Our Collections

The Champaign County Historical Archives (CCHA) of The Urbana Free Library has over 300 special collections pertaining to Champaign County history and genealogy. Many collections have been arranged with original order, creators, and subjects in mind, while other collections are "artificial," meaning they have different creators and donors. These artificial collections have been compiled by CCHA staff.

What is a Finding Aid?

A finding aid is a document that guides a researcher through the contents and context of a collection. Finding aids include information on the record creator and the special collection materials themselves. They also give researchers a sense of how a collection is arranged. A "container list" will detail what's inside the box, and sometimes, what is inside folders within a box.

Finding aids allow researchers to "see" a collection before physically engaging with it. Like a patron browsing a library shelf, finding aids give researchers the sense of "browsing" archival collections. This is important because it gives researchers a clearer sense of where records they might want to see are located. Finding aids also benefit the archival materials themselves--now they have a better chance of only being handled when they need to be. Minimal handling allows for the long-term preservation of materials.

Using the Collections

If you are interested in viewing these materials, call 217-367-4025 or email archives@urbanafree.org.
Allow 48 hours for retrieval.

See our How to Order Copies page for details if you cannot make it to the Library.

How to Use This Page

For ease of access, we have arranged our finding aids alphabetically, under the first name or word in the collection. It is our hope that, in time, we will be able to create new avenues for accessibility and browsing methods. Feel free to browse our finding aids--we want our users to get the most out of our collections and become engaged with our materials!

This page will continue to be updated, so check back often!

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1322 Grandview Drive Slides Collection (Collection 331)

A

Ad Hoc Florida Avenue Residents Association Records (Collection 12)

Alexander Bowman Journals (Collection 353)

Alice McCrystal Book Club Records (Collection 360)

American Legion Post 71 and Auxiliary, Urbana Unit No. 71 (Collection 174)

Art Club Records (Collection 40)

Arthur D. Savage Papers (Collection 164) 

B

Barbara A. Camp Collection (Collection 73)

Barbara Christofferson Lucas Photograph Collection (Collection 369)

Barbara J. Lewellin Whalen Collection (Collection 347)

Barbara Roberts Family History Papers (Collection 274)

Bernadine Stake Papers (Collection 74)

Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church Records (Collection 22)

B.F. Stevenson Family Collection (Collection 47)

Boggs Family (Collection 224)

Boneyard Creek Collection (Collection 343)

Boneyard Creek Commission (Collection 142)

Boyd and Newby Records (Collection 171)

Brian F. O’Neill Collection (Collection 350)

Broadway Development Corporation Records (Collection 128)

Burchard Family (Collection 218)

Busey Bank, First Busey Corporation, First State Bank, and National Bank of America Records (Collection 134)

Busey Family Papers (Collection 16) 

Busey Woods Committee Records (Collection 178)

Busy Fifteen Club Records (Collection 9)

C

Calling Cards Collection (Collection 290)

Carle Foundation Hospital, Carle Clinic, and Carle Development Foundation (Collection 236) 

Carly Friendship Club Records (Collection 103)

Cattle Bank (Champaign, Ill.) (Collection 176)

Central Illinois Jewish Federation Records (Collection 29)

Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center Project Collection (Collection 337)

Champaign Consortium (Collection 194)

Champaign County Audubon Society Records (Collection 31)

Champaign County Autograph Albums Collection (Collection 56)

Champaign County Bank and Trust Co. (Collection 221)

Champaign County Bar Association (Collection 138)

Champaign County Bicentennial Commission Records (Collection 247)

Champaign County Budgets (Collection 131)

Champaign County Camera Club Records (Collection 28) 

Champaign County Civil Defense and Dyson Family Scrapbooks (Collection 183)

Champaign County Civil War Documents (Collection 52)

Champaign County Design and Conservation Foundation Records (Collection 71)

Champaign County Diaries Collection (Collection 57)

Champaign County Drainage Districts Collection (Collection 58)

Champaign County Early History Collection (Collection 53)

Champaign County Fair Association (Collection 149)

Champaign County Families Genealogical Research (Collection 143)

Champaign County Forest Preserve District (Collection 214)

Champaign County Historical Society (Collection 173)

Champaign County History Museum Records (Collection 77)

Champaign County Homemakers Extension Services Collection (Collection 86)

Champaign County Medical Society Records (Collection 24)

Champaign County Nursing Home (Collection 201)

Champaign County Parent-Teacher Association and Parent-Teacher-Student Association Records (Collection 75)

Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (Collection 196)

Champaign County Schools Ephemera (Collection 20)

Champaign Park District (Collection 211)

Champaign Public Library and Information Center (Collection 244) 

Champaign-Urbana Area Hospital Planning Council Records (Collection 172)

Champaign-Urbana Cable Commission (Collection 37)

Champaign-Urbana Coin Club (Collection 140)

Champaign-Urbana Community Chest Association Records (Collection 18)

Champaign-Urbana Community Woman's Club Records (Collection 49)

Champaign-Urbana Courier Files (Collection 132)

