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We suggest you visit the best tourist attractions such as Children's Discovery Museum, Downtown Bloomington/Washington Street, Fairview Family Aquatic Center and Prairie Aviation Museum. Bloomington is a growing city in McLean County, Illinois, United States (population 74,975). It is the county seat of McLean County. ... more »
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Airports We suggest you visit the best tourist attractions such as Children's Discovery Museum, Downtown Bloomington/Washington Street, Fairview Family Aquatic Center and Prairie Aviation Museum.
Bloomington is a growing city in McLean County, Illinois, United States (population 74,975). It is the county seat of McLean County. It is the host of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, which is nationally known as one of the top Shakespearean festivals in the country (held at Ewing Manor). It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and when mentioned together they are known as the "Twin Cities, "Bloomington-Normal," or simply abbreviated "B-N."
Division Street, as the name suggests, forms a part of the border between Bloomington and Normal, with Bloomington to the south and Normal to the north. It is symbolic as well as literal, in that the two cities have sometimes disagreed about the best way to govern.
Prior to the 1820's, the area of today's Bloomington was at the edge of a large grove enjoyed by the Kickapoo people before the first Euro-American settlers arrived in the early 1820's. Springing from the settlement of Blooming Grove in 1822, Bloomington was named as county seat on December 25, 1830, when McLean County was created.
When the County of McLean was incorporated a county seat was established. However, the legislation stated the site of Bloomington "would be located later." James Allen, who was one of the promoters of the new county, offered to donate 60 acres of his own land for the new town. His offer was accepted and Bloomington was laid out. Its lots were sold at a big party on the 4th of July 1831. At this time there were few roads, but rich soils brought new farmers who began commerce by conducting their business in the newly formed county. People came from all over to trade and do business at the town's center, known today as Downtown Bloomington, including Abraham Lincoln who was working as a lawyer in nearby Springfield.
Fire
In 1900 an officer on patrol discovered a fire in a laundry across the street from the old City Hall and Police Station. He sounded the alarm but the fire eventually destroyed the majority of the Bloomington, especially the areas north and east of the courthouse. However, the burnt area was quickly rebuilt from the designs of local architects George Miller, Paul Moratz and A.L. Pillsbury.
Growth
During the first two decades of the 20th century Bloomington continued to grow. Agriculture, the construction of highways and railroads, and the growth of the insurance business (mainly State Farm Insurance) all influenced the growth of Bloomington and its downtown area. The downtown area became a regional shopping center attracting trade from adjoining counties. Labor unions grew in strength.
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