Peoria, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River
and the county seat
of Peoria County
, Illinois
, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria
tribe. As of the 2010 census
, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated metropolitan area in Illinois outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. The Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area
had a population of 372,487 in 2008, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the state after the Chicago metropolitan area and the Metro-East
portion of the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Peoria has become famous as a representation of the average American city because of its demographics
and its perceived mainstream Midwestern culture. On the Vaudeville
circuit, it was said that if an act would succeed in Peoria, it would work anywhere. The question "Will it play in Peoria?
" has now become a metaphor
for whether something appeals to the American mainstream public. Peoria is the home of Ray LaHood
, now serving as Secretary of Transportation in President Obama's cabinet. It is also headquarters for Caterpillar Inc.
, one of the 30 companies composing the Dow Jones Industrial Average
.
and Henri de Tonti
constructed Fort Crevecoeur. This fort would later burn to the ground, and in 1813 Fort Clark, Illinois was built. When the County of Peoria was organized in 1825, Fort Clark was officially named Peoria.
Peoria was incorporated as a village on March 11, 1835. The city did not have a mayor, though they had a village president, Rudolphus Rouse, who served from 1835 to 1836. The first Chief of Police, John B Lishk, was appointed in 1837. The city was incorporated on April 21, 1845. This was the end of a village president and the start of the mayoral system, with the first mayor being William Hale.
Peoria, Arizona
, a suburb of Phoenix
, was named after Peoria, Illinois because the two men that founded it in 1890 — Joseph B. Greenhut and Deloss S. Brown — wished to name it after their hometown.
The first American automobile, the Duryea
, was reportedly produced in downtown Peoria.
In the 1920s Charles Lindbergh flew mail into Peoria as a stop on his mail route between St. Louis and Chicago. He was turned down by the city when asked to sponsor his first transatlantic flight, which then the honor went to St. Louis.
, the city has a total area of 46.6 square miles (120.7 km²). Land comprises 44.4 square miles (115 km²) of the area, and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) (4.78%) is water.
Peoria is bounded on the east by the Illinois River
except for the enclave of Peoria Heights
, which also borders the river. Four bridges run directly between the city and neighboring East Peoria
. On the south end of Peoria's western border are Bartonville
and the newly established city of West Peoria
. Local municipal plans indicate that the city intends to continue its expansion northwest, into an area unofficially considered part of Dunlap, Illinois
.
(Köppen
Dfa), with cold, snowy winters, and hot, humid summers. Monthly daily mean temperatures range from 22.5 °F (-5.3 °C) to 75.2 °F (24 °C). Snowfall is common in the winter, averaging 26.3 inches (67 cm), but this figure varies considerably for different years. Precipitation, averaging at 36 inches (91 cm), peaks in the spring and summer, and is the least in winter. Extremes have ranged from -27 °F in January 1884 to 113 °F (45 °C) in July 1936.
, Theatres, and O'Brien Field, as well as an arts, dining, and entertainment area near the riverfront. The downtown area now also includes high-rise residential developments such as condominiums, apartments, and riverfront loft
s. Some of these were office buildings and warehouses converted to residential use.
The city of Peoria is home to a United States courthouse, the Peoria Civic Center
(which includes Carver Arena), and the world headquarters for Caterpillar Inc.
. Medicine has become a major part of Peoria's economy. In addition to three major hospitals, the USDA
's National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research
, formerly called the USDA Northern Regional Research Lab, is located in Peoria. This lab was where mass production of penicillin
was developed.
Grandview Drive
, which Theodore Roosevelt
purportedly called the "world's most beautiful drive" during a 1910 visit, runs through Peoria and Peoria Heights
. In addition to Grandview Drive, the Peoria Park District boasts 9000 acres (36.4 km²) of parks, including the Peoria Zoo and five public golf course
s. There are also several private and semi-private golf courses. The Peoria Park District, the first and still largest park district in Illinois, was the 2001 Winner of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation for Class II Parks.
, a planetarium
, and the Caterpillar World Visitors Center.
The Steamboat Classic
, held every summer, is the world's largest four-mile (6 km) running race and draws international runners.
Peoria's sister cities include Friedrichshafen
, Germany; Benxi
, China; and Clonmel
, Ireland.
