BLOOMINGTON, Ill., city and county seat of McLean County, situated near the geo graphical centre of the State, 126 miles south of Chicago and on the Illinois Central, Chicago & Alton, Big Four and Lake Erie & Western railroads. Bloomington is in the heart of the famous Illinois corn belt, surrounded by one of the richest and most productive agri cultural sections in the world, where the largest nurseries in the State, comprising over 1,000 acres, are located. It is engaged in the manu facture of farm implements, flour and feed, stoves and furnaces, brick and tile, canned goods, harness, store fixtures and portable elevators; has coal shaft lifting 700 tons of coal per day, ornamental iron works and cigar factories, a brewery and a pork-packing estab lishment. There are seven banks — three na tional and four State— with a combined capital and surplus of $1,815,000, and deposits of $8,000,000. The city has three beautiful parks and is noted for its fine brick pavements and beautiful drives, having more than any other city of its size. There are 32 churches of all denominations, a fine public school system, with a high school, 12 grammar schools, three parochial schools and several excellent private schools; a commercial college, a college of oratory and three of music. Bloomington has
one of the largest and best selected public libraries in the State and several law libraries. The Illinois Wesleyan University (q.v.) and the Soldier's Orphan Home are located here, and the Illinois State Normal University (q.v.), which has long been known as one of the best institutions in the Union for the education of teachers, is situated at Normal, a suburb about two miles distant from the court-house, and con nected by electric railway. Among the public buildings are a large court-house, four opera houses, and several commodious public halls. The city was first settled by pioneers from New England and Kentucky and became a borough in 1831 and was incorporated in 1851. The government is vested in a mayor and a board of four commissioners elected biennially. The city has an electric railway system, operat ing over 20 miles of track, and a well-trained fire department; is lighted by gas and electricity and controls its water works. Pop. (1915) 30,000.