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Bloomington, Illinois, is the county seat of McLean County. It is the larger of the two major cities in the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan region. Normal lies close to Bloomington. Bloomington is 135 miles south of Chicago and 162 miles northeast of St. Louis. This made it the state's 13th most populous city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. The twin cities have a combined population of over 130,000 people. Illinois Wesleyan and Illinois State Universities are located in Bloomington-Normal. It's also home to State Farm and Country Financial Insurance.

When McLean County was formed, a county seat was created. "would be located later." the Act declared. One of the new county's sponsors, James Allin, proposed to give 60 acres (240,000 m2). Bloomington was laid out after his offer. Its lots were auctioned in a raucous auction on July 4, 1831. There were few highways, but fertile soils lured new farmers who set up shop in the newly established county.

All over the world, people came to trade and do business in the town's center, which is now called Downtown Bloomington. Abraham Lincoln, who was working as a lawyer in Springfield near the town, was one of them, too. A well-known Bloomington resident, Jesse W. Fell, came up with the idea for Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1854 and played a big role in getting Lincoln to run for President.

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.

People lived in the city as of the census in 2010. There were 76,610 people and 30,454 homes in the city. It had a population density of 2,814.8 people per square mile (1,099.5 people per km2) There were 34,339 housing units at an average density of 1,261.5 units per square mile (492.8 units per square km). 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 new report. All people who were Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 5.6% of the people in the United States.

Among the 34,339 homes in 2010, 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder without a husband present, and 41.1% were non-families.. 32.6 percent of all households were made up of people, and 9.2 percent included an elderly person living alone. The average number of people living in a home was 2.41, while the average number of people in a family was 3.12.

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.

An average family earned $81,166, while a typical household earned $58,662. Males made $56,597 compared to $39,190 for women. The city has a $32,672 per capita income. One in five households and one in ten people were poor, with 12.6 percent under 18 and 6.3 percent 65+.

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.

The Ladies' Library Association, which had been created in 1856, originally opened the Bloomington Public Library in 1857. Book contributions and membership fees were the primary sources of funding for the modest library. Moving to 105 West North Street in 1871 was the library's first move (which is now West Monroe Street.) Local citizens donated $1,100 to revive the library in 1880, after it was forced to close owing to a lack of money. On property provided by Mrs. Sarah B. Withers, the library relocated to a new two-story structure at the intersection of East and Washington streets in 1888. Withers Library" was renamed in recognition of the donor.

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."

Recreation, Golf, and the Miller Park Zoo are the four sections of the Bloomington Parks & Recreation Department. Atwood Wayside, Alton Depot Park, Angler's Lake Nature Preserve, Atwood Park, Bittner Park, Brookridge Park, Buck-Mann Park, Clearwater Park, Eagle Crest Park, Emerson Park, Evergreen Park, Ewing Park 1, Ewing Park 2, and Ewing Park 3 are just a few of the parks and golf courses that the Department of Public Works maintains on its 1,100-acre (4,5 km2) estate.

Alcoholic drinks and smoking are forbidden in all parks, however dogs are permitted on a leash in all of them. Water spray parks, extensive playgrounds, miniature golf, baseball/softball diamonds, soccer fields, cricket grounds, and illuminated tennis courts are common features of these facilities. Indoor tennis courts may be found at the Evergreen Racket Club in Everett, Washington. At O'Neil Park (to the west) and Holiday Park (to the east), there are two public swimming pools (east). Indoor pools are available in YMCA, YWCA, and private fitness clubs.

The Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail is a 24-mile (39 km) jogging, walking, cycling, and rollerblading trail that operates on dedicated right-of-way through much of the city. Bridges and tunnels are used to separate the trail from traffic when crossing the busiest streets. The trail runs from Kerrick Road in Normal to Grove Street in Bloomington. It follows the abandoned Illinois Central Gulf (ICG) railroad from Kerrick Road in Normal to Grove Street in Bloomington.

At Normal City Hall Annex, the east–west section crosses the north segment and continues east to Towanda–Barnes Road. From Commerce Drive to Old Farm Lakes Subdivision, the Liberty Branch runs. From Lincoln Street to Route 9 West, the Freedom Branch is located. Throughout the region, parking is accessible in nearby lots. Runners, walkers, in-line skaters, skateboarders, bicycles, wheelchair users, and other non-motorized modes of transportation are all welcome on the route. It is not cleaned of snow during the winter months, although skiers may use it if the weather permits.

For the 150th anniversary of Illinois State University, the Ewing Cultural Center dedicated the Genevieve Green Gardens in 2007. Many architects and landscape designers were involved in building the gardens, including help from the late Bruce V. Green, an ardent gardener whose generous contribution of $5.2 million propelled the project's development, An expanded pathway and more flora have been included in the grounds, which feature a formal plaza that leads guests to the manor's main entrance, grass terrace, and theater walk.

Illinois Wesleyan University and a campus of Heartland Community College, which opened in 1990, are both in Bloomington. Illinois State University, which opened in Normal in 1857, is in Normal, too. American Passion Play is staged every year in the springtime. The home of Supreme Court associate justice David Davis, built in 1872, is a state historic site. Bloomington has museums about history and aviation, a zoo, a summer Shakespeare festival, and a lot of other things. People who were vice presidents of the United States, Adlai E. Stevenson, and his grandson, Adlai E. Stevenson II, are both buried in Evergreen Cemetery. In Shirley, which is southwest of the city, there is a gem and mineral museum that you can visit. When did this happen? 64,808 people lived there in 2000. The Bloomington-Normal Metro Area had 150,433 people. In 2010, there were 76,601 people living there.

