In 1975, William Elliot Dye became Champaign’s first black Chief of Police. Dye’s appointment was an important moment in the city’s history, as officials struggled to bring diversity and fairness to local government.

In honor of National Poetry Month and the upcoming Boneyard Arts Festival, April 12-15, we here at the Archives want to offer you a poem, The Boneyard.

Written by Edgar Welton Cooley in 1925 the title page reads thus:

Kids build a snow fort, 1985

With the snow storm this past weekend, it may be easy to forget that winter is on its way out. Here is a look at some of my favorite Champaign County winter pictures for your enjoyment.

Above is the 505th Air Force Band of the Midwest during their photoshoot with a Boeing B-52D bomber.

In 1937, an unnamed Evening Courier reporter made a survey of the gambling conditions in Champaign. His 9-part series appeared nightly in the Evening Courier beginning April 29, 1937 and ending May 9, 1937. He found that even though gambling houses were hidden behind ambiguously marked doors, steep staircases, and peepholes, they were an open secret available to anyone. 

Scanning station with the flatbed Epson 10000 scanner attached to a computer. 

Here in the Archives we are often asked about our scanning capabilities. Below you will find some of our most asked questions and their answers:

If you’ve ever done historical research at your local library or archives, you’ve probably heard of Sanborn Fire Insurance maps. But what are they exactly, and what type of historical information do they contain?

E.N. Kirby Dairy was owned by Eugene N. Kirby. He was born in Edwardsville, IL in 1871. By the late 1890s, according to the city directories, he was working for Charles A. Haines a dairyman in Champaign. In 1903, Kirby married Haines’ daughter Carrie Amelia Haines, and eventually opened a diary under his own name. Both the Haines farm and the Kirby residence were on the border of sections 13 and 24 in Champaign Township the current location of Kirby Avenue by Hessel Park.

Champaign County is home to many historic theaters. From vaudeville venues to movie theaters, theater entertainment has deep roots in the culture of Champaign County.