The History of Normal
In 1854 the town of North Bloomington was platted in the area which was commonly known as "The Junction," which was located at the intersection of the Illinois Central and the Chicago & Alton railroads. At the time, the town consisted of all real estate bound between North Street to the north, South Street (now Florence) to the south, Elm Street (now Fell) to the west, and Chicago Street (now Linden) to the east. This parcel of land belonged to Joseph Parkinson, after whom Parkinson Street was named.
The
first addition to the new town was developed by Jesse Fell in 1857
and lay north and east of the original plat. Therefore, although
Jesse Fell is referred to as the "founding father" of Normal, he
was not involved in the original layout of the town, but he soon
became a central figure in the town’s development.
Jesse Fell is credited with many of the activities that built the fabric of the early town. Fell planted many trees on his properties, and the deeds to his lots had clauses that required the maintenance of the trees. In addition, Fell also placed clauses restricting the sale of alcohol on the deeds to the properties. Fell eventually became one of the most well known men in the history of the town, while the influence of Parkinson slowly faded.
In
1857, Governor William Bissell signed a bill to create a normal
school. The term "normal" was based on the French teaching schools
and was the general name for all schools set up to be teachers’
colleges. The bill stipulated that the permanent location would
be the place that offered the most favorable inducement. Jesse Fell
took up the campaign for Bloomington and obtained financial backing
totaling $141,000, which surpassed the closest contender of Peoria,
which raised $80,000. Abraham Lincoln, in his capacity as an attorney,
drew up the bond guaranteeing that Bloomington citizens would fulfill
their financial commitments. The University first held classes in
Bloomington while the campus was being built north of Bloomington.
Old Main, the all-purpose building for the University, was completed
in 1861 and the state’s first public institution of higher education
had a permanent home.
In 1865, the Town was founded under the name of Normal. Two years later in 1867, the Town of Normal was officially incorporated by state charter. Under the formal State of Illinois charter, a town government of five trustees was elected, sidewalks were constructed and the sale of "intoxicating drinks" was prohibited. This prohibition remained until the early 1970’s.
Eighteen sixty-five also saw the passage of legislation to establish a home for Civil War Orphans. Jesse Fell, in a process similar to that of acquiring Normal University, encouraged others to contribute in an effort to locate the home in Normal.
In
1867, the Civil War Orphans' Home, later known as the Illinois Soldiers'
and Sailors' Children's School, was offered to the Town of Normal,
and Normal accepted. One of the largest and most festive events
held in the young Town was the dedication ceremony of the home in
1869. People from all over the state came to witness the event.
By 10:00 am, more than 5000 people had gathered to witness the dedication.
Early industries in the Town included nurseries, horse breeders, and canneries. Normal’s nursery business had its beginnings in the 1850’s with the first nursery being located north and east of the town. Thomas Champion began his successful canning business in his basement in the 1870’s. The boom years for the businesses occurred in the 1880’s when the town became a shipping center for berries, small fruits, and vegetables. After the Civil War, the Dillon family brought their horse business, E. Dillon & Co., to Normal. They specialized in importing, breeding, and selling Percheron draught horses.
As
the century drew to a close, various civic improvements were made
in the Town. The first of these improvements came as a result of
a disaster. On August 4th, 1890 a grocery store along Beaufort Street
caught fire and caused the destruction of several downtown businesses.
As a result much of the downtown area was rebuilt in two-story brick
buildings that are still in use today. Beaufort Street was the first
street to be paved in 1892. Electric power was introduced to the
Town when a company was organized to provide electric lighting about
that same time. In 1890 and 1896, two business district fires led
to the purchase of a Town hand pump and a volunteer fire department.
Local doctors organized the first hospital, which would later become
Brokaw Hospital. Near the end of the century in 1898, the first
deep water well was built to meet the Town’s growing needs.
In 1899, following the Spanish-American War, the Civil War Orphans’ Home was amended to allow the children of soldiers and sailors of the Spanish-American War.
The early 1900’s again brought much civic improvement to the Town of Normal with the help of Mayor O.L. Manchester. Under his administration, Town debt was reduced, sewer projects were undertaken, and improvements were made to the roads and the waterworks.
In
1905, Mrs. Nancy Mason, one of Normal’s early Methodist pioneer
women, donated her home to the Baby Fold, a concept that was established
at the same time through the Deaconess Society of the Methodist
church. The home was created to see to the needs of dependent pre-school
aged children.
The 1920’s were a time of general growth for the Town of Normal. The automobile age brought more street paving and lighting projects. Unpaved streets began to be oiled. Houses were designed with garages. In 1925, buses began replacing streetcar lines in the Twin Cities. Improvements were also made to the water system and sewage treatment plant was constructed. The Civil War Orphans’ Home was again changed to accommodate any child that was a ward of the state. In 1931, the name of the home was officially changed to the Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s Home.
During the Depression, the Normal Community Council was formed. The council’s acts included forming a community gardening and canning program and establishing a reading room that eventually evolved into a public library. The Town also received benefits from the Federal Work Relief and the Work Progress Administration (WPA). These services were used in many places in the community. General road improvement projects and flood relief projects were a result of the WPA.
In
1934, Gus and Edith Belt attached a dining room to the side of their
Shell gas station and began to sell burgers and shakes. Gus’s idea
was to use choice cuts of beef to make ground hamburger, thus making
"Steakburgers." Their restaurant is known today as Steak ‘n Shake.
Although the Great Depression was hurting the nation, Illinois State Normal University (ISNU) was benefiting. ISNU reached a new high of 1,850 students in 1935. During this height in enrollment, the campus developed further with the construction of several new buildings.
Another
added piece of Normal’s history was completed and opened in
1937. The first theater was built in the area that was
specifically built for sound films, or "talkies." The theater was a novelty at the
time with its air conditioning system and a sound system that was
equal to Radio City Music Hall’s.
The Town of Normal continued to grow in the 1940’s. In 1950, Normal’s population was just 225 persons short 10,000. The two decades after WWII brought about tremendous growth to Illinois State Normal University. The new campus area west of Main Street was created, as were high-rise dormitories. By 1964, the University had officially changed its name to Illinois State University, and by 1973, ISU was no longer just a teachers’ training school, but rather a multipurpose institution. Along with ISU’s growth, Normal also developed. Between 1960 and 1970 Normal nearly doubled in population with a growth rate of 97.6%.
In 1970, a big push for the unification of the City of Bloomington and the Town of Normal failed. There was a great deal of media coverage in the two cities, which sparked heated debate that lasted throughout the year. The Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home was officially closed in 1979 by the State after several attempts to keep it open.
The Town continued growing as years passed. Between 1970 and 1980, Normal experienced a tremendous growth rate of 35%. By 1983, Normal’s population had reached 37,000.
In 1988, the Town of Normal, in cooperation with the State of Illinois, became home to Diamond Star Motors, now called Mitsubishi Motors North America. The manufacturing plant, which is located in the enterprise zone on the northwest side of Normal, manufactures several models of Mitsubishi cars.
Today, Normal spans 16.92 square miles and has a population of 50,519. The Town of Normal employs more than 350 individuals who strive to provide a quality environment in which to live, work, and play.
The information in this history was taken from the Town of Normal Comprehensive Plan, which used the following sources:
- The Legacy: A Survey of the Historical Architecture of the Town of Normal by Carl Ekberg, Ann Malone, and William Walter.
- A Pictorial History of the Town of Normal published by The Normalite
- The Beginnings of Normal, Illinois by Harold K. Sage
- Souvenirs of History – Normal, Illinois by Eloise B. Craig et al
We recommend these books for those interested in learning more about the history of the Town of Normal. All of these books can be found at the Normal Public Library.