Champaign County History Museum

Call Directions Website Contact the museum

Champaign County History Museum We are a not-for-profit history museum focused on collecting and preserving the history of Champaign County, Illinois.

Our mission is to discover, collect, preserve, exhibit, study and interpret objects relating to the history of Champaign County, and to provide educational programs about the County’s heritage and the Museum’s collections.

We’re getting set up at OLLI for tonight’s history talk on the Big Four! This free event starts at 7pm in the Osher Clas...
10/15/2026

We’re getting set up at OLLI for tonight’s history talk on the Big Four! This free event starts at 7pm in the Osher Classroom on the 2nd floor of M2. Join us to learn more about the railroad in our community.

Our next history talk is tonight at OLLI at 7pm! Join us to learn more about the Big Four Railroad in Champaign County w...
10/15/2026

Our next history talk is tonight at OLLI at 7pm! Join us to learn more about the Big Four Railroad in Champaign County with Mike Sypult. Long before highways crisscrossed the flat plains of East Central Illinois, iron rails were the lifeblood of our communities. Join us for an engaging, deeply researched presentation exploring the fascinating history of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway — universally known as the Big Four Railroad — and its profound footprint right here in Champaign-Urbana.

Parking will be available streetside and in the Hill Street Parking deck. Doors on Neil Street and the parking desk will be open to enter OLLI. The talk will be held in the Osher classroom on the 2nd floor.

Wilber is at the Rialto Theater in downtown Champaign! The theater started life as the Theatre Belvoir in 1918 and was...
10/15/2026


Wilber is at the Rialto Theater in downtown Champaign! The theater started life as the Theatre Belvoir in 1918 and was renamed the Rialto a year later. The Rialto was the only theater in Champaign-Urbana with two balconies and was located at 123 W Church Street next to Robeson's Department Store. The theater showcased films until its closure, with its final movie screenings on December 31st, 1981. After the theater closed, performances continued through Arlie Neaville's gospel concerts until 1994.

Wilber is visiting a project booth of a local theater. There have been over forty theaters in Champaign-Urbana over th...
10/14/2026


Wilber is visiting a project booth of a local theater. There have been over forty theaters in Champaign-Urbana over the years, so which one do you think Wilber is at this week? Make your guess in the comments below.

We're only a week away from our next history talk on the legacy of the Big Four Railroad in Champaign County. We had Mik...
10/08/2026

We're only a week away from our next history talk on the legacy of the Big Four Railroad in Champaign County. We had Mike speak last year on the history of the Punkin Vine through the North side of the county in a wonderful presentation. If you are a railroad lover, this is a talk you won't want to miss! We'll see you at OLLI in Champaign on October 15th at 7pm!
Register:
www.champaigncountyhistory.org/talks

Wilber is at the Healey Street Basin project on the Boneyard Creek. Throughout the history of Campustown and Champaign...
10/08/2026


Wilber is at the Healey Street Basin project on the Boneyard Creek. Throughout the history of Campustown and Champaign, flooding has been a consistent issue. Heavy rains year after year have caused extensive flooding of Green Street and Neil, leading community members to refer to the area as Lake Neil. In the mid-2000s, planning began to construct a retention system to alleviate some of the flooding in areas prone to high water. The project was completed in 2010, with park improvements made in the last sixteen years. What memories do you have of Lake Neil Street?

Wilber is visiting a construction site this week. What project is being worked on, and where do you think Wilber is th...
10/07/2026


Wilber is visiting a construction site this week. What project is being worked on, and where do you think Wilber is this week? Make your guess in the comments below.

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Jim Moore. The Moore family has been providing the popcorn for our historic po...
10/02/2026

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Jim Moore. The Moore family has been providing the popcorn for our historic popcorn wagon for the last two years and our staff have enjoyed produce from their farm at the Urbana Farmers Market. Our condolences go out to the Moore family.

Our next history talk is in two weeks! Join us at OLLI in downtown Champaign on October 15th at 7pm to learn the history...
10/01/2026

Our next history talk is in two weeks! Join us at OLLI in downtown Champaign on October 15th at 7pm to learn the history of the Big Four Railroad in Champaign County. Whether you are a lifelong local, a railfan, or a local history buff, this session will steam back through time to examine how the Big Four (later the Peoria & Eastern, New York Central, Penn Central, Conrail) connected our twin cities to the broader American industrial landscape, influenced local commerce, and left an indelible mark on our shared geography.
Register online:
www.champaigncountyhistory.org/talks

Wilber is at the Miller Harness Company in downtown Champaign. This company traces its roots back to one of the most i...
10/01/2026


Wilber is at the Miller Harness Company in downtown Champaign. This company traces its roots back to one of the most important Champaign-Urbana community members. Established by Champaign County's only Medal of Honor recipient, John Miller, the company was originally next to Joseph Kuhn's at 31 E Main Street. In 1897, the company moved to its new home, seen here at 48-50 Main Street. The company closed its doors in 1919 upon John's retirement, and the building was eventually purchased to be the longtime home of the News-Gazette.

Address

102 East University Avenue
Champaign, IL
61820

Opening Hours

Wednesday 1pm - 5pm
Thursday 1pm - 7pm
Friday 1pm - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+12173561010

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Champaign County History Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Champaign County History Museum:

Shortcuts

Share

Category