Krystle Able, Board Commissioner | McLean County Il
Krystle Able, Board Commissioner | McLean County Il
A historical marker will be dedicated at the IAA Campus on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, to honor the Illinois Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial. The marker is presented by the Illinois State Historical Society with support from the McLean County Museum of History. This event coincides with COUNTRY Financial’s 100th anniversary in 2025. The company was founded in 1925 by Illinois farmers as the Farmers Mutual Reinsurance Company to provide fire insurance.
Additional activities are planned throughout the year to commemorate this milestone. These include an exhibit at the McLean County Museum of History and a special COUNTRY Financial corn maze at Rader Family Farms during the fall.
According to the Illinois State Historical Society, “The Illinois State Historical Society’s markers program is designed to recognize sites of national or statewide significance, thereby increasing public awareness and appreciation of our state’s rich historical legacy. Since 1934, the Society has commemorated over 400 such sites describing persons, events, and other subjects important to Illinois’ cultural heritage. The Society relies on individuals who are passionate about their local history and are willing to help in the placement of markers, often covering historically significant subjects that might otherwise remain obscure.”
McLean County continues to play a role in education as well. During the 2022-23 school year, there were 22,663 students enrolled across county schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14-to-1, supported by 1,628 full-time faculty members (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx). Teacher absenteeism in McLean County schools was reported at 29.7%, which is lower than the statewide average of 35.6% (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx). Among its schools, Normal Community High School had the highest enrollment of white students with 1,235 students (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx), while Bloomington High School had the highest enrollment numbers for multiracial (146), Hispanic (251), and Black students (325) (https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Home.aspx).