Bloomington, Illinois

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Before the first Euro-American settlers came in the early 1820s, the Bloomington region was a huge grove inhabited by the Kickapoo people. Bloomington was established as the county seat of McLean County on December 25, 1830, from the hamlet of Keg Grove, subsequently renamed Blooming Grove.

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

First two decades of the 20th century saw Bloomington grow even more than it did before. Farming, the construction of highways and railroads, and the growth of the insurance business (mostly State Farm Insurance) all played a role in the growth of Bloomington and its downtown area over time. The downtown area became a place where people from other counties came to shop. They got stronger.

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.

Judy Markowitz, the city's first female and Jewish mayor, took office in 1997. Downtown Bloomington got an arena and the performing arts facility started being restored during Markowitz's two tenure as Mayor. In 2002, Bloomington would also pass an LGBT rights law. As the city's first black mayor in 2021, Mboka Mwilambwe

In 2010, the city had 76,610 residents and 30,454 homes. The density was 2,814.8/sq mile (1,099.5/km2). 34,339 dwelling units at 1,261.5/sq mile (492.8/km2). The city's racial composition was 77.5 percent white, 10.1 percent black, 0.3 percent Native American, 7.0 percent Asian, 1.42 percent other, and 2.9 percent mixed. Latinos of any race made up 5.6% of the population.

In 2010, there were 34,339 households, 28.8% of which had children under the age of 18, 46.7 percent were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder without a husband present, and 41.1 percent were not-family households. Only 32.6% of all homes had people living alone. 9.2% had someone who was 65 or older living alone. The average size of a household was 2.41, and the average size of the average family was 3.12.

In the city, 27.3 percent were under the age of 20, 9.0 percent were 18-24, 29.8 percent were 25-44, 23.8 percent were 45-64, and 10.2 percent were 65 or over. 33 was the median age. 95.4 men for every 100 females.

The Grossinger Motors Arena (formerly the U.S. Cellular Coliseum) in southwest downtown Bloomington opened in 2006 and is home to the Bloomington Edge of the Indoor Football League. It was formerly the home of the Central Hockey League's PrairieThunder and Blaze. Since 2014, it has served as the home rink for the United States Hockey League's Central Illinois Flying Aces, as well as hosting games for Illinois State University's club hockey team and local youth hockey programs. The Coliseum has a set seating capacity of 7,000 people but can accommodate over 8,000 people for special events because to its 180,000 square feet (17,000 m2) of area. The venue may also be set up as a theatre with a retractable curtain, allowing concerts to be seated in a more intimate setting for 2,500-5,000 people. Concerts, family entertainment, ice performances, racing, and tradeshows have all taken place at the Coliseum since it first opened.

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. The campaign was successful and, in 1977, the library reopened in its current home at 205 East Olive Street as "Bloomington Public Library." Currently, the library has a number of public programs, including a Bookmobile, which was first called "Library on Wheels" in 1926. The Bookmobile delivers books to people in their own neighborhoods.

As part of Illinois State University's 150th anniversary celebration, the Genevieve Green Gardens were dedicated in 2007. The gardens were created with the help of several architects and landscape designers, notably the late Bruce V. Green, an ardent gardener who donated $5.2 million to the project. They feature a new public entrance leading to a formal plaza, the manor entrance, grass patio, theater walk with wider pathway and more vegetation.

Central Illinois' McLean County Cultural Center is one of the Midwest's oldest arts organizations, having been in existence for more than 130 years already. 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.

Volunteers run one of the oldest community theaters in town, the Community Players Theater on Robinhood Lane off Towanda Avenue. This year marked the theater's 88th season since opening.

A 1,000-seat theater called the Castle Theatre opened in 1916. It was built by the famous theater builders Balaban & Katz, who were the first to think of the classic movie theater. For a long time, the property was one of the best places to visit in the area. The Castle has just had a $1.5 million makeover. Today, the Castle has live music, corporate events, public events, and private events going on at the castle.

