Normal, Illinois
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Normal is a town in
McLean County, Illinois McLean County is a U.S. county in the east central region of Illinois, and is the largest county by land area in the state. According to the 2020 Census, it had a population of 170,954. Its county seat is Bloomington. McLean County is includ ...
, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 52,736. Normal is the smaller of two principal cities of the
Bloomington–Normal The Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area, commonly known as the Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area or Bloomington–Normal, is a metropolitan statistical area in Central Illinois anchored by the twin municipalities of Bloo ...
metropolitan area, and is Illinois' seventh most populous community outside the
Chicago metropolitan area The Chicago metropolitan area, also referred to as Chicagoland, is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the Midwest, containing the City of Chicago along with its surrounding suburbs and satellite cities. ...
. The main campus of Illinois' oldest public university,
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...
, a fully accredited four-year institution, is in Normal, as is
Heartland Community College Heartland Community College is a public community college with campuses in Normal, Lincoln, and Pontiac, Illinois. History The state of Illinois is divided into community college districts. Students desiring to attend a community college in ...
, a fully accredited two-year institution. Chris Koos has been the mayor of Normal since 2003.


History

The town was laid out with the name North Bloomington on June 7, 1854, by Joseph Parkinson. From its founding, it was generally recognized that Jesse W. Fell was the force behind the creation of the town. He had arranged for the new railroad, which would soon become the Chicago and Alton Railroad, to pass west of Bloomington and then curve to cross the
Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the Central United States. Its primary routes connected Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama, and thus, ...
at a point where he owned or controlled land. Most of the original town lies south of these tracks, with Beaufort Street as its northern limit, and some blocks west of the Illinois Central and north of the tracks. Fell, his brothers, and associates quickly laid out many additions to the original town. The town was renamed Normal in February 1865 and officially incorporated on February 25, 1867.History of Normal
The name was taken from Illinois State Normal University, a normal school (teacher-training institution) located there. The school has since been renamed
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...
after becoming a general four-year university. Normal is adjacent to
Bloomington, Illinois Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census showed the city had a population of 78,680, making it the List of municipalities in Illinois, 13th-most populous ci ...
, and when mentioned together they are known as the "Twin Cities", "
Bloomington–Normal The Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area, commonly known as the Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area or Bloomington–Normal, is a metropolitan statistical area in Central Illinois anchored by the twin municipalities of Bloo ...
", "BN", or "BloNo". In 2007, the
town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland In 2002, 49 urban district councils and 26 town commissi ...
voted to name the downtown area "Uptown Normal", and, as of 2011, Uptown Normal is home to the Children's Discovery Museum, Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, Hyatt Place Hotel, Uptown Station and Town Hall, Brewe-Ha's Bar and Grill, and a variety of local shops and restaurants all centered around a roundabout. The district is also home to the historic non-profit
Normal Theater The Normal Theater, also known as the Normal Theatre, is a cinema located in the downtown area of Normal, Illinois of the United States of America, which is located in McLean County. The theater closed for a time in the early 1990s but reopened i ...
, a restored
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
theater owned by the Town of Normal that shows classic and independent films. On August 31, 2021, a
mass shooting A mass shooting is a violent crime in which one or more attackers use a firearm to Gun violence, kill or injure multiple individuals in rapid succession. There is no widely accepted specific definition, and different organizations tracking su ...
occurred at a mobile home park in Normal that left three people dead and three more injured. The deceased were two women and a man, the latter being the gunman. He was killed by numerous Normal Police Officers after they discharged their firearms at him .


Geography

According to the 2010 census, Normal has a total area of , of which , or 99.66%, is land and , or 0.34%, is water.


Climate


Demographics


2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 45,386 people, 15,157 households, and 8,184 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 15,683 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 87.57%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 7.71%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.15% Native American, 2.21% Asian, 0.04%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.93% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.56% of the population. There were 15,157 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were
married Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96. In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 17.5% under the age of 18, 38.1% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 13.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $40,379, and the median income for a family was $60,644. Males had a median income of $41,323 versus $27,486 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $17,775. About 5.6% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