This is the heart of Bloomington's new Cultural District, which also includes the McLean County of Arts Center, a new festival park, and a new center for arts education. The Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts is where all of these things will be. The center is also home to over twenty area performing arts ensembles. This is where more than 400 shows and community events happen each year.

The McLean County Arts Center has been serving Central Illinois for almost 130 years. Each year, 12 art exhibits are organized, including the Holiday Treasurers exposition and auction, and the Amateur Competition and Exhibition, which has been held for almost 70 years. The Arts Center also hosts community events including the Uptown Normal Sugar Creek Arts Festival and the Bloomington Spring Bloom Arts Festival.

The Jerome Mirza Theatre in McPherson Hall houses the Illinois Wesleyan University School of Theatre Arts. Every year, four major stage plays are chosen from a repertoire ranging from Shakespeare to musicals. Built in 1963, McPherson Hall has a 300-seat theatre, a scene shop, classes, and other amenities.

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival has shows in an outdoor, Elizabethan-style theater at historic Ewing Manor every summer. It's a good idea for people to bring their own food to eat on the grounds before each show so they can be entertained by strolling Madrigal singers, jesters, and other performers, as well as a Green Show.

A Civil War reenactment, traditional craft displays, children's activities, musical performances, presentations, and tours are all part of the Lincoln's Bloomington Festival each July in Downtown Bloomington.

Bloomington architect Phil Hooten created Ewing Manor in the post-Victorian Channel-Norman style, which was popular among the wealthy. Jens Jensen, the famed landscape architect who also developed Springfield's Lincoln Memorial Grounds, designed the surrounding gardens. Each summer, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival is held on the grounds' theatre.

The McLean County Historical Society was established in 1892 and is the ancestor of the McLean County Museum of History. There are both permanent and rotating displays in the McLean County Courthouse Museum that chronicle the history of Central Illinois. The National Register of Historic Places includes this place.

Bloomington IL

If you want to learn more about the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, you can go Behind the Curtain with a group of people who have been trained. During the tours, you can see the building's neo-Classical interior design and learn about all of the changes and renovations that have been made to it.

The 36-room home of Judge David Davis may be toured by groups or individuals at the David Davis Mansion. It is through the tales of the Davis family that docents tell the rich social and cultural history of the American frontier from the 1850s through 1860. Family history (with a particular emphasis on children), servant life, domestic life and technology at the advent of the industrial revolution, and Victorian architecture are some of the specific subjects.

And it reminds us of the importance of Illinois in American history during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. A Tea Ladies Inc. program at the mansion can be arranged as well.

It is available on CD from the McLean County Museum of History. It features President Abraham Lincoln as a returning visitor, discussing his travels and their significance. The audio tour includes: Jesse Fell's law office; Asahel Gridley's home; the Miller-Davis Building; and 14 other sites.

The Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau offers monthly tours of Bloomington and Normal titled Twin City Tours. Tours depart from the McLean County Museum of History.

Eastland Mall is the main shopping center in Bloomington. Featuring food, shopping and entertainment, Eastland Mall contains a variety of stores including Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Applebee's, Buckle, Finish Line, Limited, Old Navy, Rogers & Hollands, Talbot's, and more, in addition to a number of recreational activities. However, in recent years, the mall has entered into decline in keeping with the general decline of shopping malls across America.

Museums, banks, a legal and administrative center, residential housing, a strong artists' community, and a variety of specialized retail stores and related services may all be found in downtown Bloomington, IL. There are many restaurants to choose from, as well as a vibrant nightlife. Tour de Chocolat, Farmers' Market, Tour de Metro, Pub Crawl, and Once Upon a Holiday are just a few of the spectacular events that take place in the neighborhood. Downtown Bloomington is home to City of Bloomington and McLean County government buildings, as well as important businesses such as State Farm Insurance and a variety of specialized shops, pubs, restaurants, and art galleries.

Beer Nuts Brand Snacks are solely produced in Bloomington, Illinois. In Bloomington, there are two Beer Nuts Company Stores, each with a video tour of the Bloomington facility and the history of the Beer Nuts Brand Snacks.

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

Private schools in Bloomington include Corpus Christi Catholic School, Epiphany Catholic School, St. Mary's Catholic School, Trinity Lutheran School, and Cornerstone Christian Academy. Students from Bloomington may also attend Illinois State University's Metcalf Elm/Jr. School and University High School.

There are 2,100 students at Illinois Wesleyan University, which was founded in 1850. It is a private residential university with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1. It used to be part of the United Methodist Church. College of Liberal Arts: There are 17 academic departments in the College of Liberal Arts. The College of Fine Arts: There are professional schools of art, music, and theater arts in the College of Fine Arts. There is also the School of Nursing. One thing that Illinois Wesleyan has done in recent years is build the five-story Ames Library and the Center for Natural Science. Also, the Shirk Center for Athletics and Recreation was built. Hairmasters Institute of Cosmetology, Inc., a school in Illinois that specializes in hair styling, hair design, long hair design, hair texture, hair color, people skills, and salon management classes, says it has been teaching these skills for more than 40 years.

The magnificent dome of the McLean County Museum of History serves as a marker for locating the city's historic centre. The courthouse plaza is surrounded by a number of historic buildings from the turn of the century. There are museums, banks, a legal and governmental center, residential housing, a big artist's colony, and several speciality retail enterprises and support services available to visitors in the area. There are numerous dining options, as well as a vibrant nightlife.