iBi - May 2013

The Tale of Peoria’s 497th Fighting Engineers
by Gabrielle Balzell

In need of skilled workers to maintain and repair the equipment being used in India and Burma, in July of 1942, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers called on Caterpillar to form the 497th Engineer Heavy Shop Company.

  • Welcome to the third issue of iBi focused on local history! We always receive a great response to these issues, and they are a lot of fun to put together. Having grown up in central Illinois myself, I appreciate a little walk down memory lane… and we hope you do as well.

The Transformation of Shopping in Downtown Peoria
by Deborah Dougherty

For more than a century, the type and number of retail establishments would change dramatically, but the center of downtown remained the “go-to destination” for a day of shopping, dining and entertainment.

by Marvin Forssander-Baird

The pieces of our city tell the stories of generations past who loved and labored, hoped and dreamed, and helped form the world in which we live today.

by Dr. Junius P. Rodriguez, Eureka College

The history of the Underground Railroad is one steeped in folklore and legend, but that has its basis in fact.

The “mark of Zorro” can be traced all the way back to central Illinois.

Hailing from Switzerland, Italy, Hungary, France and beyond, a wide range of immigrants made their mark on Peoria.

Historic World aims to make history a part of our present and future through an online network of shared, localized content.

Our failures and mistakes serve as a solid foundation for future success.

Micro-giving, crowdsourcing and crowdfunding are all new takes on an old truth: that individuals doing whatever they can, at whatever level they can, can collectively accomplish great things.

From humble origins to a lifelong legacy of public service, the always dapper Zack Monroe brought a smile to everyone he met.

Once branded on everything from groceries to gasoline, the Larkin name spelled “comfort, economy and happiness,” from factory to family.

The Illinois River Valley was once ruled by a confederation of Native American tribes, rich in lore and ancient history.

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Finance

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Health

iBi Balance

The Spirit of Peoria commemorates 25 years with a host of throwback cruises and new tour offerings.

From space travel to Star Wars, check out some memorable moments in history from the month of May...

Field Trip by Phone... Heroes Take Flight!... A Smart Solution for Stubborn Fat... Five Ways to Tame Your Inbox... Telepathic Transmission... A Bee’s Buzz... Medicinal Music...