Bloomington, IL

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Before the arrival of the first Euro-American immigrants in the early 1820s, the Bloomington region was populated by the Kickapoo people. Bloomington, born of Keg Grove, became the county seat of McLean County on December 25, 1830.

Bloomington, IL grew steadily over the first two decades of the twentieth century. Agriculture, highway and railroad building, and the expansion of the insurance industry (primarily State Farm Insurance) all affected Bloomington's growth and downtown area. The downtown area grew into a regional retail destination, drawing visitors from neighboring counties. The power of labor unions expanded.

Ray and Irene Denbesten founded Denbesten Real Estate in 1977. Cathy Denbesten, their daughter, now runs it. Call them at (309) 6662-4228 for assistance purchasing or selling a house.

In the 2010 census, the city had 76,610 residents and 30,454 families. 2,814.8/sq mile (1,099.5/km2) population density 1261.5 housing units per square mile (492.8/km2) = 34,339 dwelling units The city's racial composition was 77.5 percent white, 10.1 percent black, 0.3 percent native, 7.0 percent Asian, 1.42 percent other, and 2.9 percent mixed. 5.6 percent of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

As the state's fastest-growing metropolitan region, Bloomington-McLean County is home to both cities. There has been a 28% increase in the area's population between 1990 and 2006. When the U.S. Census Bureau performed a special count of Bloomington in February 2006, it showed a population of 74,975, an increase of 15.7% in less than six years. This was the city with the fastest growth.

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.

People in the city were spread out, with 27.3 percent under the age of 20, 9.0 percent from 18 to 24, 29.8 percent between the ages of 25 and 45, and 23.8 percent between the ages of 45 and 64. It was the middle age of 33 years. When there were 100 women in the group, there were 95.4 males in the group.

Family income was $81,166 and family income was $58,662 in the city's median household income. Males earned $56,597 on average, compared to $39,190 for females. The city's average annual income was $32,672. An estimated 5.7% of households and 11.0% of the population lived in poverty, with 12.6% of those under the age of 18 and 6.3% of those 65 and over being among those at risk.

The Bloomington Ice Center (Formerly Pepsi Ice Center) is an indoor public ice skating rink managed by the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department, with a full-size ice sheet of 200' by 85'. Ice skating classes, public skating sessions, a complete hockey program, learn to curl and curling leagues, skate rental, and a snack stand are all available at the facility.

Grossinger Motors Arena (previously the US Cellular Coliseum) in southwest Bloomington was completed in 2006 and is now home to the Bloomington Edge of the Indoor Football League, as well as past home to two Central Hockey League teams. The Central Illinois Flying Aces of the United States Hockey League, as well as Illinois State University's club hockey team and local youth hockey programs, have played there since 2014. The Coliseum has a permanent seating capacity of 7,000, but can accommodate up to 8,000 people for special events. The venue may also be transformed into a theater with a retractable curtain, allowing 2,500-5,000 people to see performances in a more intimate setting. Concerts, ice shows, racing, and trade exhibitions have all taken place at the Coliseum since its inauguration.

The first Bloomington Public Library was built in 1857 by the Ladies' Library Association, which was formed in 1856. The Ladies' Library Association built the library. The small library was mostly funded by donations of books and fees for becoming a member. At 105 West North Street in 1871, the library moved to a new place (which is now West Monroe Street.) People in the area raised $1,100 to keep the library open after it closed in 1880 because of a lack of money. In 1888, the library moved into a new two-story building at the corner of East and Washington streets. The land was given to the library by Mrs. Sarah B. Withers, and the library moved in. The library was renamed "Withers Library." in honor of the money.

Friends of the Library was formed in 1976 by Citizens for the New Public Library in order to gather funds for a new public library. 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 under the name "Library on Wheels."

They open at 6am and close at midnight, but you can't drink alcohol or smoke in the parks. You can take your pet with you 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, as well as other types of fields. During the winter, there are tennis courts at the Evergreen Racket Club. At O'Neil Park (to the west) and Holiday Park (to the east), there are two outdoor public swimming pools (east). Some private health clubs have swimming pools inside. These include the YMCA, the YWCA, and other groups.

We love the zookeeper interaction at Miller Park Zoo. Sun bears, reindeer, sea lions, red pandas, lemus, bald eagles, pallas cats, and red wolves are among the zoo's residents. ZooLab, Children's Zoo, Animals of Asia and the Katthoefer Animal Building are among the zoo's attractions. It is located in the Tropical America Rainforest.

