"I am now free to make an engagement for the road; and if you think fit you may 'count me in,'" wrote Lincoln to Illinois Central Railroad attorney Mason Brayman in October 1853. In 1851, the Illinois Central Railroad charter had . . . — — Map (db m57561) HM
On North McLean Street at East Walnut Street, on the right when traveling north on North McLean Street.
The first woman elected to the Illinois Senate, Florence Fifer Bohrer served two terms from 1925 to 1933. She chaired the Senate committee to visit charitable institutions, led efforts to revamp Illinois' child welfare laws, and sponsored . . . — — Map (db m55616) HM
On East Washington Street at North East Street, on the right when traveling east on East Washington Street.
In the era before movies, television, and the internet, it was the circus that
entertained us. Traveling shows exposed circus goers throughout the U.S. and
the world to different cultures and countries, as well as acrobatic and aerial
feats. For . . . — — Map (db m253496) HM
On West Macarthur Avenue, on the right when traveling west.
Located on this site until 1969, the Booker T. Washington Home was a refuge for
orphaned African American children. Its roots go back to 1918 as the McLean
County Home for Colored Children. At that time, Bloomington-Normal chose to
segregate and . . . — — Map (db m253502) HM
Country Financial traces its origins to the Illinois Agricultural Association (IAA), organized in 1916 and commonly known today as the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB). As one of the nation's largest farm bureaus, IFB has advocated for farmers, . . . — — Map (db m293657) HM
On North McLean Street at East Walnut Street, on the right when traveling north on North McLean Street.
This was the home of Joseph W. Fifer, Republican Governor of Illinois, 1889-1893. Fifer was born in Virginia in 1840 and came to Illinois in 1857. During the Civil War he served in the 33rd Illinois Infantry Regiment. He graduated from Illinois . . . — — Map (db m55615) HM
On South University Street north of Dry Grove Street, on the right when traveling north.
Thanks to the foresight and generosity of Abraham Lincoln's McLean County friends, Jesse W. Fell, David Davis, and others, the Illinois State Board of Education located the first state-supported university near the junction of the Illinois . . . — — Map (db m183699) HM
"My line of defense is going to be that your tongue is no slanderer...that the people generally know you to be, impulsive and say things that you do not mean, and they do not consider what you say as slander," was Lincoln's defense of . . . — — Map (db m57379) HM
On North Main Street at East Jefferson Street, on the right when traveling north on North Main Street.
(front:)
Route 66, the Mother Road, is an American icon that symbolizes romance and freedom of the open road. Born in 1926, Route 66 was one of the first numbered U.S. highways, journeying 2,500 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Today, . . . — — Map (db m158214) HM
On West Monroe Street at Nortth Center Street on West Monroe Street.
"While I am writing speakers are addressing the people from the portico of the Pike House." Thus wrote the correspondent of the Chicago Democrat Press on the morning of May 29, 1856. The Anti-Nebraska Convention was scheduled to . . . — — Map (db m57556) HM
On North Main Street at Washington Street, on the right when traveling north on North Main Street.
“A rustic on his first visit to the circus” is how John W. Baddeley, an English immigrant farmer described Abraham Lincoln on his first visit to the McLean County Courthouse as a young attorney in the summer of 1837. Lincoln was wearing . . . — — Map (db m12362) HM
Near College Avenue, on the right when traveling east.
Here on the prairie stood Old Main, the first building erected by and for state supported higher education in Illinois. Dedicated to a hope, to an ideal, it was a place to attempt great things. Itself an act of faith, it justified that faith in its . . . — — Map (db m276450) HM
The first settlement in this area in 1822 was called Keg Grove. By the time a post office was established in 1829 the settlement was known as Blooming Grove. McLean County was organized the following year and Bloomington, which was laid out in . . . — — Map (db m157176) HM
On West Michigan Avenue just east of Havendale Drive, on the right when traveling west.
Miss Dorothea Dix in her "memorial to the Senate and House of the Representatives of Illinois" urged their serious consideration of the afflicted condition of an increasing class of insane sufferers, whose healthful exercise of their intellectual . . . — — Map (db m149907) HM
On Park Lake Drive south of Lake Street, on the right when traveling south.
In 1908, the park board established racially segregated beaches and bathing facilities at Miller Park. Whites had exclusive use of the lake's larger beach and cleaner waters, while the "colored" beach was located in the park's smaller lagoon - a . . . — — Map (db m156962) HM
On Kingsley Street (Business U.S. 51) at Hale Street, on the right when traveling south on Kingsley Street.
African American Civil War veteran Simon Malone built a home southeast of
this location in the late 1860s. Malone and his wife were early Black residents
of Normal, joining the Esque, Fields, Barton, and Underwood families. Others
would follow . . . — — Map (db m253445) HM
On Pine Street at North Walnut Street, on the right when traveling east on Pine Street.
(front:)
Route 66, the Mother Road, is an American icon that symbolizes romance and freedom of the open road. Born in 1926, Route 66 was one of the first numbered U.S. highways, journeying 2,500 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles. Today, . . . — — Map (db m316253) HM
John served as judge to the 8th Judicial Circuit in Illinois 1862-1870
Elected to the Illinois Supreme Court 1870-1888
One of the founders of the McLean County Historical Society in 1892
John considered Sarah his equal and life . . . — — Map (db m160306) HM
On South Main Street (Business U.S. 51) near East Olive Street, on the right when traveling north.
This is the site of the home of Judge Scott who was a member of the Illinois Supreme Court from 1870 to 1888, and a leading philanthropist of McLean County.
Judge Scott was also one of the founders and the first President of the McLean County . . . — — Map (db m156964) HM
On North 1st Avenue south of Hamilton Street, on the right when traveling south.
Matthew T. Scott made his fortune on the Grand Prairie in the 19th century by developing thousands of acres of farmland. He founded the town of Chenoa in 1855 as a center for his business activities. Although Scott bought and sold over 45,000 . . . — — Map (db m160064) HM
On Old U.S. 66 at Quinn Street, on the right when traveling north on U.S. 66.
Native American groups in the area included the Illini, Peoria, Sauk, and Kickapoo, along with several others. Due to historical erasure of these marginalized peoples, it is difficult to find detailed information about their involvement in this . . . — — Map (db m266944) HM
On North Main Street just south of W. Locust Street.
"I am in a little trouble here---I am trying to get a decree for our 'Billy the Barber' for the conveyance of certain town lots sold to him by Allin Gridley and Prickett...." Lincoln explained that "Billy will blame me, if I do not . . . — — Map (db m57558) HM
Near College Avenue east of Adelaide Street, on the right when traveling west.
This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the seven staff and friends of Illinois State University who perished in an airplane crash on April 7, 2015. The accident occurred while on approach to land at the Central Illinois Regional Airport near . . . — — Map (db m276503) HM
On East Grove Street west of South Clayton Street, on the right when traveling west.
612 E. Grove St.
Sain & Gertrude
Welty House
Built c. 1888
Queen Anne Architecture
Only 8% of Queen Anne houses are brick and the
3 story square tower is uncommon.
Judge Welty was City Attorney from 1885 to 18(obscured) . . . — — Map (db m183747) HM
Thin black lines indicate changes in relevance. Between each pair of lines entries are ordered geographically but all have the same relevance.
* Inflectional forms of words are their plurals, singulars, and possessives as well as gramatical tenses and similar variations.
