Bloomington is a city in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the seat of McLean County, which was formed in 1830. You can find it right next to normal (to the north). It's in the middle of the way between Chicago and Missouri's St Louis. Keg Grove and Blooming Grove were two names given to the area because of its wildflowers. In 1822, it was settled and became known as Keg Grove. In 1831, the town was laid out and changed its name to Bloomington. At Major's Hall in Bloomington, Illinois, in 1856, Abraham Lincoln gave his famous "lost speech" on slavery at the start of a convention to form the Republican Party in the state. A plaque marks the spot. In this part of the country, there are a lot of corn and soybean fields. The city is also home to a lot of livestock, insurance, and the making of candy and vacuum cleaners.
The old city hall and the police station were still there, but there was a fire in a laundry across the street from them in 1900. There was a fire and he called the fire department. Most of the downtown was destroyed, especially the areas north and east of the courthouse. George Miller and Paul O. Moratz, two architects who live in the area, quickly rebuilt the area that had been burned down with their designs.
Bloomington grew steadily over the first two decades of the twentieth century. Agriculture, highway and railroad building, and the expansion of the insurance industry (primarily State Farm Insurance) all had an impact on Bloomington's growth and downtown area. The downtown area grew into a regional retail destination, drawing visitors from neighboring counties. The power of labor unions expanded.
A Bloomington, IL real estate company called Denbesten Real Estate was started in 1977 by Ray and Irene Denbesten. Today, Cathy Denbesten is running it. They can help you buy or sell your house: (309) 6662-4228. They can also help you find a home.
As mayor of New York City in 1997, Judy Markowitz became the city's first Jewish woman and first mayor to be female. As Mayor, Markowitz built an arena in downtown Bloomington and started to fix up the city's performing arts center during his two terms in the office. In 2002, Bloomington would also pass a law that protects gay rights. In 2021, Mboka Mwilambwe became the first black mayor of the city.
The city has a population of 76,610 people in 2010, with a total of 30,454 dwellings. There were 1,099.5 people per square kilometer, or 2,814.8 people per square mile. At a density of 1,261.5 per square mile (492.8/km2), there were 34,339 dwellings. In terms of race, 77.5 percent of the city was White, 10.1 percent African American, 0.3 percent Native American, 7.0 percent Asian, 1.42 percent from other races, and 2.9 percent from two or more races. 5.6 percent of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race, regardless of ethnicity.
Bloomington and McLean County make up Illinois' fastest-growing metro region. From 1990 to 2006, the population of the region increased by 28%. Bloomington has had the most rapid expansion, with a population of 74,975 in February 2006, up 15.7 percent in less than six years, according to a special census performed by the United States Census Bureau.
Families in the city made an average of $81,166, with a median family income of $58,662. The median income for men was $56,597, while the median income for women was $39,190. The city's average annual income was $32,672. 5.7 percent of households and 11.0 percent of the population were living below the poverty line, including 12.6 percent of those under the age of 18 and 6.3 percent of those over 65.
Bloomington Ice Center (Formerly Pepsi Ice Center) is an indoor public ice skating rink managed by the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department, with a full-size sheet of ice measuring 200' by 85'. Ice skating classes, public skating sessions, a full hockey program, learn to curl and curling leagues, skate rental, and a snack stand are all available at the facility.
Grossinger Motors Arena (previously the US Cellular Coliseum) in southwest Bloomington was completed in 2006 and is now home to the Bloomington Edge of the Indoor Football League, as well as past home to two Central Hockey League teams. The Central Illinois Flying Aces of the United States Hockey League, as well as Illinois State University's club hockey team and local youth hockey programs, have played there since 2014. The Coliseum has a permanent seating capacity of 7,000, but can accommodate up to 8,000 people for special events. The venue may also be transformed into a theater with a retractable curtain, allowing 2,500-5,000 people to see performances in a more intimate setting. Concerts, ice shows, racing, and trade exhibitions have all taken place at the Coliseum since its inauguration.
The Ladies' Library Association, which was founded in 1856, inaugurated Bloomington Public Library in 1857. Donations of books and membership fees were the major sources of funding for the little library. At 105 West North Street, the library was established in 1871. (which is now West Monroe Street.) In 1880, the library was forced to close owing to a lack of funding; however, the community rallied together and contributed $1,100 to bring it back online. New two-story library was built in 1888 on property provided by Mrs. Sarah B. Withers at the junction of East and Washington streets. The library was called the "Withers Library." in honor of the contribution.