The Peoria Symphony Orchestra
is the 10th oldest in the nation. Peoria is also home to the Peoria Municipal Band
, the Peoria Area Civic Chorale, the Central Illinois Youth Symphony
, and the Peoria Ballet. Several community and professional theaters have their home in and around Peoria, including the Peoria Players, which is the fourth-oldest community theater in the nation and the oldest in Illinois. Corn Stock Theatre is another community theater company in Peoria, it being the only outdoor theater in the round in Central Illinois.
The Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, and the Peoria Art Guild and Galleries, host of the Annual Art Fair that was rated as one of the 100 top art fairs in the nation, are in Peoria.
Peoria has significantly expanded and refurbished the Peoria Zoo
, formerly Glen Oak Zoo, at Glen Oak Park. Finished in 2009, the new zoo improvements more than triple the size of the zoo and feature a major African safari exhibit. Work had begun in the fall of 2006. In addition, The Peoria Playhouse — An Interactive Children's Museum, spearheaded by the Junior League of Peoria — is planned in conjunction with the zoo expansion and further enhancements to Glen Oak Park campus.
Peoria has hosted the Heart of Illinois Fair
every year since 1949. The fair
features livestock competitions, rides, concessions, motor contests, and concerts.
play in the AHL
. The current hockey
team is the third team to use the name Peoria Rivermen, and they started play in October, 2005 at the Peoria Civic Center
. and are affiliated with the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League.
The Class A Minor League Baseball
team Peoria Chiefs
home venue is O'Brien Field
, a stadium near downtown Peoria. This team is affiliated with the Chicago Cubs
and plays in the Midwest League
.
The Peoria Sunday Morning League is the longest running semi-pro baseball league in the nation. It has been running for 91 years. The league boasts many former major leaguers such as Kirby Puckett
.
Peoria is home of the newly established Midwest Flames (American Basketball Association).
Peoria was also home to the Arena Football League 2 (af2
) professional football team, the Peoria Pirates
, until mid-2009, when the team was folded, unable to find new buyers.
In 1946, the Peoria Redwings
were created as part of the All-American Girls Baseball League
(which was officially the American Girls Baseball League after 1950). The Redwings were the ninth team of twelve to enter the league, and were in the league for six of the twelve years of its existence. The Redwings folded after the 1951 season, and the league disbanded in 1954.
The Peoria Rugby Football Club is the Men's rugby club in Peoria Illinois, established in 1973. High school rugby in Peoria began in 2006.
Since 1974, Peoria has hosted the annual Steamboat Classic
event, a running race featuring 4 miles (6.4 km) and 15K events. In 2007, the race drew over 4,000 participants.
A chapter about Peoria is included in the basketball book Big Game, Small World by Alexander Wolff.
Peoria is the hometown of several college and professional basketball players, including Shaun Livingston
, A.J. Guyton, Sergio McClain
, and Frankie Williams
.
Peoria is the hometown of American Major League Baseball player Jim Thome, currently a designated hitter for the Cleveland Indians.
in the United States and Peoria-Bloomington is the 116th largest television market in the United States.
The area has 14 commercial radio stations with six owners among them; four non-commercial full-power radio stations, each separately owned; five commercial television stations with two operating owners among them; one non-commercial television station; and two daily newspapers (Peoria Journal Star
and Pekin Daily Times), both with the same owner.
The Peoria Civic Center
includes an arena, convention center, and theater, and was completed in the early 1980s, was designed by the famed late architect Philip Johnson
. The three structures are connected via an enclosed glass panel arcade for all-weather protection and aesthetics. As of 2007, it has completed a $55 million renovation and expansion based on demand for larger conventions and entertainment venues.
The Peoria City Council is currently deciding (as of September 2011), because of delays in the project, whether to continue an agreement with a hotel developer, Gary Matthews, to build a Marriott Hotel and to refurbish the existing historic Pere Marquette Hotel
. If completed, it is hoped that these developments would boost Downtown Peoria's image and prospects, and its ability to attract larger conventions.
, the medical district, Caterpillar world headquarters, and the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research
. The Peoria NEXT Innovation Center opened in August 2007 and provides both dry and wet labs, as well as conference and office space for emerging start-up companies. Over $1 billion in research is conducted in Peoria annually.
