The Champaign County History Museum is embarking on an effort to digitize Champaign County newspapers. This new initiative begins with the St. Joseph Record. Committee Chair Mary Butzow looks at this new initiative and presents a history of the St. Joseph Record during the war years.

Join us for a look back at 2022 and look forward to 2023. Also, Mary Butzow joins us for a deeper look at our new Champaign County Newspaper Initiative and a "History Talk" on the history of the St. Joseph Record.

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.

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

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.

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.

This month's History Talk features our resident theater historian and Museum Vice President Perry Morris as he returns for part two of the Sale Family history. This month we are introduced to Urbana's Hollywood Starlet, Virginia Sale, the sister of Urbana's Leading Man Chick Sale. Virginia was born in Urbana in 1899, the daughter of Frank and Lillie Belle Sale. He followed her brother to the stage and became an acclaimed character actress in her own right. She was active on stage, in film and television, and on the radio for nearly 50 years. She is famous for her one-woman stage show "Americana Sketches". Perry will recount her upbringing in Urbana and focus on many of her leading and groundbreaking roles on the stage and silver screen.

The 8th Circuit Marker project was initiated in a 1914 joint meeting of DAR chapters of C-U and Danville, at the home of our founding Regent Kate Baker Busey, and with the influence of Judge J.O. Cunningham, who already was a very old man by then. The Illinois State Organization of DAR (ISO DAR) took on the project, extending support through the Lincoln Circuit Marking Association, which was established for the purpose and functioning under the auspices of the ISO DAR. Markers were placed at the County Courthouses of what had been Lincoln's trail of the 8th Judicial Circuit, and similar guidepost markers were placed out in the hinterlands where his trail crossed from one county to the next. Lincoln traveled the judicial circuit as a lawyer, during which time he was honing skills that served him in meeting the challenges of his presidency. The markers were placed over a period of several years: an extant printed program for the marker dedications has 1922 ceremony dates for events around east and central Illinois. The Marking Association dissolved about a decade later, and the ISO DAR, with area chapters, continues to address historic preservation of the markers as interest and funding are available.

This month, our intern Azaan Qureshi will examine the life and accomplishments of Abel Harwood, a Champaign County pioneer, and the correspondence that is in the CCHM’s collection relating to him. Harwood was noted for his efforts toward the first Illinois state constitution and as the owner of the famous Harwood-Solon House on State Street, Champaign. Azzan's temporary exhibit on Abel Harwood is available for viewing now in our lobby.

Join the Champaign County History Museum as we step back to the age of electric interurbans. Illinois Traction Society President Dale Jenkins joins and explores the creation of the system by Champaign County native William B. McKinley as well as the fifty-plus-year history of the line.

Museum Treasurer Delora Seibrecht celebrated Women's History Month with this special History Talk. Delora discusses the life of her two inspirational Aunts, Nedra Weeks and Mary Lou Brown. Aunt Nedra began her career as an Illinois Bell Telephone operator and rose to the top of the Illinois Bell system. Aunt Mary Lou was featured in our exhibit "When We Went to War" as being the first female Western Union Telegraph Delivery Girl when her brothers went to war. She and her husband lived their life in Philo running the local Dog N. Subs. The talk focuses on the lives of these two women and women like them in a changing Champaign County. Delora touched on what has inspired her about these women and how their inspiration has impacted her and others in our communities.

Join us for a look back at 2021 and look forward to 2022. Craig McGonigal also joins us for a "History Talk" on the history of early photography.

This talk was given live on the Virginia Theatre stage on October 9, 2021 by T.J. Blakeman, Champaign County History Museum President, and Perry Morris, Vice President. First opened on December 28, 1921, the Virginia Theatre—listed on the National Registry of Historic Places—has long been Champaign County’s premier stand-alone theatre, evolving through the decades from silent to “talking” films and from vaudeville and (so-called) “legitimate” theatre to today’s live rock and country-music concerts, comedy, touring Broadway shows, and more. Presented by the Champaign Park District and the Champaign County History Museum.

Join the Champaign County History Museum Board of Trustees for a recap of the historic 2020 year and dive deeper into this year's largest donation, the Marajen Stevick-Chinigo/News-Gazette Collection.

Learn about the success of the Champaign County History Museum over the past year and hear the interesting story of the Harris Mansion Robbery that is...

Speaker series - David Anderson

Champaign County History Museum Speaker Series - Lex Tate

The incredible WWII story of Charles “Chick” Bruns as told by his son John Bruns. Chick had one of the most complete and documented war experiences by an enlisted man in the war. From Tunisia to the Eagles Nest, this is a local war story unlike any other.

Historic Sites of Champaign County - Rick Williams

The History of the History Museum with Hal Balbach

The Four Color Theorum

CCHM speaker series - University Archivist William Maher

CCHM Speaker Series - Perry Morris

100 Year's of the Samuel Busey Memorial Library

CCHM Speaker Series - "Gambling Hotspots in Champaign"

Busey vs. Cannon: The Election of 1890.

History Talks - Powering the University of Illinois