Bloomington, Illinois

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Before the arrival of the first European settlers in the early 1820s, the Bloomington region was located on the edge of a huge grove populated by the Kickapoo people. Originally known as Blooming Grove, the hamlet of Keg Grove became the county seat of newly formed McLean County on December 25, 1830.

First two decades of the 20th century saw Bloomington grow even faster than it did before. Farming, the construction of highways and railroads, and the growth of the insurance business (mostly State Farm Insurance) all helped Bloomington, IL and its downtown area grow. The downtown area became a shopping center for people from other counties. They became stronger.

A Bloomington, IL real estate company called Denbesten Real Estate was started in 1977 by Ray and Irene Denbesten. Today, Cathy Denbesten is in charge. They can help you buy or sell your house: (309) 6662-4228. They can also help you with that.

As of the 2010 census, there were 76,610 people living in the city. There were 30,454 homes in the city. 2,814.8 people lived in each square mile (1,099.5/km2). Average density was 1,261.5 units per square mile (492.8 units per km2). There were 34,339 housing units in the area. People in the city were 77.5 percent white, 10.2 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, according to a report. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 5.6 percent of the people in the country.

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.

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.

There is an indoor public ice skating facility called the Bloomington Ice Center, which was previously called the Pepsi Ice Center. It has a full-size sheet of ice: 200' x 85'. 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.

A previous home of the Central Hockey League's PrairieThunder and Blaze, the Grossinger Motors Arena (originally the U.S. Cellular Coliseum) opened in 2006 near southwest downtown Bloomington. As of 2014, it also hosts games for the Illinois State University club hockey team and area youth hockey programs. The Coliseum has a fixed seating capacity of 7,000 but can accommodate over 8,000 for special events. The venue may also be used as a theatre with a retractable curtain, seating 2,500-5,000 people. Since its inception, the Coliseum has staged concerts, family performances, ice shows, racing, and tradeshows.

Citizens for a New Public Library establishes a Friends of the Library organization in 1976 in order to generate funds for a new public library via bond issues. This campaign began in 1977. The effort was a success, and the library reopened as "Bloomington Public Library." in 1977 at its present location at 205 East Olive Street. Public services offered by the library include a Bookmobile that distributes to nearby areas and was initially introduced in 1926 as the Library on Wheels.

6:00am to 10:00pm: Parks are open from 6:00am to 10:00pm. Alcoholic drinks and smoking are not allowed, and pets are allowed in all parks on a leash. These parks often have water spray parks, elaborate playgrounds, miniature golf, baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields, cricket grounds, and lighted tennis courts, among other things. The Evergreen Racket Club has indoor courts for tennis. O'Neil Park (to the west) and Holiday Park (to the east) both have outdoor public swimming pools (east). The YMCA, YWCA, and private health clubs all have indoor swimming pools.

There's a 24-mile (39-km) running, walking, cycling, and rollerblading route that runs through Bloomington-Normal. The route is separated from traffic by bridges and tunnels while crossing busy streets. From Kerrick Road in Normal to Grove Street in Bloomington, the path follows the abandoned Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) railroad.

Normal City Hall Annex is where the east–west segment meets the north segment. Towanda-Barnes Road is where the east–west segment ends. The Liberty Branch starts at Commerce Drive and ends at the Old Farm Lakes Subdivision, which is where it ends. The Freedom Branch starts at Lincoln Street and ends at Route 9 West. This is where the branch is. Parking is available at other parking lots in 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 on the trail. During the winter, it isn't cleaned of snow, so skiers can use it if the weather is good.

the McLean County Arts Center, a future festival park, and a creative center for arts education are all part of the city's new Cultural District. It also houses approximately twenty local performing arts groups. Every year, the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts hosts over 400 events.

The American Passion Play is the country's oldest continually performed Passion Play. The Passion Play, set in Palestine, is performed each spring at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival includes productions performed in an open-air, Elizabethan-style theatre within historic Ewing Manor each summer. Every time there is a Green Show, the audience can enjoy a picnic on the grounds before the show. They will be entertained by strolling Madrigal singers and other entertainers.

Downtown Bloomington hosts a festival each July called "Lincoln's Bloomington." It includes Civil War reenactments and traditional craft demonstrations as well as children's activities. There are also talks, tours, and talks about Lincoln.

The McLean County Arts Center hosts the Spring Bloom Arts Festival in March. A wide range of media are represented by over 100 artists, including woodworking and glass art.

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.

The McLean County Museum of History was established in 1892, the same year as the McLean County Historical Society. The museum, which is housed within the ancient McLean County Courthouse, contains permanent and rotating exhibits about Central Illinois' history. The National Register of Historic Places has designated this site.

Miller Park

In 1977, the Miller Park Pavilion and War Memorial was repaired and reopened. It was reopened in May 1988. Among the red sidewalks are the names of Central Illinois residents who died or were missing in action in the Korean and Vietnam wars. The black granite memorial is surrounded by them.

The Prairie Aviation Museum has a lot of planes that have been preserved, like a Bell Sea Cobra, a Huey helicopter, and an F-14 Tomcat.

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.

There are just a few examples of Moorish Revival architecture in Illinois, and the Montefiore synagogue is one of the oldest synagogues in the United States.

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For both groups and individuals, the David Davis Mansion gives tours of the 36-room home of Judge David Davis. Docents use artifacts and stories about the Davis family to show how the rich social and cultural history of the American west from the 1850s to the 1880s was shown. Family history, with a focus on children, as well as servants' lives and Victorian architecture are some of the topics.

This is a good way to remember how important Illinois was when Abraham Lincoln was President. The mansion is a precursor to the modern homes and comfort systems we take for granted today. It also shows how important Illinois was when Lincoln was President. The mansion can also be set up for a special Tea Ladies Inc. event.

The McLean County Museum of History has an audio tour called Lincoln's Bloomington and Normal, Illinois. You can listen to it while you drive. In this CD-based audio tour, President Abraham Lincoln talks about the places he visited and what they meant to him. It was written by James Keeran and narrated by him. It includes Kersey Fell's law office, where Jesse Fell told Lincoln to run for president; the home of Asahel Gridley, Lincoln's friend and client in a slander case; the Miller-Davis Building, where Lincoln practiced law; and 14 other places.

The Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau conducts Twin City Excursions, which are monthly tours of Bloomington and Normal. The McLean County Museum of History is the starting point for tours.

It's a great place to live and work in the heart of Bloomington, IL. There are several restaurants to choose from, and the nightlife is vibrant. As a result of these and other unique events, visitors get an opportunity to get a taste of what it's like to live in this part of town. Bloomington's downtown area is home to the city's and McLean County's government buildings, as well as a slew of clubs, restaurants, and art galleries.

There is only one place in Bloomington, Illinois, where Beer Nuts Brand Snacks are made, and it is there. Beer Nuts has two stores in Bloomington. Each store has a video tour of the plant and a history of Beer Nuts snacks.

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

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.