Peoria became the first world leader for distilleries thanks to Andrew Eitle (1837) and Almiron S. Cole (1843). During this time, Peoria held 22 distilleries and multiple breweries. Together, they produced the highest amount of internal revenue tax on alcohol of any single revenue district in the entire U.S. Peoria also was one of the major bootlegging areas during the prohibition and home to the famed mobsters, the Shelton brothers. This great success placed Peoria into a building boom of beautiful private homes, schools, parks, churches, as well as municipal buildings.
In addition to the distilleries, came farm machinery manufacturing by William Nurse in 1837. Also, two men called Toby and Anderson brought the steel plow circa 1843, which gained immediate success. The dominant manufacturing companies in Peoria were Kingman Plow Co., Acme Harvester Co., Selby, Starr & Co., and Avery Manufacturing Co. In 1889, Keystone Steel & Wire developed the first wire fence and has since been the nation's leading manufacturer.
Around the 1880s, businesses such as Rouse Hazard Co. in Peoria, were dealers and importers of bicycles and accessories worldwide. Charles Duryea
, one of the cycle manufacturers, developed the first commercially available gasoline-powered automobile in the U.S. in 1893.
At this time, agricultural implement production declined, which led the earth moving and tractor equipment companies to skyrocket and make Peoria in this field the world leader. In 1925, Caterpillar Tractor Co. was formed from the Benjamin Holt Co. and the C.L. Best Tractor Co. Robert G. LeTourneau's earth moving company began its production of new scrapers and dozers in 1935 which evolved into Komatsu-Dresser, Haulpak Division. Today, the joint venture between Komatsu and Dresser Industries has long since passed. The entity that remains is the off-highway truck manufacturing division for Komatsu America Corporation.
of 2000, there were 112,936 people, 45,199 households, and 27,345 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,543.4 people per square mile (982.1/km²). There were 49,125 housing units at an average density of 1,106.3 per square mile (427.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.29% White, 24.79% African American, 0.20% Native American, 2.33% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races
, and 2.16% of mixed races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.51% of the population. The city has a sizable, established Lebanese
population with a long history in local business and government.
There were 45,199 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. Individuals made up 33.2% of all households, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,397. The per capita income
for the city was $20,512. Some 18.8% of the population was below the poverty line.
Special censuses were conducted in 2004 and 2007 that noted a total increase of 8,455 in the city's population since the 2000 census
, mainly in the northwest corridor making the current population 121,391. The metropolitan area has a population of 370,000, which includes Peoria
, Tazewell
, Woodford, Stark
and Marshall counties
. Suburbs and towns in this area include Bartonville, Bellevue, Creve Coeur, Dunlap, East Peoria, Germantown Hills, Groveland, Marquette Heights, Metamora, Morton, North Pekin, Pekin, Peoria Heights, Pottstown, Rome, Tremont, Washington, and West Peoria.
municipality
with a mayor
and ten city council
members. The city is divided into five districts. Five council members are elected at-large.
Steven Settingsgaard became Chief of Police on March 9, 2005.
government in most of the city. The border of the township matched the Peoria city limits until 1991, when it was frozen at its current boundaries; the City of Peoria itself has continued expanding outside of the City of Peoria Township borders into Kickapoo
, Medina
, Radnor Townships
. In the years before the freeze, the Township of the City of Peoria had grown to take up most of the former area of Richwoods
and what is now West Peoria Township
.
Peoria is served by four public K-12
school districts:
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
currently runs six schools in the city: five grade schools and Peoria Notre Dame High School
. Non-denominational Peoria Christian School operates a grade school, middle school, and high school.
In addition, Peoria Christian School, Concordia Lutheran School, Peoria Academy, Christ Lutheran School, and several smaller private schools exist.
Bradley University
, Midstate College
, the University of Illinois College of Medicine
at Peoria, the Downtown and North campuses of Illinois Central College
, and the Peoria campus of Robert Morris University are based in the city. In addition, Eureka College
and the main campus of Illinois Central College
are located nearby.
, Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, and Proctor Hospital. In addition, the Children's Hospital of Illinois, the University of Illinois College of Medicine
at Peoria, and the Midwest Affiliate of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
are located in the city. The hospitals are all located in a medical district around the junction of Interstate 74
and Knoxville Avenue
, adjacent to downtown in the southeast of the city, except for Proctor Hospital in the geographic center of the city. The surrounding towns are also supported by Proctor Hospital, Pekin Hospital, Eureka Hospital, and the Hopedale Medical Complex
.
, which runs from northwest to southeast through the downtown area, Interstate 474
, a southern bypass of I-74 through portions of Peoria and the suburbs of Bartonville
and Creve Coeur
, and Interstate 155
, which runs south from I-74 in Morton to Interstate 55
in Lincoln which connects to Springfield and St. Louis. I-74 crosses over the Illinois River via the Murray Baker Bridge
, while I-474 crosses via the Shade-Lohmann Bridge. The nearest metropolitan centers accessible on I-74 are the Quad Cities
to the west, and Bloomington-Normal
to the east.
From 2004 to 2006, Interstate 74 between Interstate 474 on the west and Illinois Route 8
on the east was reconstructed as part of the Upgrade 74 project.
In addition, U.S. Route 24
runs along the bank of the Peoria side of the Illinois River
, becoming a major arterial downtown as part of Adams Street and Jefferson Avenue, and then continuing southwest towards Bartonville
as Washington Street, which turns into Adams Street on the south end of Peoria. U.S. Route 150
serves as the main arterial for the northern portion of the Peoria area, becoming War Memorial Drive before heading west towards Kickapoo. Both of these routes enter from the McClugage Bridge; east of the bridge, U.S. 150 runs southeast to Morton
, while U.S. 24 runs due east to Washington
.
The planned Illinois Route 336
project will also connect Illinois 336 with I-474 between Illinois 8 and Illinois 116. Construction on the segment nearest Peoria has not started, nor has funding been allocated.
railroads. Four are Class I railroad
s: BNSF, Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific. The last one, Union Pacific, has a north-south oriented line which skirts the west edge of the city but a line branches off of it to enter Peoria. One Class II/Regional
, Iowa Interstate, serves the city, coming out of Bureau Junction, Illinois. Five Class III/Shortline
railroads: Central Illinois Railroad
, which operates a portion of the city-owned Peoria, Peoria Heights and Western Railroad; two Genesee and Wyoming-owned operations: Illinois & Midland Railroad (the former Chicago and Illinois Midland, comes up from Springfield) and Tazewell and Peoria Railroad
(leases the Peoria and Pekin Union Railway
from its owners Canadian National, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific; Pioneer Railcorp's Keokuk Junction Railway
(which now owns the Toledo, Peoria and Western's West End from Lomax and La Harpe in Western Illinois, plus the branch from Keokuk); and RailAmerica
's Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
, which uses BNSF trackage to reach Galesburg and its own line to reach Logansport, Indiana
. There is no passenger rail connecting Peoria to other urban centers, although this possibility and the possibility of rail service that connects St. Louis to Chicago (by way of Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, and Pontiac) has been and is being investigated.
Peoria's last intercity rail service ended in 1981, when Amtrak
withdrew the Prairie Marksman
, which stopped in nearby East Peoria
.
, which operates 20 bus routes under the name CityLink, that serve the city, Illinois Central College
and much of East Peoria, Illinois
, Peoria Heights
, West Peoria
, and points between Peoria and Pekin, Illinois
.
, American
, Delta, and Allegiant Air
) and numerous cargo carriers. Nonstop destinations include Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit, Denver, Phoenix, and Tampa. Cargo carriers serving Peoria include FedEx
, UPS
and Airborne Express
(now DHL
).
Mount Hawley Airport, on the north end of the city, also accepts general aviation
. Numerous other general aviation airports are located in the tri-county region.
Pekin Municipal Airport, in Pekin, Illinois
, across the river, also serves the area.
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Peoria County
Peoria County, Illinois
Peoria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 186,494, which is an increase of 1.7% from 183,433 in 2000. Its county seat is Peoria....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria
Peoria (tribe)
The Peoria people are a Native American tribe. Today they are enrolled in the federally recognized Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma. Historically, they were part of the Illinois Confederation.-History:...
tribe. As of the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated metropolitan area in Illinois outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. The Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area
Peoria metropolitan area
The Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in Central Illinois, anchored by the city of Peoria...
had a population of 372,487 in 2008, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the state after the Chicago metropolitan area and the Metro-East
Metro-East
Metro East is a region in Illinois that comprises the eastern suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It encompasses five Southern Illinois counties in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. The region's most populated city is Belleville at 45,000 residents...
portion of the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Peoria has become famous as a representation of the average American city because of its demographics
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
and its perceived mainstream Midwestern culture. On the Vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
circuit, it was said that if an act would succeed in Peoria, it would work anywhere. The question "Will it play in Peoria?
