McLean County Museum of History

McLean County Museum of History We're a nationally accredited museum located along Historic Route 66 dedicated to sharing the diverse stories of the people of Illinois' largest county.
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Stop by to discover something new! We're open 6 days a week and are always available via mchistory.org The McLean County Museum is an award-winning, local history museum and is nationally accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. This is the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" in the world of museums. Less than 3% of museums are accredited nationwide. The Museum is also home to the Cruisin'

with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center. The entrance to both facilities is on the ground floor on the Washington Street side of the Museum Square, near the Abraham Lincoln bench. The Museum is dedicated to telling the rich story of McLean county through programs that serve people of all ages. The Museum has won over a dozen state and nationally competitive awards for its exhibits, educational programs and publications since 1991. The Cruisin' with Lincoln on 66 Visitors Center includes information on local tourist attractions, local sites associated with Route 66 and Abraham Lincoln, and other visitor interests including events, restaurants and shopping. A large gift shop is located in the Visitors Center. McLean County Museum of History Social Media Community Guidelines

The McLean County Museum of History (MCMH) strives to create informative and engaging social media pages. We welcome engagement and constructive dialogue from all perspectives. The guidelines outlined below will help foster a courteous and dynamic environment for all community members. We cannot review or moderate all comments, but we reserve the right to delete or hide any content posted that does not adhere to our policy, and block or report users who share such content. The following will not be tolerated:

> Hate speech, harassment, bullying, profanity, threatening language, attacks on or intimidation of any party, including our online community members or MCMH staff
> Homophobic, transphobic, racist, or sexist speech
> Malicious speech regarding topics of religion, age, ethnic origin, immigration status, gender expression, or race
> Suggestion or encouragement of illegal activities
> Demeaning remarks about personal appearance or ability
> Spam, fraudulent links, repetitive posts
> Advertisements or commercial postings

We thank you for engaging in thoughtful, respectful dialogue on our social media channels.

William Darnbrough, 1887 William "Will" Darnbrough (1869–1958), “known to fame as the most daring gambler who ever flipp...
06/18/2026

William Darnbrough, 1887

William "Will" Darnbrough (1869–1958), “known to fame as the most daring gambler who ever flipped a chip and called Bloomington his home,” was a minor league ballplayer, saloonkeeper, and chop house proprietor who left for Europe and wider fame. If we are to believe the oft-repeated stories, in the early 1900s, Darnbrough “broke the bank” at Monte Carlo, the famed casino on the French Riviera. (Note that his surname was spelled "Darnbrough" during his Bloomington days, but it now most often appears as "Darnborough.")

Gala POSTPONED to TomorrowDue to severe weather in our region today, the 2026 History Makers Gala will now be held tomor...
06/17/2026

Gala POSTPONED to Tomorrow

Due to severe weather in our region today, the 2026 History Makers Gala will now be held tomorrow, Thursday, June 18, 2026.

Doors will open at 5:30 and the program will start at 6:15 p.m. in Illinois State University’s Brown Ballroom.

This decision was not made lightly. Museum staff are working to notify all attendees via email, phone calls, the local media, social media, and our website at mchistory.org.

The Museum, located at 200 N. Main St. in Bloomington, Illinois, will also close at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. We will reopen at 9 a.m. on Thursday, but close at 3 p.m. so our staff can attend the Gala.

Unfortunately, we are unable to issue refunds. If you or one of your guests are unable to attend, you may send someone else. They would simply look for your name or the guests' name at check-in. If someone else is attending, please email and let us know at development .org.

We appreciate your patience, understanding, and support.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at 309-827-0428 ext. 104 or email [email protected].

Irving School graduates,  1937 Graduating eighth graders from Irving School, a longtime anchor of Bloomington’s west sid...
06/17/2026

Irving School graduates, 1937

Graduating eighth graders from Irving School, a longtime anchor of Bloomington’s west side, pose for their class portrait. Eloise (Devore) Kerfoot (1922-1999) is third from right. Her son Kevin Lowery donated this photo and much more in a recent visit to the Museum.

