The History of the Wilbur Mansion by Madison Story

102 East Universty Avenue,Champaign IL 61820

19 January, 2023

Description

Before the Champaign County History Museum (CCHM) moved into its current location at the historic Cattle Bank in 2001, it was located in the Wilbur Mansion from December 1974 until 1996. The mansion was built by prominent Champaign residents Robert and Elizabeth Wilbur in 1903. It housed the Wilburs and other prominent families until the CCHM’s purchase of the mansion with the goal of encouraging continuing study of the local history, people, and culture of Champaign County through the collection, organization, preservation, and display of artifacts relative to county heritage. In this lecture, Madison Story will describe the history of the mansion, the period when it was home to the Champaign County History Museum, and its role in Champaign County History.