Will it play in Peoria?
The saying, "Will it play in Peoria?" is traditionally used to ask whether a given product, person, promotional theme, or event will appeal to mainstream America, or across a broad range of demographic and psychographic groups....
" has now become a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for whether something appeals to the American mainstream public. Peoria is the home of Ray LaHood
Ray LaHood
Raymond H. "Ray" LaHood is a Republican politician from Illinois who is currently the United States Secretary of Transportation, having served since 2009. Previously, he represented the Illinois's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms .-Early life and...
, now serving as Secretary of Transportation in President Obama's cabinet. It is also headquarters for Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
, one of the 30 companies composing the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Dow Jones Industrial Average
The Dow Jones Industrial Average , also called the Industrial Average, the Dow Jones, the Dow 30, or simply the Dow, is a stock market index, and one of several indices created by Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones & Company co-founder Charles Dow...
.
History
Peoria is one of the oldest settlements in Illinois, as explorers first ventured up the Illinois River from the Mississippi. The lands that eventually would become Peoria were first settled in 1680, when French explorers René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La SalleRené-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
and Henri de Tonti
Henri de Tonti
Henri de Tonti was an Italian-born soldier, explorer, and fur trader in the service of France.-Early life:Henri de Tonti, a Sicilian, was mostly likely born near Gaeta, Italy in either 1649 or 1650. He was the son of Lorenzo de Tonti, a financier and former governor of Gaeta...
constructed Fort Crevecoeur. This fort would later burn to the ground, and in 1813 Fort Clark, Illinois was built. When the County of Peoria was organized in 1825, Fort Clark was officially named Peoria.
Peoria was incorporated as a village on March 11, 1835. The city did not have a mayor, though they had a village president, Rudolphus Rouse, who served from 1835 to 1836. The first Chief of Police, John B Lishk, was appointed in 1837. The city was incorporated on April 21, 1845. This was the end of a village president and the start of the mayoral system, with the first mayor being William Hale.
Peoria, Arizona
Peoria, Arizona
Peoria is a city in Maricopa and Yavapai counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. Located primarily in Maricopa County, it is a major suburb of Phoenix. According to 2010 Census Bureau releases, the population of the city is 154,065. Peoria is currently the sixth largest city in Arizona for land...
, a suburb of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, was named after Peoria, Illinois because the two men that founded it in 1890 — Joseph B. Greenhut and Deloss S. Brown — wished to name it after their hometown.
The first American automobile, the Duryea
Duryea Motor Wagon
The Duryea Motor Wagon was among the first standardized automobiles and among the first powered by gasoline. Fifteen Motor Wagons were built by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company company of Chicopee, Massachusetts, between 1893 and 1896....
, was reportedly produced in downtown Peoria.
In the 1920s Charles Lindbergh flew mail into Peoria as a stop on his mail route between St. Louis and Chicago. He was turned down by the city when asked to sponsor his first transatlantic flight, which then the honor went to St. Louis.
Geography
Peoria is located at 40°43′15"N 89°36′34"W (40.720737, -89.609421).Topography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 46.6 square miles (120.7 km²). Land comprises 44.4 square miles (115 km²) of the area, and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) (4.78%) is water.
Peoria is bounded on the east by the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
except for the enclave of Peoria Heights
Peoria Heights, Illinois
Peoria Heights is a village lying almost entirely in Peoria County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 6,635 at the 2000 census. Peoria Heights is a suburb of Peoria and is surrounded by the city except for its eastern boundary on Peoria Lake, a relatively wider section of the...
, which also borders the river. Four bridges run directly between the city and neighboring East Peoria
East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 23,402 at the 2010 census. East Peoria is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area, located across the Illinois River from downtown Peoria. It is home to many Caterpillar Inc. facilities...
. On the south end of Peoria's western border are Bartonville
Bartonville, Illinois
Bartonville is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,310 at the 2000 census. Bartonville is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and the newly established city of West Peoria
West Peoria, Illinois
West Peoria is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, USA. The population was 4,762 at the 2000 census. West Peoria is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. Local municipal plans indicate that the city intends to continue its expansion northwest, into an area unofficially considered part of Dunlap, Illinois
Dunlap, Illinois
Dunlap, located on Illinois 91, is a small village in Peoria County Illinois, United States. Its population was 926 people as of the 2000 census. Dunlap is part of the Peoria metropolitan area and growth in the city of Peoria is extending towards the village...
