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
Celebrating 95 Years of Staley Credit Union
Walking next to the man holding the umbrella is a corncob figure that occasionally shows up in the Staley Journal, most often in the 1950s. His name is Little Kernel and he was first used in the November 1949 issue of the Staley Journal.
He was designed by Hilbert O. Bell (control lab) after other employees discovered he was quite the artist. In a naming competition, Gerry Eubanks (placement supervisor in personnel) suggested the winning name: Little Kernel. Bell also illustrated Un Safe, a comic featured in the Journal promoting workplace safety.
In the first picture, Little Kernel is illustrated as part of an advertisement for the Staley Credit Union. In the second, Little Kernel shakes hands with his creator, Hilbert Bell.
100 Years Ago
Clippings from the Staley Journal, October 1925
1.Cover art submitted by a Decatur High School Student, Glen Odor.
2. Glen Odor, winner of the Staley Journal cover art contest for the month.
3. A poem titled "October," by Helen Hunt Jackson.
4. Recipe for Staley Corn Bread.
5. Mr. Staley and his son, Gus, talking at the Staley Picnic.
6. Charley Dressen posing with flowers gifted by his Decatur friends.
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On the set of "Fields of Gold", A. E. Staley (portrayed by great-grandson Mark Staley) sits in the original boardroom of the A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company, now owned by Primient. You can watch the documentary about the life of A. E. Staley streaming now on Prime Video, Tubi, and You Tube. The film was produced in partnership with the Decatur Herald & Review. Learn more about his life and the history of the company at The Staley Museum.
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The product that started it all, A.E. Staley's Cream Corn Starch! 🌽
Learn more at the museum, open Tuesday through Saturday, 1-4PM.
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