The original Steak 'n Shake restaurant opened in Normal in 1934. Mitsubishi Motors North America and
Chrysler Corporation FCA US, LLC, doing business as Stellantis North America and known historically as Chrysler ( ), is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of ...
established a manufacturing plant under the joint venture Diamond-Star Motors in 1986. It was Mitsubishi's only North American car manufacturing facility. It was closed May 31, 2016, and purchased by Rivian Automotive in January 2017. Farnsworth Group, a national architecture and engineering firm with over 500 employees, announced it will be relocating its headquarters to Uptown Normal in the 5-story, $30M, Trail East Development expected to open in 2020, though as of September 2024 the development had stalled. Afni, a national customer service firm, and Illinois State University's Small Business Development Incubator (SBDI) are also expected to move into Trail East.
Rivian Rivian Automotive, Inc., is an American electric vehicle manufacturer and automotive technology company founded in 2009. Rivian produces an electric sport utility vehicle (SUV), a pickup truck on a Skateboard (automotive platform), "skateboard" ...
's largest U.S. manufacturing plant is in Normal, where it builds all-electric vehicles since 2021.
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...
has ordered more than 100,000 electric vehicles to be built at the plant.
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
has described how the company has had a transformational effect on Normal. The town's major retail center is on Veterans Parkway on the east side of town. It includes The Shoppes at College Hills, an outdoor mall on the site of the former College Hills Mall.


Arts and culture

The Children's Discovery Museum in uptown Normal provides hands-on exhibits, classes and programs for children. The museum has three floors of exhibits including a two-story mesh climber for children to climb to the third floor and a agriculture exhibit called AgMazing. The museum also offers education programs and houses the Discover More! Store. In 2010, the Children's Discovery Museum was deemed the best creative children's experience in Illinois by Media World USA's "Best of" Series. The Children's Discovery Museum was subsequently featured on a Best of Illinois television program on CBS 2 WBBM Chicago and on the Travel Channel. The Illinois State University Planetarium offers a variety of science and astronomy programs for children from preschool to high-school. The planetarium is located in Felmley Hall of Science on ISU's campus. Public programs are usually offered on weekends and during special events. The Challenger Learning Center relocated to Heartland Community College in 2010. The Challenger Learning Center promotes leadership, communication, problem-solving and critical thinking skills while offering an interactive, simulated space and science experience through scheduled team missions for students, public and corporate groups. The Normal Public Library first began as a Reading Room sponsored by the Community Council with Margaret Hanna overseeing the collection of three hundred books. In 1938, citizens voted to help support the library through donations. In 1973, the library moved to its current location at 206 W. College Avenue. As of 2018, the library's collection has grown to nearly 200,000 materials.


Theatre

Normal Theater The Normal Theater, also known as the Normal Theatre, is a cinema located in the downtown area of Normal, Illinois of the United States of America, which is located in McLean County. The theater closed for a time in the early 1990s but reopened i ...
opened in 1937 and was the first theater in Bloomington-Normal built specifically for sound films. The strong art-deco design was, at the time, very avant-garde for a small Illinois town. The Normal Theater has been completely restored to its original condition. In addition to showing classic movies and independent films, the theater is used for a variety of activities including group outings, meetings and other events where assembly seating is required. Braden Auditorium, located inside
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...
's Bone Student Center, serves as the hub of student life at ISU and a landmark resource to the Bloomington-Normal community. The Auditorium seats 3,457. Eight to ten annual shows feature a variety of Broadway musicals, pop and country stars, touring variety shows, comedians and big name performers. The Town of Normal Parks and Recreation Department's "Normal Summer Music Theatre" program celebrated its 40th season in 2011. This program invites students in grades 8–12 to perform in two different productions each summer at the Connie Link Amphitheater. Heartland Theatre Company performs a number of plays every season. Heartland's Annual 10-Minute Play Festival attracts playwrights from all over the country and their "New Plays from the Heartland" Midwest One-Act Play Competition allows winning playwrights from eight Midwest states to share their original works with audiences. The Illinois State University Center for the Performing Arts provides the ISU campus and greater Central Illinois community with a wide variety of cultural activities. More than 20,000 people attend annual performances produced by the Illinois State University Schools of Music and Theatre in the center and all performances are open to the public. The Prairie Fire Theatre is a not-for-profit organization, incorporated in 1998. All events are performed and directed by local talent, drawing from a largely untapped but highly skilled pool of professional artists.