Champaign-Urbana Golden K. Kiwanis Records (Collection 30)

Champaign-Urbana Herb Society Collection (Collection 55)

Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (Collection 129)

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (Collection 215)

Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra Collection (Collection 54)

Champaign-Urbana Urban Area Transportation Study (Collection 195)

Champaign-Urbana Welcome Club Records (Collection 63)

Children's Theatre, Inc. Records (Collection 13)

Church Women United Records (Collection 14)

Citizens' Committee for the Restoration of the Clock and Bell Tower Records (Collection 26)

City of Champaign Local Improvement Records (Collection 152)

City of Urbana Landfill and Solid Waste Management Records (Collection 118)

City of Urbana Public Facilities Records (Collection 23)

Clayton F. Daughtery Research Collection (Collection 334)

Clyde O. McKinney Collection (Collection 341)

Commercial Bank of Champaign Records (Collection 119)

Community Day Care School Collection (Collection 365)

Community United Church of Christ Records (Collection 11)

Congressman William L. Springer Collection (Collection 158)

Corrie Family Collection (Collection 155)

Council of Congregations of Champaign-Urbana Records (Collection 361) 

Countryside United Methodist Church Records (Collection 275)

Covenant Fellowship Church Records (Collection 3)

Credit Bureau of Champaign County Records (Collection 114)

Cureton Family Collection (Collection 204)

D

D.H. Loper Family Collection (Collection 110)

Daughters of the American Revolution Alliance Chapter (Collection 133)

Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War Records (Collection 94)

Dee Todd Business Records (Collection 203)

Dennis Stubblefield Papers (Collection 67

Donald Dyer Scrapbook (Collection 367)

Dwain Berggren Photographs Collection (Collection 340)

E

East Bend Church Records (Collection 354)

East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging (Collection 371)

East Central Illinois Health Systems Agency (Collection 160)

Educational Resources in Environmental Science (ERES) Project Photographs (Collection 374) 

Ellen Miner Collection (Collection 70)

Epsilon Sigma Alpha (Collection 150)

Evening Etude Music Club Records (Collection 45)

Everett C. Block Collection (Collection 72)

F

First Presbyterian Church Records (Collection 27)

Fortnightly Club Records (Collection 99)

Frank Heitzman Architectural Survey of Champaign-Urbana (Collection 48)

Fred Turner Woodblock Prints (Collection 7)

Freemasons. Centennial Lodge 747 Philo (Collection 85)

Friday Tea Club Records (Collection 359)

Friends of The Urbana Free Library Records (Collection 61)

Funeral Consumers Alliance of Champaign County Records (Collection 38)

G

Garnsey/Guernsey Family (Collection 259) 

Gerde Family Collection (Collection 165)

Gilbert Papp Papers (Collection 249)

Glenn C. Frazier World War I Collection (Collection 51)

Gordon Family Papers (Collection 157)

G.R. Grubb Engraving Co. Records (Collection 104)

Gulick Family Collection (Collection 5)

H

Harper Family Collection (Collection 329)

Heath Funeral Home Records (Collection 102)

Helen Sutherland Collection (Collection 177)

Hensley Township Governmental Records (Collection 127)

Households Involved in Pollution Solution (HIPS) Records (Collection 80)

Housing Authority of Champaign County (Collection 251) 

Howard Family Collection (Collection 162)

I

Illini Chapter DeMolay Mothers Circle Records (Collection 84)

Illinois Central Railroad Co. Records (Collection 136)

Illinois Nurses Association Records (Collection 93)

Independent Order of Odd Fellows (Collection 139)

Intergovernmental Solid Waste Disposal Association (Collection 189)

Izaak Walton League of America Champaign County Chapter Records (Collection 135)

J

James Family Collection (Collection 146)

Janet Eisner Collection (Collection 81)

Javis Dehart Hurd Collection (Collection 154)

Jean Burkholder Papers (Collection 65)

Jim Jones East Central Illinois Poetry Collection (Collection 35)

Joan Severns Papers (Collection 328)

Joseph Kuhn and Co. Records (Collection 90)

Julia F. Burnham City Hospital Nurses' Strike Records (Collection 4)

K

Kaufman's Men's Store Records (Collection 130)

Knowlton and Bennett Records (Collection 191)

L

Lachlan F. Blair Photograph Collection (Collection 375)

Larry Pepper Papers (Collection 345)

Latino Voices of Champaign County Records (Collection 332) 

Les Card Family (Collection 180)

Leslie A. Bryan Genealogical Papers (Collection 148)

Lewis Family Collection (Collection 351)

Liggett Family (Collection 234)

Louis Bear Collection (Collection 112)

Luker's Pan-o-Cake Records (Collection 184)

M

Marian Ray Dunlap Papers (Collection 336)

Markland Mayoral Files (Collection 202)

Mary Ellen Long Collection (Collection 370) 

Mathews Family Letters (Collection 46)

Mathias Lane Dunlap and Dunlap's Nursery Collection (Collection 187)

