The Champaign County Historical Archives Hours are Changing
Earlier this year, the Champaign County Historical Archives measured public use during all service hours to assess whether the current schedule met the needs of the public. The three-month survey showed a distinct demand for afternoon hours.
At the recommendation of the Archives staff, the Board of Trustees of the Library voted on August 9, 2016 to change the Archives hours of service.
Summer Corn
With the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival happening this weekend the Archives would like to offer an ode to corn in picture form.
Chanute: Daily Life on the Rantoul AFB
Interested in what the Archives staff are uncovering in the Chanute Collection? We thought you might be. Here is a sampling of pictures showing the daily life of the men and women who lived and worked at Chanute during its 76 years of operation.
- Sherrie, Archives Librarian
The Champaign County Connection: the Olympics
Friday marked the opening of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio.
Jean Driscoll at the Tribute to the Olympics, date unknown
Got Milk?
"Dear Milkman: My daughter says she wants a milkshake. Do you do it before you deliver or do I have to shake the bottle."
Did someone say goat…
Some days you just need a picture of a baby goat. If this is one of those days for you than please enjoy this picture from the Archives.
Sharpest Pencils in the Cup
100 years ago on this day (July 12), the above ad ran in the Courier. It caught my eye initially because of the spelling error (editor missed the "t" in Knowlton), but it also reminded me that some designs truly have endured. The bottom photo is the sharpener in the Archives, probably quite similar to the one described in the ad. After many attempts with an electric sharpener, the department went back to an old, reliable manual model a couple years ago. (Thanks, Becky B.!)
#TBT Moving Day
Photograph of a Greek Revival Cottage being moved down University Avenue. Taken May 19, 1977, part of the Greek Revival Collection.
The Neighborhood Drugstore
Interior of A.P. Cunningham and Sons Drugstore, Champaign circa 1890
Farmers' Market Season in Champaign County
Back of photograph reads: "Outdoor market -- Champaign around 1910." From the "Farmers market--Champaign" photograph envelope.
Summer time is farmers' market season in Central Illinois and it has been for at least the last century. Check out the above photograph of an early 1900s outdoor market in Champaign!
How To: Preserve Your Digital Photographs
The Champaign County Historical Archives has over one million photographs of local people and locations, dating from the mid-19th century to the present. Here is great example from our collection.
Know what would make this photograph better? Metadata!
Boys Only
Carl Bontemps (kneeling on stand) addresses some of the 171 boys who registered for swimming instruction on the first day of lessons at the Crystal Lake Park pool. This was the original round pool; it has been remodeled twice since this photo was taken.
Come into the cool Archives this summer and dive into our vast photo collection!
Chanute Collection Move Day
Archives staff and the staff and volunteers at the former Chanute Air Museum spent months evaluating and packing items that would become the Chanute Collection at The Urbana Free Library. Finally, on May 19th the collection officially made its way from Rantoul to Urbana.
Above, left, the collection packed and ready for travel. Right, our efficient moving crew.
Recently Processed: Jean F. Burkholder Papers
The Champaign County Historical Archives has recently processed the papers of Jean F. Burkholder, a former Urbana School Board president, active community member, and social rights activist.
Storage boxes housing the Jean F. Burkholder papers
Anyone seen an Alligator?
Anyone seen an alligator? Back in 1898, L.A. Wahl's 6 foot pet alligator went on a walkabout. (And you thought urban chickens were a neighborhood nuisance).
Champaign Daily News, June 10, 1898
Illinois and the Civil War
“In Front of Atlanta Ga. July 31st./64”
“It is with pleasure I take my pen in hand to pen you a fiew lines to let you know that I am still in the land of the living an able to eat my rations and fight the rebels terrable hard when we have it to do.” From the “Civil War letters of Pvt. Jacob Haynes Rhoads” by Jacob Haynes Rhoads
Call Number: A B RHOADS WAH
Congratulations Grads!
Later this week is Commencement at both Parkland College and the University of Illinois. To celebrate this great archievement, we want to share a picture from our Parkland College Photographs Collection.
Parkland Graduates at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Commencement May 23, 1985
Anita Purves and the Nature Center
Concept art for the 1995 expansion of the Anita Purves Nature Center by Isaksen/Glerum PC Architects, 1993.
As a longtime resident of Champaign County, I have visited the Anita Purves Nature Center (APNC) at the north end of Crystal Lake Park in Urbana many times. My kids love to explore the collections of native flora and fauna and learn about the center’s animal ambassadors—Quasi the one-eyed owl is our favorite. We explore the trails in Busey Woods and sometimes we just relax in the Wildlife Observation Room and try to identify the bird calls streaming in from the bird feeding station. I have always enjoyed the facility, but did not know the story behind the Anita Purves Nature Center, nor the story of its namesake. While processing the Champaign County Conservation and Design Foundation special collection last month, I learned of this beloved facility’s origins and became fascinated in the story behind the APNC.