Special Sections
First World War claimed lives of local aviators
Far from being the hoped-for "War to End All Wars," World War I presaged the coming mechanized horrors of the 20th century. Most significantly, it was the first major conflict in which the skies became a battleground. Aircraft were used for photo reconnaissance, artillery spotting, bombin…
Nov 07, 2009 | 6:25 pm | Loading…
The Pantagraph's 4th Annual 20 Under 40
From lawyers to educatosr to community leaders, The Pantagraph's 4th annual 20 Under 40 program spotlights the area's most talented individuals under 40 who are making positive impact on our community and achieving significant career accomplishments.
Nov 02, 2009 | 12:30 am | Loading…
Patent medicine makers claimed to cure all
What if one single miracle medicine could cure a fantastical range of ailments, including rheumatism, back pain, sprains, bruises, burns, frostbite, chilblains, ear and toothaches, cholera, cramps, congestive chills and even tumors? Such was the promise of Instant Relief, a concocted cure…
Oct 31, 2009 | 4:30 pm | Loading…
Groves once covered large areas of McLean County
In the early 1800s, the first settlers to Central Illinois encountered not only a "sea" of tallgrass prairie but also "islands" of timber. These extensive groves offered a welcome sight to pioneers often lost in the oppressive expanses of waving grass.
Oct 24, 2009 | 6:00 pm | Loading…
Depression-era mayor besieged by jobseekers
BLOOMINGTON -- With the national unemployment rate approaching 10 percent, today's job market can be charitably described as brutal. Yet as grim as the economy has been since the Wall Street collapse a year ago, our current predicament pales in comparison to the Great Depression, when the…
Oct 17, 2009 | 6:00 pm | Loading…
Man-made giants, grain elevators, towered over the Midwest prairie
For more than a century and a half, grain elevators have played a critical role in the fall harvest.
Oct 10, 2009 | 5:00 pm | Loading…
Swank Tilden-Hall Hotel razed in 1961
With the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in uptown Normal slated to open soon, it's an opportune time to recall that downtown Bloomington was once home to a thriving hotel trade.
Oct 03, 2009 | 4:30 pm | Loading…
Jesse Fell key in Lincoln’s 'autobiography'
In late 1859 Abraham Lincoln, prodded by Jesse W. Fell of Normal, penned a brief autobiographical sketch that helped get him elected president the following year.
Sep 26, 2009 | 7:15 pm | Loading…
At 75 years, League of Women Voters looks back on its influential founder
BLOOMINGTON -- At her first McLean County League of Women Voters meeting, Gwen Pruyne quickly learned the influence of the local founder.
Sep 21, 2009 | 3:55 pm | Loading…
Redbird-Titan football rivalry came to an end in 1969
Sunday is the 40th anniversary of the last football game between gridiron rivals Illinois State and Illinois Wesleyan universities. On Sept. 20, 1969, the Redbirds defeated the visiting Titans 27-6 before a Hancock Stadium crowd of 15,000, bringing an end to an often-bitter series that be…
Sep 19, 2009 | 4:10 pm | Loading…
- LA Church Putting Pets in Pews
- A Presbyterian church in Los Angeles is trying to boost its connection with the community by offering a 30-minute Sunday service for pet-lovers. (Nov. 4)
- Raw Video: First Images Inside Fort Hood
- The Department of Defense releases video from inside Fort Hood in Texas as authorities move in on shooters there. The Army says 12 people were killed and more than 30 wounded at the base. (Nov. 5)
- Army: 7 Dead, 20 Wounded in Fort Hood Shootings
- The Army has confirmed 7 dead, 20 wounded in shootings at Fort Hood, Texas. Local media say one gunman has been captured, and a second is still on loose. There are reports of a possible third gunman. (Nov. 5)
- Raw Video: Bears Lose Their Fur in Leipzig Zoo
- Three female spectacled bears in a zoo in the Eastern German city of Leipzig have suddenly lost nearly all their fur. (Nov. 05)
- Coroner: at Least 11 Victims at Cleveland Home
- Authorities say they have confirmed a total of at least 11 victims whose remains were found in the Cleveland home of a registered sex offender. (Nov. 4)
- Babysitter Requested Help for Missing Infant
- The baby sitter of a missing infant sent a letter to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist months before she disappeared asking him to save the child from her drug-abusing parents. Shannon was last seen by her parents at their home early Saturday morning. (Nov. 4)
- Video: Preview tour of new Marriott
- The Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel and Conference Center will be open for business on Friday October 30, 2009. Enjoy a preview tour of the facility.
- Share a Grave With a Stranger?
- A London cemetery is urging strangers to share double-decker graves, to ease a space crisis. But the practice may run up against a British cultural aversion. (29 October 2009)
- Pelosi Presents Health Care Bill
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says new health care legislation will make affordable, quality health care available to nearly all Americans and represents a historic step. (Oct. 29)
- Obama Hails New GDP, Talks Health Care Reform
- President Barack Obama is hailing new figures showing the economy grew at a 3.5 percent rate in the third quarter. In remarks to a small business group, Obama says he believes the new figures show that the recession is easing. (Oct. 29)
