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: $3
17 & 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
♥️♥️♥️National Volunteers Week
Jim Wilkerson
In his professional life, Jim Wilkerson is Director of Marketing at Viewig Real Estate, but in his personal time he volunteers many hours to the historic community here in Decatur. Jim is a true creative, heart and soul, and he uses his creative skills to help historic sites tell their stories and preserve local history. Here at the Staley Museum he has worked on several video story telling projects. His creativity and enthusiasm are truly infectious and motivating.
We are so very grateful to have him as part of our team. Thank you, Jim!
National Volunteers Week
Jim Wilkerson
In his professional life, Jim Wilkerson is Director of Marketing at Viewig Real Estate, but in his personal time he volunteers many hours to the historic community here in Decatur. Jim is a true creative, heart and soul, and he uses his creative skills to help historic sites tell their stories and preserve local history. Here at the Staley Museum he has worked on several video story telling projects. His creativity and enthusiasm are truly infectious and motivating.
We are so very grateful to have him as part of our team. Thank you, Jim!
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Jim is a treasure!
National Volunteer Week
Master Gardeners
Our Master Gardeners have been a part of the Museum family since we opened in 2016.
We are so grateful for all their skill and hard work in keeping the museum looking Beautiful.
The Master Gardeners program is operated by the University of Illinois extension service. They have teams that work at multiple locations here in Macon County. The Staley Museum is fortunate to be one of them. All Gardeners are volunteers. The Staley Museum Team is pictured below. Members are:
Left to right:
Lois Mumma
Carol Janusick
Lenda Munson
Mr S
Rich Starshank
Barbara Hannon
Betty Moser
Not pictured: Debra Mills & Ann Gore
A BIG Thank You to our Master Gardeners!♥️
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National Volunteer Week:
Michael Slimbarski
Volunteering comes in many forms:
Michael (Slim) Slimbarski lives in Tennessee and is the retired Plant Manager of the Loudon Tennessee Staley-Tate & Lyle-Primient plant.
Recently Slim gave many hours of his time to help museum director, Laura Jahr, pull together a wonderful oral history program with Loudon Retirees. Michael used his managerial talent to coordinate interview schedules, transcribe interviews and help plan a retiree mingle event.
Without him the museum could have never pulled this off. We are so very grateful. ♥️
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Slim is the best….
Slim and Shelia are both great people.
Slim did a lot of work that made it possible to reconnect with old comrades. Thanks, Slim!
National Volunteer Week
The Staley Museum Volunteer Corps:
A Big Shout Out to our museum volunteers.
Historic Sites could never do all the work they do without the helping hands of Volunteers. Many of our volunteers are retired “Staley” ( T & L / Primient) employees, while others came to volunteer simply out of a love for local history.
Whatever their motivation, they came to be a part of our team, and the museum is forever grateful for all they do. They bring to the museum their helping hands, their skills and knowledge, their enthusiasm and best of all, their smiling faces. A Big Thank You to each and every one of you!
Some members were not present for the photo.. our gratitude to the whole corps!
4 CommentsComment on Facebook
Volunteers are amazing!
Y’all provide a wonderful experience. Thank you!
Great people!!!
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