Events

Make Music Normal has coincided with the international Make Music Day in June since 2013. The two-day festival highlights musicians from the Central Illinois area on multiple stages around Uptown. Local artists and vendors complete the festival atmosphere. Established in 1983, the Sugar Creek Arts Festival is held each autumn in Uptown Normal. The combination of high-quality art, live music and food has kept the streets of Normal full of color and activity for over 22 years. The festival has a unique trait- only original pieces of artwork are shown; not copies of prints or items purchased overseas. The Sugar Creek Arts Festival, hosted by the McLean Country Arts Center, is one of the largest art festivals in Central Illinois and continues to grow. The Sweet Corn Blues Festival is held each August in Uptown Normal and features over 50,000 ears of fresh sweet corn, sidewalk sales, arts, crafts and flea market vendors. The festival also serves as a welcome back for students at Illinois State University. Beginning in 1978 with twenty-one performances on the tennis courts of Ewing Manor, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival has grown to become an internationally recognized company; now putting on thirty-six performances each season in a state-of-the-art, Elizabethan-style theater. In 2009, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival was named one of the ten best theatre festivals anywhere by author Susan Magsamen in her book, "The 10 Best of Everything Families: An Ultimate Guide for Travelers", published by ''
National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...
''.


Historic sites

The Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's School, operated from 1865 until 1979, when it was officially closed. The reasons for closure included a rising high per capita cost of care, the deterioration of many campus buildings, and dwindling numbers of children referred by state agencies. Though several of the original structures have been abandoned and left derelict, others have been converted for a number of uses. These include a seniors community, a commercial pool providing swim lessons, and a community football field. These three locations are listed in the National Register of Historic Places: * Camelback Bridge * John W. Cook Hall *
Normal Theater The Normal Theater, also known as the Normal Theatre, is a cinema located in the downtown area of Normal, Illinois of the United States of America, which is located in McLean County. The theater closed for a time in the early 1990s but reopened i ...
In December 2010, a
Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) is one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The high ...
Wayside Exhibit was installed at the historic Sprague's Super Service building in Normal. The exhibit tells the story of Route 66's great significance and impact on the community. Visitors are welcome anytime during daylight hours.


Parks and recreation

Normal offers many parks and facilities. As of February 2011, there are 24 parks, facilities and trails operated by the Town of Normal. Fairview and David S. Anderson parks include swimming pools; Fairview Park includes a skate park for in-line skating and skateboarding; Carden Park includes "Safety Town", a place for pre-school aged children to "drive" tricycles complete with traffic signs; and Maxwell Park has a fenced-in dog park and Champion Fields. The Bloomington-Normal Constitution Trail is a trail that operates on dedicated right-of-way through much of the city. The north–south segment of the trail follows the abandoned Illinois Central Gulf railroad from Kerrick Road in Normal to Grove Street in Bloomington. The east–west segment intersects the north segment at Normal City Hall Annex and continues east to Towanda-Barnes Road. The Liberty Branch begins at Commerce Drive and ends at Old Farm Lakes Subdivision. The Freedom Branch begins at Lincoln Street and ends at Route 9 West. The trail is open to walkers, runners, in-line skaters, skateboarders, cyclists, wheelchair users, and other non-motorized forms of transportation. During winter months, it is not cleared of snow, and is available to skiers; weather permitting. The Ecology Action Center is a walk-in information and environmental education center for individuals, classes, workshops, and meetings. Opened in 1995, it provides the community with practical workshops on recycling, composting and energy saving, nature walks and educational field trips for schools and groups. Various publications and materials are available.


