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McLean County, Illinois
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     If your family is from McLean County, they share an intriguing local history. Since the 1880's, Bloomington -Normal was winter quarter for trapeze artists "The Flying Wards", "The Flying La Vans" and "The Conciellos."  The Gamma Phi Circus, at ISU, has been existence since 1929. Milner Library, at ISU, houses a historic circus collection.

     Actor McLean Stevenson was born in Bloomington.
     The inspiration for the character of Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" was a niece of L. Frank Baum. She is buried in Bloomington's Evergreen Cemetery.

      Elbert Hubbard, founder of the Roycrofters, was born in Bloomington and raised in Hudson, IL. He grew up on Money Creek along with Melvin Stone, founder of the Chicago Daily News, who became well known as the general manager of the reorganized Associated Press (WikiPedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melville_E._Stone). There is a stone bench in Hubbard Park in their honor. Listen to an Odeo podcast about the connection between the Associated Press and the Roycrofters… and McLean County, Illinois by your host!

El and Mel

       Speaking of names, international company Novartis bought Funk's Seed back in 1974. The Funk name survives in McLean County thanks to the village of Funk's Grove and the Funk's Grove Nature Preserve.  Any traveller of the historic Route 66 probably has stopped by Funk's Grove for their famous maple syrup.  Or they may have eaten at the Dixie Truck Stop, home to the Route 66 Museum, in McLean, IL.

       One of the largest employers in Bloomington is State Farm Insurance, founded by George Mecherle.  Mecherle has a street named in his honor in Bloomington.

       Here, at the McLean County Trail, you'll find free research to help you in your search for McLean County ancestors.



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OFF SITE DATABASES

The Pantagraph - Obituaries page Bloomington Newspaper

McLean County Probate Record Index 1834-1934
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