History Education
We are a very busy organizationeverything we do is educational in nature!
The primary purpose of the Bloomington Historical Society, as defined by its articles
of incorporation registered with the Secretary of State, is to discover, collect and
disseminate historical knowledge about the history of the city of Bloomington. All
aspects of the Historical Society are for the fulfillment of its educational mission.
The Historical Society fulfills this purpose in a variety of ways, including the
following:
Bloomington River Rendezvous
The Bloomington Historical Society is proud to have conceived and implemented the well-known Bloomington River Rendezvous, which began in 1995. The Society’s River Rendezvous Committee traveled to similar events, during a two-year planning process, prior to introducing the event to the Bloomington community. In 1995, the Society requested the approval of the Bloomington City Council to hold the event at the Pond-Dakota Mission Park, and requested the co-sponsorship of the City of Bloomington through the assistance of maintenance staff. River Rendezvous was an immediate success.
This living history event received accolades from throughout the country as the only event of its kind totally dedicated to history education. History reenacters are hired to interpret history authentically. The City of Bloomington became the primary sponsor of River Rendezvous in 1998, with the Bloomington Historical Society serving as co-sponsor. The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Division continues as the sponsor of the program to this day. An estimated 90,000 or more elementary school children have attended River Rendezvous since 1995.
Museum Tours
Tours of the Bloomington Old Town Hall History Museum are available upon request or by advance arrangement. Many requests are received from scout groups, school and church groups, and from vacationing visitors to Bloomington.
Research and Genealogy Opportunities
The Bloomington History Society is available to assist with research of historic areas of interest as well as to assist with genealogical research. Experienced genealogists and historians are on staff. The Bloomington Historical Society has continues to assist authors with their books. The Society’s extensive photo and document archives are a valuable resource.
Community Service Opportunities
The Bloomington Historical Society works with elementary, middle school, high school and college students on service-oriented learning opportunities where students fulfill hands-on and research projects for the Society, including history archiving and designing promotional materials.
Exhibits and Programming
All exhibits and programming are educational. History-oriented workshops, speakers, history exhibits, cover themes pertaining to Bloomington history.
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