History
Heritage on the Prairie
The Peoria area is rich with history. Abraham Lincoln first spoke out against slavery here, and the city’s street grid was mapped out by Alexander Hamilton’s son. From our Native American roots to the famed days of vaudeville, the region has many fascinating tales to tell.
A VILLAGE IS BORN
After canoeing down the Illinois River in the late 1600s, French explorers Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette stopped in an area that was home to the Peoria tribe of the Illinois confederacy and established Fort Pimiteoui on the river’s western shore. The Peoria tribe would later become the namesake for this prairie village, regarded as the first European settlement in Illinois.
Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Peoria speech on October 16, 1854. The three-hour speech was his most comprehensive address on the subject of slavery, presenting moral, legal and economic arguments against. The speech would set the stage for Lincoln’s political future and, eventually, the Presidency.
Following French and British occupation of the land for several centuries, the first American settlers began farming the area in 1819. An abundance of natural resources and access to the Illinois River allowed many early industries to rise: pottery factories, distilleries, meat-packing plants, wholesale warehousing, casting foundries and earthmoving and farm machine manufacturers.
This small Midwestern village soon experienced a great economic and population boom. In 1825, the village was officially named Peoria and the county was organized. Until Cook County was created six years later, the city of Chicago was actually part of Peoria County.
BUILDING HISTORY
In 1837, Judge John C. Flanagan built his American Federalist-style home, today known as the Flanagan House, on the village’s east bluff. It is the oldest standing house in Peoria. Another historical estate, the Pettengill-Morron House, reflects the mid-Victorian architectural influences of the post-Civil War era. Built in 1868, the house is now a museum portraying the lives of several historical Peoria families. Both houses are open to the public and listed on the National Register for Historic Homes.
Peoria City Hall
Designed with the great civic structures of Europe in mind, the elaborately embellished building was constructed in the Flemish Renaissance style over a span of 15 months—from 1897 to 1899—at a cost of just over $200,000. At the time, it was the biggest project in the city’s history.
In the mid-19th century, Peoria was a hotbed for abolitionist activity. The current site of the Peoria Civic Center was once a prominent stop on the Underground Railroad, a home in which future President Abraham Lincoln spent many nights. Plans to commemorate this history with a monument to be constructed by Peoria’s celebrated sculptor Preston Jackson are currently in progress.
INDUSTRY AND MANUFACTURING
In 1854, the railroad boom chugged its way into this bustling community. Peoria’s central location made it the fourth-largest regional hub in the U.S. railway system for many years. At its peak, the city served 15 railroads with 70,000 miles of track. Early in its history, Peoria also became a major brewing center. The area’s rich farmland and proximity to the Illinois River allowed this industry to thrive, and numerous family fortunes were made from the production of beer and spirits. Another significant industry in these early years was livestock sales and slaughter.
The future of the city was forever changed when the Benjamin Holt Company, producer of crawler tractors, came to Peoria in 1909. The company bought East Peoria’s Colean Steam Tractor Works in 1925, and then merged with C.L. Best Company to form the Caterpillar Tractor Company. Caterpillar would soon become the world’s largest maker of earthmoving machines, and by 1930, Peoria had become a major manufacturing center. Two years later, a window to the sky was opened when an airport with two shale runways began flights and later became the Greater Peoria Regional Airport.
VAUDEVILLE PLAYS IN PEORIA
“Will it play in Peoria?” This famous phrase originated in the 1920s during Peoria’s famed vaudeville days. On the vaudeville circuit, it was said that if an act could succeed in Peoria, it could play anywhere. With this in mind, new live acts and stage shows were booked at Peoria theaters to test audience reaction. Since then, the phrase has become a popular metaphor for a product’s appeal to the general public. The city of Peoria has come to represent quintessential American mainstream culture and is often used as a test market for new products and services.
A BRIGHT FUTURE
Today, manufacturing remains key, with Caterpillar Inc.’s headquarters in the heart of downtown, but the scope of Peoria industry has expanded. World-class healthcare facilities have established Peoria as Illinois’ downstate medical center, and advances in medicine, technology and business have led to the development of Renaissance Park, an area of the city which includes the nation’s largest agricultural research lab, a nationally-recognized university, two regional medical centers, a high-tech incubator and a world-renowned college of medicine.
The future looks bright for Peoria. Over the years, the city has changed with the times, leading to a robust and diversified economy. Its vaudeville charm remains intact, shining through an undeniable spirit of Midwestern values and hospitality. PP