.
Climate
Peoria has a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfa), with cold, snowy winters, and hot, humid summers. Monthly daily mean temperatures range from 22.5 °F (-5.3 °C) to 75.2 °F (24 °C). Snowfall is common in the winter, averaging 26.3 inches (67 cm), but this figure varies considerably for different years. Precipitation, averaging at 36 inches (91 cm), peaks in the spring and summer, and is the least in winter. Extremes have ranged from -27 °F in January 1884 to 113 °F (45 °C) in July 1936.
Cityscape
Peoria's downtown area includes corporate, governmental, convention, educational, and medical facilities. It also boasts the Peoria Civic CenterPeoria Civic Center
Peoria Civic Center is a convention center located next to Peoria City Hall in downtown Peoria, Illinois. USA. It has an arena, a theater, an exhibit hall, and meeting rooms...
, Theatres, and O'Brien Field, as well as an arts, dining, and entertainment area near the riverfront. The downtown area now also includes high-rise residential developments such as condominiums, apartments, and riverfront loft
Loft
A loft can be an upper story or attic in a building, directly under the roof. Alternatively, a loft apartment refers to large adaptable open space, often converted for residential use from some other use, often light industrial...
s. Some of these were office buildings and warehouses converted to residential use.
The city of Peoria is home to a United States courthouse, the Peoria Civic Center
Peoria Civic Center
Peoria Civic Center is a convention center located next to Peoria City Hall in downtown Peoria, Illinois. USA. It has an arena, a theater, an exhibit hall, and meeting rooms...
(which includes Carver Arena), and the world headquarters for Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc.
Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
. Medicine has become a major part of Peoria's economy. In addition to three major hospitals, the USDA
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
's National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research
National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research
The National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research is an United States Department of Agriculture laboratory center in Peoria, Illinois...
, formerly called the USDA Northern Regional Research Lab, is located in Peoria. This lab was where mass production of penicillin
Penicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
was developed.
Grandview Drive
Grandview Drive
Grandview Drive is a two and a half mile scenic road with adjacent park areas through Peoria and Peoria Heights, Illinois. Major portions of the road give a view of the Illinois River and its valley as well as clear views of the some of the most prestigious and historic homes in the area...
, which Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
purportedly called the "world's most beautiful drive" during a 1910 visit, runs through Peoria and Peoria Heights
Peoria Heights, Illinois
Peoria Heights is a village lying almost entirely in Peoria County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 6,635 at the 2000 census. Peoria Heights is a suburb of Peoria and is surrounded by the city except for its eastern boundary on Peoria Lake, a relatively wider section of the...
. In addition to Grandview Drive, the Peoria Park District boasts 9000 acres (36.4 km²) of parks, including the Peoria Zoo and five public golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s. There are also several private and semi-private golf courses. The Peoria Park District, the first and still largest park district in Illinois, was the 2001 Winner of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation for Class II Parks.
Culture
Museums in Peoria include the Pettengill-Morron House and the John C Flanagan House of the Peoria Historical Society, Lakeview Museum for the Arts and Sciences and the Wheels o' Time Museum. A new Museum Square, under construction downtown, will house a new regional museumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, a planetarium
Planetarium
A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation...
, and the Caterpillar World Visitors Center.
The Steamboat Classic
Steamboat Classic
The Steamboat Classic is a running race featuring 4 mile and 15K events in Peoria, Illinois. In 2007 the race drew over 4000 participants. The four-mile race has been described as the world’s fastest. The world best times for both men and women, have been set at the Steamboat Classic....
, held every summer, is the world's largest four-mile (6 km) running race and draws international runners.
Peoria's sister cities include Friedrichshafen
Friedrichshafen
This article is about a German town. For the Danish town, see Frederikshavn, and for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn .Friedrichshafen is a university city on the northern side of Lake Constance in Southern Germany, near the borders with Switzerland and Austria.It is the district capital of the...
, Germany; Benxi
Benxi
Benxi is a prefecture-level city located in the east of Liaoning province in Northeast China, south-southeast of Shenyang. Its population is 1,709,538 at the 2010 census whom 959,610 in the built up area It was founded as a metallurgical center in 1915...
, China; and Clonmel
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
, Ireland.