Recreation, Golf, and the Miller Park Zoo are the four sections of the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department. Atwood Wayside, Alton Depot Park, Angler's Lake Nature Preserve, Atwood Park, Bittner Park, Brookridge Park, Buck-Mann Park, Clearwater Park, Eagle Crest Park, Emerson Park, Evergreen Park, Ewing Park 1, Ewing Park 2, and Ewing Park 3 are just a few of the parks and golf courses that the Department of Public Works maintains on its 1,100-acre (4,5 km2) estate.
Alcohol and smoking are forbidden in all parks, however dogs on a leash are permitted. You'll find lighting tennis courts and water spray parks in these parks. Less than a mile away, the Evergreen Racket Club O'Neil Park (west) and Holiday Park (east). Indoor pools are available in YMCAs and private 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.
Normal City Hall Annex is where the east–west segment meets the north segment. Towanda-Barnes Road is where the east–west segment goes east and ends. The Liberty Branch starts at Commerce Drive and ends at the Old Farm Lakes Subdivision, so it's called that. The Freedom Branch starts at Lincoln Street and ends at Route 9 West. This is where the branch ends. It's possible to park in nearby lots all over the area. Walkers and runners, as well as skateboarders and cyclists, are welcome on the trail. Wheelchair users, in-line skaters, skateboarders, and other non-motorized transportation are also welcome. During the winter, it isn't cleaned of snow, and skiers can use it, if the weather is good.
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.
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 creative center for arts education. Over two-dozen local performing arts groups call the facility home. The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts hosts over 400 performances and community activities annually.
To date, The McLean County Arts Center has served Central Illinois for more than 130 years. For almost 70 years, the annual Amateur Competition and Exhibition has been a showcase for the greatest amateur artists in Central Illinois, showcasing the best of the best each year. Sugar Creek Arts Festival in Uptown Normal and Spring Bloom Arts Festival in Bloomington are both sponsored by the Arts Center.
Westbrook Auditorium serves around 200 music majors and several hundred IWU students annually. Each semester, many musical performances of different styles are performed, usually with public seating.
Miller Park Outdoor Summer Theatre, a Bloomington, Indiana-based amateur theater company, puts on two major plays a year.
It provides a look into the life of Abraham Lincoln's friend and mentor, David Davis, who served as a Supreme Court Justice and was an important part in Lincoln's campaign for the 1860 nomination for president. With its blend of Italianate and Second Empire design elements, completed in 1872, the Davis Mansion serves as a shining example of mid-Victorian aesthetic sensibility. Coal-burning stoves, gas lights, and indoor plumbing are all found in his Bloomington house, which has been in the Davis family for three generations. The David Davis Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an important architectural and historical resource.
The former Montefiore Synagogue is one of Illinois' rare Moorish Revival structures and one of America's oldest synagogues.
The David Davis Mansion provides tours of the 36-room home of Judge David Davis to both groups and individuals. Docents explore the rich social and cultural history of America's western frontier from the 1850s through the 1880s using artifacts and tales about the Davis family. Servant life, domestic life, and technology at the beginning of the industrial era, family history (with a concentration on children), and Victorian architecture are just a few of the topics covered.
Twin City Excursions are monthly tours of Bloomington and Normal offered by the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The McLean County Museum of History serves as the starting point for tours.
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 solely produced in Bloomington, Illinois. In Bloomington, there are two Beer Nuts Company Stores, each with a video tour of the Bloomington facility and the history of the Beer Nuts Brand Snacks.
Bloomington is also home to several private schools, including Central Catholic High School, Corpus Christi Catholic School Elm./Jr. School, Epiphany Elm./Jr. School, St. Mary's Catholic School, Trinity Lutheran School, and Cornerstone Christian Academy. Bloomington students also may enroll at Metcalf Elm./Jr. School and University High School, laboratory schools located at Illinois State University.
In 1850, Illinois Wesleyan University opened its doors to 2,100 students with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1. It used to be linked with the Methodist Church. The University is divided into three colleges: Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, and School of Nursing. The Ames Library, the Center for Natural Science, and the Shirk Center for Athletics and Recreation have all been built in the last decade. Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology, Inc. provides lessons in pivot point hair sculpting, hair design, long hair design, hair texture, hair color, people skills, and salon administration.
City of Bloomington and McLean County offices are located downtown, as with a wide variety of specialized shops, pubs, restaurants, and galleries.