Current Research

The museum continually collects the personal recollections and histories of the people of East Central Illinois and it's environment.

At the moment, museum staff are currently interested in and researching the following specific topics:

  • Community response to infectious disease
  • The East Frisian community
  • Abe Lincoln in Champaign County
  • African American oral history
Current Research

Museum Library

Our reference library may be browsed by visiting Library Thing and searching for member MusEduDept-CCFPD. Patrons can use the museum library for reference purposes by appointment only.  Call (217) 586-1281 or email mhanson@ccfpd.org

Doris K. Wylie Hoskins Archive for Cultural Diversity

Mrs. Doris Baker (Wylie) Hoskins, was born October 18, 1911 in Champaign, Illinois and passed away in September, 2004, in Champaign, Illinois. She volunteered for many years with a number of institutions and organizations including the Committee on African American History in Champaign County, a partner organization of the Early American Museum (now Museum of the Grand Prairie). Serving as the group's archivist, Doris worked with African American families, religious institutions, businesses, and numerous other communities in an effort to establish a collection of historical materials that are now housed at the Doris Hoskins Archive.

Not seeing what you need?

Call Curator Mark Hanson at (217) 586-1281 or email mhanson@ccfpd.org.

Interpretive Plan

The CCFPD interpretive plan establishes specific goals for the Museum of the Grand Prairie and helps us to build a structured vision of how to achieve them by communicating to our audience through meaningful exhibits and programs.  It combines developing, organizing and analyzing content into relevant and engaging messages, with creating exciting ways for visitors to experience this content.  An interpretive plan establishes the communication process, through which meanings and relationships of the cultural and natural world, past and present, are revealed to a visitor through experiences with objects, artifacts, landscapes, sites, exhibits and people.