The Staley Museum in Decatur, Illinois
The Staley Museum opened its doors to the public during the summer of 2015. We are excited be a full-fledged member of our community. Here you will find updates and news about the museum and exciting events going on.
The Staley Museum and this web site are both works in progress. We encourage visitors to continue to check back with us and see how we are progressing. We would also like to encourage visitors to the site to share any stories or information they may have regarding Staley history.
Photos, documents, articles and memorabilia are all welcome and appreciated. Anyone wishing to make a contribution to the Staley museum may contact us through via the Artifact Donation Form found on this site. Also, for anyone in our area who wishes to be a Volunteer at the museum and offer their time and/or expertise, please go to the Volunteer Form and fill out your information so that we may contact you personally. We invite you to Contact Us.
Visit the Staley Museum
The Staley Museum is open year-round
Tuesday – Saturday: 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Last Sunday of the month (March – November): 1:00 – 4:00 pm.
Admission
Adults: $5
Seniors: $3
Child (18 and under): $1
Location
361 N. College Street
Decatur, IL
The Staley Story
A.E. Staley was a big man with big dreams and had the determination to make those dreams a reality. Although he did not arrive on the scene until the 1900’s, his impact of Decatur was such that he is counted as one of the founding fathers. The largeness of his dreams and of his civic minded generosity has contributed in major ways to the city we know today.
It was A.E.’s pioneering vision in the area of soy beans, both the cultivation and processing, that gave Decatur the name “Soy Bean Capitol of the World.”
In the period of one decade, 1920-1930, A.E. Staley made significant contributions to the community of Decatur, being the driving force behind the creation of Lake Decatur, the Staley viaduct, the Staley Office Building, and the formation of the Decatur Staleys football club, later to become the Chicago Bears.
The story of A.E. Staley is one in which the city of Decatur has the right to feel great pride. It is a story which forms a major part in the industrial and agricultural history of central Illinois. We look forward to sharing that pride and history as we work toward the opening of the Staley Museum.
The Staley Office Building: Inaugurated in April, 1930
Also known as “The Castle in the Cornfields”
Photo courtesy of the Hieronymus Mueller Museum
The Staley Office Building: Inaugurated in April, 1930
Also known as “The Castle in the Cornfields”
Photo courtesy of the Hieronymus Mueller Museum
Staley Museum Latest News & Happenings
Ticket Sales will Open July 1st!
Save the Date for July 19th, 2025
💍A Vintage Wedding Exhibit at the Staley Museum
Celebrating 95 Years of Staley Credit Union
Do you know where Staley Credit Union was first located?
If you guessed the Staley Office Building, you'd be correct!
The credit union operated behind the beautiful gates located in the lobby of the office building. Today, Staley Credit Union serves members across the country.
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Happy First Official Day of Summer! ☀️We hope you're staying cool!
Did you know the Staley Office building didn't have complete air conditioning until 1971? The early constructors had been optimistic that the ventilating system would keep things comfortable during the long, hot summers. Unfortunately, it did not. As more buildings were equipped with air conditioning in the 50s and 60s, the Staley office building was sweltering and a change was sorely needed.
In 1969, the board of directors approved an initial $1,340,00 for the installation of "refrigerated air" throughout the building. However, the actual investment ended up costing a total of $2.4 million to complete.
With 160,000 square feet of office space to cool and 700 tons of air conditioning needed, most of the ceilings had to be lowered for the necessary ductwork. The lobby, bathrooms, executive dining room, basement, and eleventh floor ceilings were the only exceptions.
The project took years to complete, but in 1970 the east wing of the building felt the first wafts of cooled air. In 1971 the rest of the building followed suit.
You can find the history of the installation of air conditioning in the office building (pages 188- 191) and much more inside the "Kernel & the Bean" by Dan J. Forrestal.
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Scenes from the annual Staley Picnic at Nelson Park in 1926 where employees and their families enjoyed the late summer sunshine with plenty of food, games, and music with friends. The annual picnic was organized by the Staley Fellowship Club and supported by the company. Mr. Staley was often in attendance, seen speaking with his employees and having just as much fun.
All Photographs from the Staley Journal, September 1926.
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10,000 antique records and historic objects! What an amazing donation from Mueller Water Products for our friends at the Hieronymus Mueller Museum!The Hieronymus Mueller Museum is excited to announce that Mueller Water Products generously donated more than 10,000 antique records and historic objects to the museum.
Some of the donated items include:
- Approximately 10,000 antique employee records from 1900 – 1945
- Dozens of photographs of employees from the 1940s and 1950s
- A grandfather clock identified as once sitting in a Mueller Company board room
- Copies of Mueller Company’s war contracts during World War II
- About two dozen original U.S. patent letters awarded to Mueller family members and company members, including the 1872 patent letter awarded to Hieronymus Mueller for one of his best-known inventions: the Drilling and Tapping Machine
Read the full article: www.muellermuseum.org/mueller-water-products-donates-thousands-of-antique-records-and-historic-ob...
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