green Gardens in 2007. 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.

The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts is the focal point of the city's new Cultural District, which also contains the McLean County of Arts Center, a festival park in the works, and a center for innovation in the arts. Over twenty local performing arts groups call the facility home. The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts hosts over 400 performances and community activities each year.

On Robinhood Lane off Towanda Avenue, the Community Players Theater is one of the oldest community theaters that is completely run by volunteers. When the theater first opened in 1923, it was the 88th time it had been open.

The Illinois Wesleyan University School of Theatre Arts houses its talent within the Jerome Mirza Theatre at McPherson Hall. Four main stage plays are shown here each year, chosen from a playbill that includes everything from Shakespeare to musicals. McPherson Hall, which was finished in 1963, is named after IWU's 10th President, Harry W. McPherson. It has a 300-seat theater, a scene shop, classrooms, and other things.

Each year, the Westbrook Auditorium at Illinois Wesleyan University hosts roughly 200 music majors and several hundred IWU students. Each semester, a variety of musical performances from various time periods are presented, with the majority of events being free and open to the public.

In 2011, the USA Ballet celebrated its 21st year as an international ballet company. Three times a year, USA Ballet performs at Illinois Wesleyan University's McPherson Theatre, providing children's classes and outreach activities.

Into its 92nd season, American Passion Play is America's longest running Passion Play. The Passion Play, set in Palestine, is presented each spring at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts in Bloomington, Indiana.

For more information, visit the Lincoln's Bloomington Festival website.

Located in Bloomington, the McLean County Fair is billed as the "Home of the World's Largest County 4-H Fair" Animal shows, a film festival, and exhibits on food, nutrition, and health are just a few of the 4-H offerings. Evening Grandstand Entertainment includes tractor pulls and music.

Ewing Manor was built by Bloomington architect Phil Hooten in the Channel-Norman style that was popular with the rich in the post-Victorian era. The surrounding gardens were created by noted landscape architect Jens Jensen, who also designed Springfield's Lincoln Memorial Gardens. The theatre on the grounds play host to the Illinois Shakespeare Festival each summer.

There is a pavilion in Miller Park

A refurbished Miller Park Pavilion & War Memorial was dedicated in May 1988. Surrounding the black granite monument are red pathways with names of Central Illinoisans killed or missing in action in Korea and Vietnam.

The Prairie Aviation Museum has a lot of planes that have been kept in good condition. They include a Bell Sea Cobra, a Huey helicopter, and an F-14 Tomcat.

Bloomington, IL

Behind the Curtain Tours are conducted by a group of fully qualified docents at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. The tours highlight the building's neo-Classical interior style and detail all of the modifications and improvements.

It's called Twin City Tours by the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. They have monthly tours of Bloomington and Normal called Twin City Tours. McLean County Museum of History is the place where the tours start.

Bloomington's major retail mall, Eastland Mall, is located in the city center. Eastland Mall offers a range of retailers, as well as a number of recreational activities, including Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Applebee's, Buckle, Finish Line, Limited, Old Navy, Rogers & Hollands, Talbot's, and more. However, the mall has been in decline in recent years, following the national trend of declining commercial malls.

Downtown Bloomington offers museums, banks, a legal and governmental center, residential living, a large artists' community, plus an assortment of specialty retail businesses and supportive services. There is an abundance of restaurants and a lively night scene. A number of special events such as Tour de Chocolat, Farmers' Market, Tour de Metro, Pub Crawl, and Once Upon a Holiday, offer a chance to experience the district. Downtown Bloomington is home to government offices of the City of Bloomington, McLean County, and major employers including State Farm Insurance and several specialty stores, bars, restaurants and art galleries.

Beer Nuts Brand Snacks are created only in Bloomington, Illinois. In Bloomington, there are two Beer Nuts Company Stores, each of which offers a video tour of the Bloomington facility as well as information on the history of Beer Nuts Brand Snacks.

Two public school districts serve Bloomington. Bloomington Public Schools District 87 serves the city's interior, with one high school, Bloomington High School, one junior high school, Bloomington Junior High School, six elementary schools (Oakland, Washington, Bent, Irving, Sheridan, and Stevenson elementary schools), and one pre-school, Sarah Raymond Elementary School (named for the first female superintendent for Bloomington).

Growth has taken the city well into the boundaries of a second district, McLean County Unit District No. 5. Although Unit Five originally served only suburban areas, including Normal, the majority of its students now are from Bloomington itself. Unit Five operates two high schools (Normal Community High School and Normal Community West High School), four junior high schools, and numerous elementary schools. As of 2010, Unit Five was constructing its fourth junior high school which is called George Evans Junior High School more commonly known as EJHS. The construction was finished in 2011 Unit 5 was also making two new elementary schools in Bloomington, and is projecting the need for another high school.

These include Central Catholic High School, Corpus Christi School Elm./Jr. school, Epiphany ELMS & JR SCHOOL, Trinity Lutheran SCHOOL, and Cornerstone Christian Academy in Bloomington. Metcalf Elm./Jr. School and University High School, both situated on the campus of Illinois State University, are available to Bloomington students.

There are 2,100 students at Illinois Wesleyan University, which was established in 1850. The student/faculty ratio is 12 to 1. For a long time, it was a part of the Methodist Church. Of addition to the 17 academic departments in the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Fine Arts, which includes the professional Schools of Art, Music, and Theater Arts, and the School of Nursing, the University has three divisions. The five-story Ames Library, the Center for Natural Science, and the Shirk Center for Athletics and Recreation have all been added at Illinois Wesleyan in the last decade. Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology, Inc. provides programs in pivot point hair sculpting, long hair design, hair texture, hair color, people skills and salon management teaching. Illinois Wesleyan has had more than 100 players voted to the Academic All-American team since 1970.

The McLean County Museum of History, which is topped by a beautiful dome, helps people find the city's old parts. The courthouse square is surrounded by old buildings from the 1800s. Many of them have interesting histories. A visitor can find museums, banks, a legal and government center, residential living, a lot of artists, and a lot of special businesses and support services. There are a lot of restaurants and a lively nightlife in this city.

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.