Sports


Golf

In 2005, ''
Golf Digest ''Golf Digest'' is a monthly golf magazine published by Warner Bros. Discovery through its TNT Sports unit. It is a generalist golf publication covering recreational golf and men's and women's competitive golf. The magazine started by John F. ...
'' ranked Bloomington-Normal as the Fifth Best American City for Golf in their "Best in America" Metro Golf Rankings. ''Golf Digest'' ranked America's largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas on four different criteria: access to golf, weather, value of golf, and quality of golf. * Ironwood Golf Course: 6,960 yards, Par 72, 18 holes. Ironwood Golf Course, owned and operated by the Town of Normal Parks and Recreation Department, is a championship course that includes four water hazards and four sets of tees that range from 5,580 to 6,960 yards. Ironwood's attributes, which include a grass tee driving range, large practice putting greens, a practice bunker, banquet room, pro shop, carts and individual or group lessons, offer a challenging test to players of all abilities. The 18-hole course, which opened in 1990, has hosted high school regional, sectional and conference championship tournaments and numerous collegiate tournaments; as well as state amateur qualification tournaments. Ironwood also hosts the COUNTRY Youth Classic each summer. * Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State University: 6,730 yards, Par 71, 18 holes. Weibring Golf Club, formerly known as University Golf Course, is located near the northwest corner of the
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...
campus. The course was designed by golf course architect Robert Bruce Harris and opened for play in 1964. Re-designed in 2000, the course features bent grass greens, tees and fairways, continuous cart paths from tee to green, strategically placed bunkers and a variety of tees for every skill level. Weibring Golf Course has hosted IHSA Regional, Sectional and State Championships, NCAA Regional Championships and Intercollegiate Tournaments as well as annually hosting the COUNTRY Youth Classic. * Golf Learning Center: Located at All Seasons, the Golf Learning Center is a synthetic turf facility, named one of the top 100 American golf ranges by ''Golf Range Magazine''.


Facilities

CEFCU Arena, formerly known as Redbird Arena is a 10,200-seat sports arena at Illinois State University. The arena is the home to the Illinois State Redbirds men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams. In addition, the arena also hosts the Illinois High School Association Girls Volleyball State Finals, Illinois High School Association Girls Basketball State Finals, Gamma Phi Circus, concerts, tournaments, conferences, job fairs, and other events. Champion Fields at Maxwell Park has a
seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...
of 2,300 and 10 lighted softball fields. The fields are divided into three areas, each equipped with a concessions stand, restrooms, and seating for spectators. Champion Fields has played host to state, national and world softball events since 1996 including the NJCAA Division II Softball National Championship, Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Girls’ 18-Under Fastpitch National Tournament, and the State Farm Illinois Collegiate Softball Championship. The Corn Crib is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 7,000 patrons. The Corn Crib is home to the Normal CornBelters baseball team of the Prospect League and has been selected to host the Illinois High School Association Class 1A Boys Soccer State Finals through 2015. Hancock Stadium is a 13,391-seat multi-purpose stadium at Illinois State University. The stadium is home to the Illinois State Redbirds football team, while also playing host to several annual events such as the State of Illinois Invitational High School Marching Band Championship and the Special Olympics State Summer Games. The newly renovated stadium includes 7 luxury boxes and 500 club seats, all of which provide access to the 5,500 square foot Hancock Stadium Club, which plays host to a variety of events outside football games, including receptions, banquets, weddings, and private events. The stadium is also highlighted by the addition of a 26 ft x 47 ft
Daktronics Daktronics, Inc. is an American company based in Brookings, South Dakota, that designs, manufactures, sells, and services video displays, scoreboards, digital billboards, dynamic message signs, sound systems, and related products. It was found ...
15HD LED Video Display in the north endzone.


Teams

* Illinois State Redbirds - Illinois State University Sports Teams * Heartland Hawks - Heartland CC Sports teams * Twin City Storm - minor league football team @ Hancock Stadium of the MFL and MLFA


Education


Primary and secondary

The Town of Normal is in the McLean County Unit District No. 5, which includes Normal Community High School, Normal Community West High School, and Kingsley Junior High School Two schools in Normal are operated by Illinois State University: University High School and Thomas Metcalf Elementary. Private schools include Cornerstone Christian Academy, Epiphany Catholic School, and Calvary Christian Academy.


Colleges and universities

Normal is also home to two centers of higher learning.
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...
, founded in 1857, was the first public university in the state, and is one of the Midwest's oldest institutions of higher education. It is a co-educational, residential university with an emphasis on the undergraduate program, offering more than 160 fields of undergraduate study. The Graduate School coordinates 38 masters, two specialist and seven doctoral programs. The campus includes over 60 major buildings with state-of-the-art technology. Watterson Towers is one of the tallest dorm buildings in the world. From meeting facilities to cultural opportunities through the arts and excitement of numerous sporting events each year, ISU is a vital part of the Bloomington-Normal community.
Heartland Community College Heartland Community College is a public community college with campuses in Normal, Lincoln, and Pontiac, Illinois. History The state of Illinois is divided into community college districts. Students desiring to attend a community college in ...
has more than 4,800 students, and is the youngest community college in Illinois. Heartland Community College offers training in more than 40 career fields in innovative and technologically progressive leaning facilities. Classrooms and labs combine the latest advances in technology with the type of personal, hands-on instruction students need to reach their academic goals. The HCC Campus features a library, community meeting spaces, a pond, bookstore, café and numerous locations for students to study or work on school projects. Recently, Heartland completed a new Corporate Education Center and founded an athletic program that includes baseball, softball and men's and women's soccer teams.


