Illinois State Historical Society Marker Dedication Recognizing 134 Years of Innovation at Funks Research Acres

The Illinois State Historical Society, in partnership with the Paul A. Funk Foundation and McLean County Museum of History, will dedicate a new historic marker on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at 10 a.m.

The marker is located a quarter mile south of the Funk Prairie Home and Gem & Mineral Museum in Shirley, Illinois. It stands as a testament to the innovation and agricultural excellence that took place on the land for over a century. The pioneering hybrid seed corn research conducted there helped transform modern farming and left a lasting impact on agriculture around the world.

Eugene Duncan Funk formed the Funk Bros. Seed Company, Inc. in 1901 with about 12 other Funk family members. They inherited the land from Isaac Funk, Eugene’s grandfather, who arrived from Ohio in 1824. Over his lifetime, Isaac acquired more than 22,000 acres of farmland and named the area Funk’s Grove.

The Funk Bros. Seed Company, Inc. sought to produce higher-yield corn varieties and a way to prevent diseases from attacking corn crops. E.D. Funk was the president of the company for many years and was active in the political arena. He served as president of the National Corn Association, on the Agricultural Advisory Committee of the Food Administration, and as treasurer of the State Live Stock Association of Illinois.  President Woodrow Wilson also selected him to help keep wheat prices steady.

Around 1915, Funk Bros. developed a hybrid corn, Funk’s Tribred.  In the late 1930s, the company developed another hybrid variety, Funk’s G-Series Hybrid. In 1967, Funk Bros. Seed Co. was purchased by CPC International, Inc. In 1972, the company went public as Funk Seeds International, Inc.

In 1974, Ciba-Geigy, a producer of insecticides, pesticides, and herbicides, acquired Funk Seeds International.  The company has since merged with several others, including AstraZeneca and Syngenta.

The addition of this historic marker will serve as a reminder to future generations that history is made in McLean County. Saturday’s dedication ceremony will include remarks highlighting this history from: