Search our Collections Catalog

Join the Champaign County History Museum as we invite local Author and Historian Brian Adams to explore the historic Lincoln Hotel designed by local architect Joseph William Royer through its construction and its integration into the Lincoln Square Mall.

Join the Champaign County History Museum this month as we welcome museum volunteer Anna Sielaff to present her research into the life and career of baseball icon Dorothy Schroeder. For the first time discover Dorothy's upbringing and her life outside of the diamond.

Join the Champaign County History Museum this month as our Museum Manager Will Best introduces his research into the unincorporated community of Myra, IL. Discover the untold stories of the Silver Family their tragedies and the history of Myra Station and its grain elevator.

Join the Champaign County History Museum for our last history talk of 2023 as we sit down with renowned author and Lincoln Scholar Professor Ted Widmer as he discusses his most recent publication on Lincoln's journey to the White House from Springfield, IL.

Join us for the conpansion History Talk to our 2019 exhibit "The Great Harris Mansion Heist". Champaign Police historian Zane Ziegler brings the story to life with recently uncovered police files and photographs that haven't been seen in 90 years. This brazen heist happened on November 9, 1929 during a post Illini game party hosted by Henry Harris at his manion Elmwood. The event happened just days after the the stock market crash in 1929 and marked an end to the opulent 20s and the opening days of the great depression. While the exhibit has closed, you can still visit a 3D version of the exhibit "The Great Harris Mansion Heist". Exhibit Page: https://www.champaigncountyhistory.org/heist 3D Experience: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=zfXpcQuko4S

Join the Champaign County History Museum as we invite Professor Emeritus of Journalism at the University of Illinois Matthew Ehrlich to the stage to explore a fascinating look at academic freedom in the 1960s. The talk is based on Professor Ehlichs' book of the same title.

Take a look back at the creation of the Samuel Busey Memorial Library, also known as the Urbana Free Library. Former Museum Manager Tom Kuipers visited the topic as a graduate intern at the Champaign County Archives, before his time at the Champaign County History Museum.

This month's History Talk features our resident theater historian and Museum Vice President Perry Morris beginning a two-part series focusing on the Sale Family history. This month we are introduced to Urbana's Leading Man, Charles "Chick" Sale. Born in 1885 the son of Frank and Lillie Belle Sale. During the talk, we trace his path from the vaudeville stage to the movies of Hollywood. Perry will recount his upbringing in Urbana and focus on many of his leading and groundbreaking roles on the stage and silver screen.