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Bloomington-Normal Fun Facts

* Pepsi is the official soft drink of the city of Bloomington.
* John F. Kennedy visited Lucca Grill in 1960 during his presidential
campaign. At the time, the downtown pizza restaurant and bar was
owned by John Baldini, who was also the county Democratic party
chairman. The restaurant has long been known as the unofficial Democratic party headquarters in
an otherwise solid Republican area.
* Bloomington is the location of the State Farm corporate headquarters.
* The Goregrind metal band, Impetigo, formed in Bloomington in 1987.
* Nancy Reagan stayed at the then popular Coachmen Motel while still an actress.
* The city is referenced on the vinyl edition of the Sufjan Stevens album Illinois, in the title of the song
"Let's Hear that String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All the Way out in
Bloomington-Normal". In another album by Stevens entitled The Avalanche, the city is mentioned in
the song "The Henney Buggy Band".
* Co-sponsored by the Hybrid Seed Corn Breeders of Illinois, the inaugural Corn Bowl on Nov. 27,
1947, was billed as "The Greatest Thanksgiving Event."
* The character Henry Blake from M*A*S*H (TV Series) was from Bloomington

P.O. Box 1794 Bloomington, IL 61702-1794