Weekend education

Bloomington/Normal Japanese Saturday School (ブルーミントン・ノーマル補習授業校 ''Burūminton Nōmaru Hoshū Jugyō Kō''), a Japanese weekend school, was established in 1986 and held at the Thomas Metcalf School. It has a separate office in Normal.


Police

The Normal Police Department consists of 81 sworn officers and 26 civilian staff. The Chief of Police is Stephen A. Petrilli Jr. The department is nationally accredited by the Commission for Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The department provides 24-hour town-wide coverage. In addition to deploying officers in patrol cars, the department also deploys officers on bike patrols and has been doing so since the 1980s. The department also has a full-time Criminal Investigation Division and two full-service canines.


Media


Print

* ''
The Pantagraph ''The Pantagraph'' is a daily newspaper that serves Bloomington–Normal, Illinois, along with 60 communities and eight counties in the Central Illinois area. Its headquarters are in Bloomington and it is owned by Lee Enterprises. The name is ...
'', local newspaper – daily * ''Normalite'' newspaper — weekly * '' The Vidette'', ISU student newspaper − semiweekly


FM radio

* 88.1 WESN,
Illinois Wesleyan University Illinois Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Bloomington, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856. History The in ...
College radio * 89.1 WGLT,
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...
Public Radio/NPR * 91.5 WCIC, Christian AC (RDS) * 93.7 WJBC-FM, Nash FM/Nash Icons (RDS) * 94.9 WXRJ-LP,
Community radio Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial broadcasting, commercial and public broadcasting. Community broadcasting, Community stations serve geographic communities and communities o ...
* 96.7 WIHN "96.7 I-Rock",
Active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...
(RDS) * 97.9 WBBE "97.9 Bob FM", Adult hits (RDS) * 98.9 W255AI (Translates 91.5 WCIC), Christian AC (RDS) * 99.5 WZIM "Magic 99.5", AC (RDS) * 100.1 W261BK (Translates 88.5 WBNH), Religious Music * 100.7 WWHX "Hits 100.7", CHR (RDS) * 101.5
WBNQ WBNQ (101.5 FM) is the most powerful FM radio station in McLean County, Illinois, United States, broadcasting on at 50,000 watts of effective radiated power. It has had a contemporary hit radio music format since 1975. History WBNQ first sig ...
, CHR/Pop (RDS – Artist/Title) * 103.3 WZND-LP "Fuzed Radio", Illinois State University student radio station
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
(Also simulcast on cable channel 4 available in student dorm rooms) (RDS) * 104.1
WBWN WBWN (104.1 FM, "B104") is a radio station licensed to the community of Le Roy, Illinois, and serving the greater Bloomington, Illinois, area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media.Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
(RDS – Artist/Title) * 107.7
WIBL WIBL (107.7 FM), known as "The Bull", is a commercial radio station in Central Illinois with a country music radio format. WIBL is licensed to Fairbury, Illinois, and serves the Bloomington-Normal radio market. It is owned by Pilot Media ...
"The Bull 107.7",
Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
(RDS)


AM radio

* 1230 WJBC,
News/Talk Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, interviews ...


Transportation

Normal is served by I-39, I-55,
Interstate 74 Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange with I-75 in ...
, one
railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
line, the Central Illinois Regional Airport (BMI) in neighboring Bloomington, and Connect Transit provides public bus service in the area.


Highways

Interstate Highways
Interstate 39 Interstate 39 (I-39) is a north–south Interstate Highway in Illinois and Wisconsin that runs from an interchange at I-55 in Normal, Illinois, to State Trunk Highway 29 (WIS 29) approximately south of Wausau, Wisconsin. In to ...