Potter Club mystery photo, July 1908 This group portrait came to us as part of a larger donation of Bloomington-Normal a...
06/16/2026

Potter Club mystery photo, July 1908

This group portrait came to us as part of a larger donation of Bloomington-Normal and McLean County items. Although the photo is dated and there are names in the back, we haven’t uncovered any additional information on this serious bunch. We welcome any help when it comes to the mysterious Potter Club!

Pickett School Patrons Club, undated Ray Mohr of Danvers paid the Museum a visit two weeks ago to donate minute books an...
06/15/2026

Pickett School Patrons Club, undated

Ray Mohr of Danvers paid the Museum a visit two weeks ago to donate minute books and other materials from the Pickett School Patrons Club, dating from 1919 to 1989. Pickett School was a one-room school in Normal Township, located along what’s now Raab Rd. and the Heartland Community College campus. The Patrons Club was a social group associated with the school. The club, though, long outlived the school itself, which merged with the Unit 5 school system after World War II. This was a photo negative found alone in the collection with no identifications. We scanned it, and it appears to be a group of Patrons Club members at the west end of the Illinois State Capitol building in Springfield. Perhaps they were there on a field trip. If anyone can identify anyone, let us know!

Franciscans meet at St. Mary's, February 13, 1962 Back on Feb. 13, 1962, St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Bloomington’s wes...
06/14/2026

Franciscans meet at St. Mary's, February 13, 1962

Back on Feb. 13, 1962, St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Bloomington’s west side had its annual inspection day from the Franciscan Order. The Rev. Juvenal Pfalzer (right), pastor of St. Mary’s, was also treated to a reunion with his brother, the Rev. Miles Pfalzer (center), who was on leave after returning from missionary work in the Philippines. On the left is the Very Rev. Sylvan Becker, provincial superior of the Franciscan Province of Cincinnati.

In case you missed it, or you want to relive it!This collaboration fused art, history, and technology to create truly sp...
06/12/2026

In case you missed it, or you want to relive it!

This collaboration fused art, history, and technology to create truly spectacular tribute to the Mother Road. We couldn't be prouder to partner with Visit BN, Creative Technologies at Illinois State University, the City of Bloomington, and all of the other folks who worked hard over the last year to bring this to life. We love !

As part of the Route 66 Centennial celebration, the historic McLean...

Soprano Grace Wagner, 1910s Born and raised in Bloomington, Grace B. Wagner (1890-1964) enjoyed a successful career on t...
06/12/2026

Soprano Grace Wagner, 1910s

Born and raised in Bloomington, Grace B. Wagner (1890-1964) enjoyed a successful career on the operatic stage. She spent her adult years in New York City. These two photos are addressed to an unidentified Mrs. Jacoby.

Soccer featured at women's sports fest, Oct. 12, 1935 With the men's World Cup opening today with an afternoon match fea...
06/11/2026

Soccer featured at women's sports fest, Oct. 12, 1935

With the men's World Cup opening today with an afternoon match featuring co-host Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, we thought it a good time to feature several "football" photos from our Archives. Illinois State Normal University long promoted women’s athletics, often hosting invitationals such as this one in the fall of 1935. Field hockey and archery were also on the bill. Schools participating included Illinois College, McKendree, North Central, and the University of Illinois.

Normal schoolchidren, 1919 Museum friend Rodney Scott stopped by last month to donate some Arrowsmith and Weedman family...
06/08/2026

Normal schoolchidren, 1919

Museum friend Rodney Scott stopped by last month to donate some Arrowsmith and Weedman family papers and related items. Included was this wonderful photograph. The year of the photo and the names of those shown are included on the back, but we don’t know the context. In 1919, there were two elementary schools in Normal: Metcalf on the Illinois State Normal University campus, and "West Side School " on Kern St., on the south side of town.

Address

200 N Main Street
Bloomington, IL
61701

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13098270428

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