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
Celebrating 95 Years of Staley Credit Union
Why did Staley employees want to start a credit union?
Before Staley Credit Union, if a Staley employee had a small loan need the Staley Fellowship Club or the company itself would step in to help.
The dues paid by Staley Fellowship Club members assisted this process, but on their own could not meet everyone’s needs. The Staley company fully supported and encouraged the creation of a credit union.
But those at Staley felt there was a better way.
The Staley Credit Union was created for three primary purposes.
🧡To promote thrift among the membership through a system of saving which specializes in the smallest units of saving, and by a pay day saving plan, endeavoring to make a saving habit.
🧡To make use of the funds thus accumulated for the benefit of those who accumulate them by creating credit for the members at legitimate rates of interest for provident purposes.
🧡To educate the members in matters pertaining to the investment and care of their savings.
Additionally, the benefit of the Staley Credit Union wasn’t only in lending money. They also offered to automatically transfer 10%, if so authorized, of an employees paycheck into a savings account, making saving money both simple and easy.
100 Years Ago in the Staley Journal, June 1925
Topics in the June 1925 issue of the Staley Journal included a summertime movie program where Staley employees could watch free pictures with their families every Sunday night at Staley field (courtesy of the Staley Fellowship Club), the opening baseball season and coming games, and new plans for launching a grain storage and merchandising department at the company.
For the opening baseball season, Mr. Staley was presented with a silver cup at the first game "To Decatur's truest sportsman, the man who has made possible baseball in Deatur." When asked to make a speech, Mr. Staley smiled and bowed, but refused reportedly stating, "You came to see a baseball game, not to hear a bunch of men talk." Mr. Staley also threw the first pitch of the game, as seen on page 18.
Captions for "Decatur Greets Baseball Season":
⚾️Upper Left--Mr. Staley pitches the first ball.
⚾️Center Left--G.C. Knickerbocker and J.H. Galloway crept off from the crowd as ⚾️Springfield's scores mounted.
⚾️Center Right--Pitcher Staley and Catcher Elder ready to start.
⚾️Lower--This big crowd shivered but stayed through the game.
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From the Archives
George Leonard, Staley fire chief, is shown with a display of fire equipment during fire prevention week. The photograph was used in the November 1947 issue of the Staley Journal on page 30, with the caption, "Staley's fire department got out some of its most up-to-date equipment to put on display during fire prevention week."
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