Matthew House, Inc. Records (Collection 15)

Medra Club Records (Collection 98)

Menus for Champaign-Urbana Restaurants (Collection 124)

Miller Family Papers (Collection 141)

Mittendorf Funeral Home Records (Collection 101)

Monday Club Records (Collection 181)

Mount Hope Cemetery Association (Sidney) Records (Collection 92)

Mueller Funeral Home Records (Collection 100)

Music Club Records (Collection 356)

N

National Council of Negro Women Records (Collection 96)

National Society of Arts and Letters Records (Collection 175)

Near O'Kin Bridge Club Records (Collection 95)

Nelson Family Collection (Collection 111)

Nettie Mills Papers (Collection 2)

Newcomb Township Institute and Fair Records (Collection 363)

Nina Rubel Papers (Collection 8)

Nofftz Family Collection (Collection 373)

O

Oak Grove Church Records (Collection 167)

Oliver P. Parks Scrapbooks (Collection 144)

Opal Gray Chumbley Scrapbooks (Collection 145)

Orphan Train Materials (Collection 233)

P

Park, Parke, Parks Family Records (Collection 147)

Parkland College and Parkland College Foundation Records (Collection 168)

Pesotum History Collection (Collection 17)

Phillip Alexander Weihrouch Chanute Scrapbook (Collection 349)

Porter School and Porter Family Collection (Collection 206)

Preservation and Conservation Association (PACA) (Collection 198)

Progressive Resource Action Cooperative and Divest Now! Coalition Collection (Collection 82)

Q

R

Race Inn and the "Chickens Come to Roost" Records (Collection 10)

Rantoul United Services Organization (USO) and Rantoul Armed Services YMCA Collection (Collection 137)

The Reading Group (Collection 39) 

Red Cross Champaign County Chapter Records (Collection 113)

Reginald C. Harmon and Thomas Tyrell Papers (Collection 199)

Rev. Melvin C. Blobaum Collection (Collection 357)

Robert K. McCandless Collection (Collection 36)

Russell Mark Lovingfoss Collection (Collection 62)

S

Safety Kleen (Collection 263)

Sandra L. Batzli Collection (Collection 352)

Savoy Methodist Church Records (Collection 83)

Sholem Family Papers (Collection 34)

Sidney Historical Society Records (Collection 68)

Sidney Historical Society Oral History Project Collection (Collection 107)

Sidney, Illinois Scrapbooks (Collection 190)

Sidney Senior Citizens' Organization Records (Collection 69)

Sidney Woman's Club Records (Collection 32)

Sinai Temple Records (Collection 1)

Society for the Urban Residential Environment (SURE) Records (Collection 78)

S.P. Atkinson Monument Co. Records (Collection 91)

Staff Association at The Urbana Free Library Records (Collection 115)

Stanton Township Society of Friends Records (Collection 322)

Stephen C. Abbott Manuscript (Collection 346)

Stephen Storch Photography Collection (Collection 344)

 

T

Thomas Joseph Tyrrell Collection (Collection 368)

Thusenelda Gross Martin and the Gross Family (Collection 220)

Timothy Smith Manuscript Collection (Collection 333)

Toastmistresses Club Records (Collection 33)

Training Education Coordinating Committee (TECC) Records (Collection 88)

Trevett Family Collection (Collection 163)

Twin City Garden Club Records (Collection 108)

U

Unidentified Photographs Collection (Collection 377)

University of Illinois Student Papers Collection (Collection 366)

Upon a Quiet Landscape Framed Prints (Collection 193)

Urbana City Arborist Records (Collection 330)

Urbana Exchange Club Records (Collection 25)

Urbana Fire Department Records (Collection 166)

Urbana Free Library Foundation Records (Collection 60)

Urbana Half Century Club Records (Collection 6)

Urbana Neighborhood Associations Collection (Collection 50)

Urbana Park District (Collection 212)

Urbana Woman's Club (Collection 292)

V

Vaky Family Business Records and Vaky Family Papers (Collection 123)

Velda Routh Collection (Collection 192)

Virgil C. Wikoff Papers (Collection 21)

W

W. Lewis and Co. Department Store  Ephemera Collection (Collection 79)

Walker Opera House Scrapbook (Collection 348) 

Webber Family Collection (Collection 170)

White House Conference on Children and Youth Records (Collection 278)

Willard Airport Materials (Collection 213)

William Groninger Collection (Collection 156)

William Jarret Hylbert Papers  (Collection 66)

William Redhed Store (Tolono) Records (Collection 120)

Windsor Swim Club Collection (Collection 362)

Woman’s Club of Champaign-Urbana Records (Collection 342)

Women's Information and Resource Exchange (W.I.R.E) Records (Collection 87)

Women's Literary Club Records (Collection 151)

Woods Family Collection (Collection 153)

World War II Ephemera Collection (Collection 64)

X

Y

Yankee Ridge Improvement Records (Collection 89)

Z

Zap the Caps Committee Records (Collection 59)