Interstate 55 Interstate 55 (I-55) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. The ...

Interstate 74 Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange with I-75 in ...

US Highways
US 51 U.S. Route 51 or U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) is a major south–north United States highway that extends from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana, to within of the Wisconsin–Michigan state line. As most of the United States Numbered Hi ...

US 150
Illinois Highways
Route 9
Interstate 55 Interstate 55 (I-55) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes. The ...
wraps around the north and northwest edge of the town.
Interstate 74 Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchange with I-75 in ...
shares the I-55 roadway on the western edge of Normal before splitting off toward the northwest. Normal is the southern terminus of
Interstate 39 Interstate 39 (I-39) is a north–south Interstate Highway in Illinois and Wisconsin that runs from an interchange at I-55 in Normal, Illinois, to State Trunk Highway 29 (WIS 29) approximately south of Wausau, Wisconsin. In to ...
. Historic
Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) is one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The high ...
runs through the town.


Airport

The Central Illinois Regional Airport is on Route 9 in Bloomington, approximately east-southeast from Uptown Normal. The airport is served by four airlines, five rental car agencies, and has direct daily flights to
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
,
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, and Dallas-Ft. Worth. A record 559,481 passengers flew to or from CIRA in 2010.


Mass transit

Connect Transit has 13 color-coded fixed routes in the area; a lift-assisted paratransit service called NiteRide, which operates when Illinois State University is in session; and a campus shuttle for ISU called Redbird Express.


Rail

The Bloomington-Normal Amtrak station is in Normal at 11 Uptown Circle. It was designed by RATIO Architects. The station is served daily by four ''
Lincoln Service The ''Lincoln Service'' is a higher-speed rail service operated by Amtrak that runs between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. The train is a part of the '' Illinois Service'' and is partially funded by the Illinois Department of Tra ...
'' trains in each direction between
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
and
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
, and one ''
Texas Eagle The ''Texas Eagle'' is a long-distance passenger train operated daily by Amtrak on a route between Chicago, Illinois, and San Antonio, Texas, with major stops in St. Louis, Little Rock, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin. Three days per week, t ...
'' in each direction between
San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
and Chicago. Three days a week, the ''Eagle'' continues on to
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. The station also serves connecting bus service to Peoria and
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
stations in Galesburg and Champaign-Urbana. It is Illinois' third-busiest Amtrak station after Chicago and Champaign-Urbana's Illinois Terminal, servicing about 92,000 passengers in fiscal year 2021. Traveling to Bloomington-Normal by Amtrak is a two-and-a-half-hour ride from St. Louis and Chicago.


