Bloomington Online has been a quiet fixture of local life for more than twenty years. Lately it has been growing again, so this feels like a good moment to look back at how it started, share what we have been building, and talk about where we hope to take it. If you want the fuller story, our new About page covers it too.
Where it started
Bloomington Online has been part of the local web since 2003. For much of that time it was the work of one person, Dale Staton, who built it by hand into something impressive and technically complex.
Dale Staton built Bloomington Online and spent years documenting Bloomington through his camera.
Dale put himself into the site the way he put himself into everything he cared about: photography, staying close to people, and showing up at community events all over town. When the time came to pass it on, we met at a local Starbucks and he walked through everything he had made. It was remarkable, and we were glad to help keep it alive and growing.
Where we are today
Over the past year we rebuilt Bloomington Online on a modern platform and added a lot to it. A few of the pieces you can explore right now:
- A searchable business directory of local businesses, nonprofits, and community groups, with an easy way to add your own listing.
- A local news hub that gathers headlines from trusted local and state sources, so you can catch up in one place.
- An events calendar where anyone can submit an event.
- A growing food and dining guide, with featured local restaurants, hidden gems, farm to table spots, and international row.
- Things to do, local music, and community photo galleries.
- Practical resources like local jobs, obituaries, and public safety information.
The goal behind all of it is simple. Give residents a reliable home base for local life, and give local organizations a place to be found.
What we hope to accomplish
We want Bloomington Online to keep getting more useful, and more local, over time. Some of what we are working toward:
- Growing the directory so more of Bloomington’s businesses and nonprofits are represented.
- Keeping local news and events current and easy to scan.
- Adding more community photos, stories, and resources.
- Welcoming neighbors who want to help, whether that is sharing an event, suggesting a listing, or lending a hand.
We would also love your input on what would make the site more valuable to you. You can always make a suggestion.
A community effort
Bloomington Online is community supported. It is not a nonprofit, so contributions are not tax deductible, but they are what keep it running: hosting, upkeep, and the news aggregation that keeps headlines flowing. If the site is useful to you, you can help keep it going on our support page.
More than anything, this is a thank you. To Dale, for building something worth carrying forward. And to everyone in Bloomington who uses the site, adds to it, and helps it grow.