Learn About The History Of Bloomington, IN

Bloomington is a city located in the state of Indiana. Bloomington has a very rich history and this is partly due to the fact that the city has been around for almost 200 years. Precisely, Bloomington Indiana was formally established in 1818 and ever since this time, the city has managed to establish itself from a relatively small and unknown city to thriving metropolis that hosts people from various parts of the globe.

The first people to settle in the city constructed townhouses that served as their primary areas of residence. The settlers also constructed small industries and taverns and this marked the beginning of Bloomington. Over the years, both individuals and corporate entities alike have put up structures that have come to define the city of Bloomington.

One of the main structures during the formative years of the city was its first library that was constructed in 1821. At the time when the library was being constructed, Bloomington was still a rudimentary settlement lacking many basic amenities and infrastructure. For instance, the city did have tarmac roads and people had to walk through rough muddy roads while moving from one place to another.

The first learning institution to be established in Bloomington was the Indiana Seminary. Initially, the seminary was established as a simple school with only 12 students. However, the city's authorities decided to upgrade the institution into a fully fledged college in 1829. Upgrading of the school into a college resulted in additional students enrolling at the centre and the construction of better and bigger structures to accommodate the increasing student population.

The construction of the New Albany and Salem railroad opened up the city to folks from other countries and this was one of the main reasons that facilitated the growth of the city. The railroad also had a domino effect of stimulating development in many other aspects of the city. In the early 20th century, the city started experiencing a significant growth in its major infrastructure facilities. During the early 1900s, Bloomington experienced a significant expansion of its sewer lines, water supply facilities, streets and even roads. The enhanced and deliberate development of the key infrastructure is an important aspect with respect to the history of Bloomington since it served to attract investors from both the local and the international scenes. The investment from both locals and foreign entities in turn served to enhance the economy of Bloomington eventually making it a world class city. Be that as it may, Bloomington suffered a major setback like many other cities on account of the Second World War. The war had the effect of slowing down economic growth in the entire country and cities like Bloomington were definitely not spared from these effects.

The formation and growth of Bloomington can definitely be credited to the courage and hard work that the initial settlers had to put in. However, the city still has a long way to go in terms of catching up with some of the biggest cities in the country and as such, the current residents should continue doing their part in terms of advancing the growth prospects of Bloomington.