The east–west section connects with the north segment near the Normal City Hall Annex and continues east to Towanda-Barnes Road. Commerce Drive is the starting point of the Liberty Branch, while Old Farm Lakes Subdivision is the terminus. Lincoln Street is the starting point of the Freedom Branch, which finishes at Route 9 West. Parking may be found in nearby parking garages. The path is available to non-motorized users such as walkers, runners, in-line skaters, skateboarders, bicycles, and wheelchair users. In the winter, it is not cleaned of snow and may be used by skiers, weather allowing.

The Genevieve Green Gardens at Ewing Cultural Center were dedicated in 2007 as part of the Illinois State University's 150th anniversary celebration. Architects and landscape designers from all over the world worked together to make the gardens a reality, with help from the late Bruce V. Green, an avid gardener who gave $5.2 million to start the project. The gardens include a new public entry which directs visitors to a formal plaza, the entrance to the manor, grass patio, theater walk with a widened walkway and additional plantings.

In the Midwest, the McLean County Arts Center is one of the oldest arts groups. It has been serving Central Illinois for more than 130 years and is one of the oldest. Holiday Treasurers is one of 12 art shows that happen each year. The annual Amateur Competition has been showcasing amateur artists in Central Illinois for more than 70 years. There are also a lot of community events that the Arts Center helps put on, like the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in Uptown Normal and the Spring Bloom Arts Festival in Bloomington.

At McPherson Hall, the Illinois Wesleyan University School of Theatre Arts has a theater called the Jerome Mirza Theater. During the year, there are four main stage plays that are shown. They are chosen from a playbill that includes everything from Shakespeare to musicals. IWU's 10th president, Harry W. McPherson, was the name of the building that was finished in 1963. It has a 300-seat theater, a scene shop, classrooms and other things.

Music majors and other IWU students use the Westbrook Auditorium every year. Most concerts are free and open to the public, and there are a lot of different types of musical performances that happen each semester.

When it was completed in May of that year, the Miller Park Pavilion & War Memorial was re-dedicated after being repaired in 1977. Central Illinois people killed or missing in action in Korea and Vietnam are listed on red walkways around the black granite monument.

When the old Montefiore synagogue was destroyed, the building that used to be there is one of the few Moorish revival buildings in Illinois. It is also one of the oldest synagogues in the United States.

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The house serves as a reminder of the pivotal role Illinois played in the nation's history during Abraham Lincoln's presidency, as well as a predecessor to contemporary dwellings and comfort systems. A Tea Ladies Inc. event may also be organized in the estate.

Lincoln's Bloomington and Normal, Illinois is a driving trip offered by the McLean County Museum of History. President Abraham Lincoln is shown in the CD-based audio tour as a returning guest who discusses his visits to various locations and the significance they have. With narration by James Keeran, the tour takes you to the law office of Jesse Fell, who first suggested that Lincoln run for president, the home of Asahel Gridley, a close friend and Lincoln's client when the latter was sued for slander, the Miller-Davis Building where Lincoln practiced law, and 14 other places of significance.

It's called Twin City Tours by the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. They have monthly tours of Bloomington and Normal called Twin City Tours. McLean County Museum of History is the place where the tours start.

Beer Nuts Brand Snacks are solely produced in Bloomington, Illinois. It is possible to take a video tour of the Beer Nuts Brand Snacks facility in Bloomington, as well as learn more about its history.

As the city grows, it moves into a second district in McLean County, Unit District No. 5. Unit Five used to serve only suburban areas like Normal, but now most of its students come from Bloomington. Unit Five runs two high schools and four junior high schools. There are also a lot of elementary schools in the area. As of 2010, Unit Five was building its fourth junior high school, which is called George Evans Junior High School, or EJHS. There were two new elementary schools built in Bloomington in 2011 as well as the new high school. Unit 5 is also planning to build another high school in the area.

Central Catholic High School, Corpus Christi Catholic School Elm./Jr. School, Epiphany Elm./Jr. School, St. Mary's Catholic School, Trinity Lutheran School, and Cornerstone Christian Academy are among the private schools in Bloomington. Students from Bloomington may also attend Illinois State University's Metcalf Elm./Jr. School and University High School, which are both laboratory schools.

One can easily identify the McLean County Museum of History by its stately dome. The courthouse square is flanked by historic buildings. An array of businesses and services are available to visitors. Many restaurants and a vibrant nightlife.