Notable people

* Andrew Bacevich, historian and author; born in Normal *
Edna Dean Baker Edna Dean Baker (1883–1956) was an educator, author, co-founder of Baker Demonstration School, and President of the National Kindergarten and Elementary College (later to become National Louis University) from 1920 to 1949. She was an early ...
, educator and college president; born in Normal * Keita Bates-Diop, 48th overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft * Wally Bishop, cartoonist; born in Normal * Jon Bowermaster, oceans expert, journalist, filmmaker and adventurer; born in Normal * Eleanor Coen, artist; born in Normal * Ellen Crawford, actress; born in Normal * Jim Crews, basketball coach at
Saint Louis University Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Missi ...
* Pop Dillon, first baseman for the
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
,
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
,
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
and
Brooklyn Superbas The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brookl ...
; born in Normal * Robert B. Duncan, US congressman from
Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...
*
Colton Dunn Colton Dunn (born June 30, 1977) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Garrett McNeil on the NBC workplace comedy '' Superstore'' (2015–2021), his work on Comedy Central sketch comedy series '' Key & Peele ...
, comedian, actor, and writer, notable for his work on '' Key & Peele'' * Kevin Eggan, professor of
molecular biology Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecule, molecular basis of biological activity in and between Cell (biology), cells, including biomolecule, biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactio ...
at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
; born in Normal * Robert S. Ellwood, expert on world religions; born in Normal *
Carrie Etter Carrie Etter (born 1969) is an American-born poet, critic, and academic. Her work explores the articulation of trauma and grief through formal innovation in poetry, the craft of poetry (particularly prose poetry and ecopoetry), 20th and 21st-centu ...
, poet; residing in the UK since 2001 * Jeff Fowler, director * Richard Godfrey, mayor of Normal (1976–1985) *
Jesse Hibbs Jesse John Hibbs (January 11, 1906 – February 4, 1985) was an American film director, film and television director and American football, football player. He played college football for the USC Trojans football, USC Trojans, earning consensu ...
, film director and college football star; born in Normal * Richard Hovey, poet; born in Normal * Michael Jantze, comic book author; raised in Normal * Pokey LaFarge, American roots & blues musician & singer, spent teenage years in Normal *
Ryan Martinie Ryan Daniel Martinie (born August 6, 1975) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for heavy metal band Mudvayne. Career Mudvayne In 1996, Mudvayne was formed. They initially had a different bass player, Shawn Allen (Barclay was a j ...
, bassist; raised in Normal * Ralph Eugene Meatyard, photographer; born in Normal * Ogonna Nnamani, member of the US Olympic volleyball team; born in Normal * Andrew Osenga, musician and songwriter * Awadagin Pratt, musician; raised in Normal * Gordon Ropp, Illinois state representative and farmer; born in Normal * Roger Sedarat, poet; born in Normal * Duke Slater, college and professional football player (enshrined in both Halls of Fame) *
McLean Stevenson Edgar McLean Stevenson Jr. (November 14, 1927 – February 15, 1996) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake in the television series '' M*A*S*H'', which earned him a Golden Globe Awa ...
, actor; born in Normal * Brock Stewart, pitcher for
Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...
; born in Normal * Robert C. Underwood, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court; lived in Normal *
David Foster Wallace David Foster Wallace (February 21, 1962 – September 12, 2008) was an American writer and professor who published novels, short stories, and essays. He is best known for his 1996 novel ''Infinite Jest'', which ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine ...
, award-winning author, professor at
Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...
in Normal (1993–2002)


In popular culture

* The chorus of "I Got High" by Clem Snide ('' The Meat of Life'', 429 Records) includes the lyrics: ::"''I got high with a Sufjan Stevens fan in Normal, Illinois'' ::''And this song goes out to all you beautiful'' ::''American girls and boys''" * "Normal" by
Big Country Big Country are a Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981. The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s, although they have retained a cult following for many years since. The band's music inc ...
(Restless Natives & Rarities, 1998) * '' Way to Normal'' by Ben Folds (2008) * " Normal, IL" by ''Camp Trash (2024)''


Sister cities

*
Bloomington, Illinois Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census showed the city had a population of 78,680, making it the List of municipalities in Illinois, 13th-most populous ci ...
*
Asahikawa is a Cities of Japan, city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture, and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a Core cities of Japan, core city since April 1, 2000. The city i ...
,
Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...
, Japan *
Vladimir, Russia Vladimir (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Klyazma River, east of Moscow. It is served by a railway and the M7 motorway (Russia), M7 motorway. Populat ...
*
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
,
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
, United Kingdom * Upper Nazareth, Israel *
Nazareth Nazareth is the largest Cities in Israel, city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. In its population was . Known as "the Arab capital of Israel", Nazareth serves as a cultural, political, religious, economic and ...
, Israel *
Ramallah Ramallah ( , ; ) is a Palestinians, Palestinian city in the central West Bank, that serves as the administrative capital of the State of Palestine. It is situated on the Judaean Mountains, north of Jerusalem, at an average elevation of abov ...
,
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
*
Caibarién Caibarién is a municipality city in the Villa Clara Province, Villa Clara province of Cuba. Caibarién is known as "La Villa Blanca" () for its sands and beaches. They are famous for their "Parrandas" (Carnivals) along with Remedios, Cuba, Reme ...
, Cuba *
Remedios, Cuba Remedios (), also known as San Juan de los Remedios, is a city and municipio, municipality located from the northern coast of Cuba, in the center of the island. It is the oldest Spanish settlement in the former Las Villas province. It is now par ...
*
Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of Milton Keynes urban area, its urban area was 264,349. The River Great Ouse forms t ...
,
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...


References


External links


Town of Normal
Official website
The Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
Official source of visitor information for the Bloomington-Normal area

(Bloomington, Illinois newspaper) {{authority control * * 1867 establishments in Illinois Populated places established in 1867 Towns in McLean County, Illinois Towns in Illinois