

Bloomington, IL (April 25, 2025) – The McLean County Museum of History will unveil a ten-foot corn sculpture in the center of historic downtown Bloomington on Friday, May 2, 2025, at 5 p.m.
The Star Crossed Pollinators sculpture originally grew out of Bloomington’s Sesquicentennial Corn on the Curb initiative 25 years ago.
Inspired by Chicago’s “Cows on Parade” in 1999, Corn on the Curb utilized one of the area’s most iconic exports and lots of puns to create a sense of communal pride. Over 20 local artists decorated the fiberglass corn sculptures, which were displayed around town and later auctioned off.
Now, a quarter century later, the Museum, empowered by a Creative Catalyst Grant from the Illinois Arts Council, is bringing the iconic corn back downtown as the inaugural Sculpture on the Square.
“This new public art initiative is an interdisciplinary approach to storytelling and place-making,” says Museum Executive Director Julie Emig. “We’re excited to preserve and share this piece of history with our community and look forward to bringing more locally significant sculptures to the square in the future.”
Herb Eaton’s sculpture will be accessioned into the Museum’s collection and preserved for generations to come. It sustained significant structural damage after being displayed outside the Eaton Gallery on Center Street in downtown Bloomington for over two decades. The grant from the Illinois Arts Council made it possible to restore and, in some areas, rebuild the sculpture made of wood, stainless steel, fiberglass, hemp, canvas, and acrylic paint.
Alongside Museum staff, Eaton will be available for interviews before, during, and after Friday’s festivities.
Please direct all inquiries to Director of Communications Micaela Harris at 309-825-5296 or mharris@mchistory.org.
Please click here to access the media kit, complete with the artist’s biography, past and present photos of the sculpture, and more.
Click here to explore over 100 images from Corn on the Curb via the Museum’s collection on the Illinois Digital Archives.
The McLean County Museum of History is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to preserving, educating, and collaborating to share the diverse stories of the people of McLean County. For more information, please visit mchistory.org or stop by our nationally accredited museum located in the heart of downtown Bloomington on the Museum Square.