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

Currently in its 92nd season, American Passion Play is the United States' longest-running Passion Play. The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts hosts the annual Passion Play, which depicts the life of Jesus Christ from beginning to end.

Each summer, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival hosts shows at the historic Ewing Manor's open-air Elizabethan theatre. In addition to the Green Show, wandering Madrigal singers, jesters, and other performers amuse the crowd before each performance.

Each year in March, the McLean County Arts Center hosts the Spring Bloom Arts Festival. Over 100 artists exhibit a variety of mediums, including carpentry, glass art, sculpture, paintings, prints, photos, and handmade jewelry, at this indoor fine art festival.

Ewing Manor was created by Bloomington architect Phil Hooten in the post-Victorian Channel-Norman style. Jens Jensen, who developed Springfield's Lincoln Memorial Gardens, designed the surrounding gardens. Every summer, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival is held on the grounds.

This museum dates back to 1892, when the McLean County Historical Society was established. Museum of Central Illinois History, located in the old McLean County Courthouse. This site is on the National Register of Historic Sites.

There is a pavilion in Miller Park

Miller Park Pavilion & War Memorial, restored in 1977, dedicated in May 1988. Central Illinoisans who died or went missing in action in the Korean and Vietnam wars are commemorated on red sidewalks surrounding the black granite memorial

An F-14 Tomcat, Bell Sea Cobra, and Huey helicopter are all on exhibit at the Prairie Aviation Museum.

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.

Montefiore Synagogue was one of the oldest synagogues in the United States and one of the few in Illinois built in the Moorish Revival style

Bloomington, IL

Specially qualified docents provide Behind the Curtain Tours at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. The building's neo-Classical interior architecture is highlighted in the tours, which also describe the building's repairs and modifications.

Visit the 36-room estate of Judge David Davis with a group or alone. Docents use artifacts and family stories to interpret the rich social and cultural history of America's western frontier from the 1850s to the 1880s. These include Victorian architecture, family history (with a focus on children), and servant life, domestic life, and technology in the early industrial age.

And it reminds us of the importance of Illinois in American history during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. A Tea Ladies Inc. program at the mansion can be arranged as well.

The McLean County Museum of History offers an audio driving tour titled Lincoln's Bloomington and Normal, Illinois. The CD-based audio tour presents President Abraham Lincoln as a returning visitor, talking about the places he visited and their meaning. Written and performed by James Keeran, the audio tour includes: Kersey Fell's Law office, where Jesse Fell suggested Lincoln run for the presidency; the home of Asahel Gridley, Lincoln's friend and client in a slander suit; the Miller-Davis Building, where Lincoln practiced law; and 14 other sites.

In addition to the many museums and banks that can be found in the heart of Bloomington's downtown, the area also has a high concentration of artists' studios and galleries, as well as a variety of specialized shops and support services. There are a wide variety of eateries and a vibrant nightlife in the city. Tour de Chocolat, Farmer's Market, Tour de Metro, Pub Crawl and Once Upon a Holiday are just few of the unique events that provide visitors an opportunity to get to know the region. State Farm Insurance and other large companies may be found in downtown Bloomington, along with a variety of unique shops, pubs, and restaurants. The city and county governments of Bloomington and McLean County also have offices in the area.

Beer Nuts Brand Snacks are solely created in Bloomington, Illinois. A video tour of the Bloomington factory and history of Beer Nuts Brand Snacks are available at both Beer Nuts Company Stores.

There are two public school districts in Bloomington, and they serve the city. Bloomington Public Schools District 87 runs one high school, Bloomington High School, one junior high school, Bloomington Junior High School, six elementary schools, and a pre-school, Sarah Raymond Preschool (named for the first female superintendent for Bloomington).

Some of Bloomington's private schools are also there, like Central Catholic High School, Corpus Christi Catholic School, Epiphany Elm./Jr. School, St. Mary's Catholic School, St. Mary's Catholic School, Trinity Lutheran School, and Cornerstone Christian Academy Bloomington students can also go to Metcalf Elm./Jr. School and University High School, which are both lab schools 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.