Performing arts
Peoria Symphony Orchestra
The Peoria Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Peoria, Illinois conducted by George Stelluto. Founded in 1898 as the Bradley Symphony Orchestra , it is the fifteenth oldest orchestra in Illinois...
is the 10th oldest in the nation. Peoria is also home to the Peoria Municipal Band
Peoria Municipal Band
The Peoria Municipal Band, in Peoria, Illinois was founded officially in 1937, but prior to that the band was a professional municipal band, and is one of the oldest municipal bands in the country. The Peoria Municipal Band is funded by the city of Peoria through taxes, which allows hundreds of...
, the Peoria Area Civic Chorale, the Central Illinois Youth Symphony
Central Illinois Youth Symphony
The Central Illinois Youth Symphony, CIYS, in conjunction with the Central Illinois Concert Orchestra are youth organizations designed to challenge, educate, and stimulate advanced music students in Peoria, Illinois and the Central Illinois area. CIYS began in 1965 and in conjunction with the CICO...
, and the Peoria Ballet. Several community and professional theaters have their home in and around Peoria, including the Peoria Players, which is the fourth-oldest community theater in the nation and the oldest in Illinois. Corn Stock Theatre is another community theater company in Peoria, it being the only outdoor theater in the round in Central Illinois.
The Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, and the Peoria Art Guild and Galleries, host of the Annual Art Fair that was rated as one of the 100 top art fairs in the nation, are in Peoria.
Peoria has significantly expanded and refurbished the Peoria Zoo
Peoria Zoo
The Peoria Zoo is a zoo located in Peoria, Illinois, in the United States. The zoo is owned and operated by the Peoria Park District and is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day.The Peoria Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos...
, formerly Glen Oak Zoo, at Glen Oak Park. Finished in 2009, the new zoo improvements more than triple the size of the zoo and feature a major African safari exhibit. Work had begun in the fall of 2006. In addition, The Peoria Playhouse — An Interactive Children's Museum, spearheaded by the Junior League of Peoria — is planned in conjunction with the zoo expansion and further enhancements to Glen Oak Park campus.
Peoria has hosted the Heart of Illinois Fair
Heart of Illinois Fair
The Heart of Illinois Fair is an annual fair featuring livestock competitions, rides, concessions, motor contests, and concerts. It has been held every year since 1949 in Peoria, Illinois.- Focus :...
every year since 1949. The fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
features livestock competitions, rides, concessions, motor contests, and concerts.
Registered historic places
- Central National Bank BuildingCentral National Bank Building (Peoria)The Central National Bank Building is a ten story structure in downtown Peoria, Illinois, United States. It was designed by the architectural firm of D.W. Burnham in 1913-1914. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1978....
- Cumberland Presbyterian ChurchCumberland Presbyterian Church (Peoria)The Cumberland Presbyterian Church, also known as the Peoria Musicians Club, is the oldest standing church building in Peoria, Illinois, United States. The church was constructed in 1856 as the First Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It was used by various churches and a synagogue until 1913, when...
- Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall
- Grandview DriveGrandview DriveGrandview Drive is a two and a half mile scenic road with adjacent park areas through Peoria and Peoria Heights, Illinois. Major portions of the road give a view of the Illinois River and its valley as well as clear views of the some of the most prestigious and historic homes in the area...
- International Harvester BuildingInternational Harvester BuildingThe International Harvester Building is a five-story building in the U.S. city of Peoria, Illinois. The property consists of the 1914 five-story building and a 1925 one-story addition. The building is associated with Peoria's history through transportation; Peoria was once a major shipping point...
- John C. Proctor Recreation CenterJohn C. Proctor Recreation CenterThe John C. Proctor Recreation Center was constructed in Peoria, Illinois, United States in 1913. The Classical Revival center was built per the provisions of its founders will, John C. Proctor. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 6, 1979.The building is...
- Judge Flanagan ResidenceJudge Flanagan ResidenceThe Judge John C. Flanagan Residence is a house in Peoria, Illinois, United States. The home was constructed for Judge John C. Flanagan, a Philadelphia native, in 1837. The house was either part of an original tract purchased by Flanagan's father from local Native American tribes or part of a ...
- Judge Jacob Gale HouseJudge Jacob Gale HouseThe Judge Jacob Gale House is located at 403 N.E. Jefferson Ave., Peoria, Illinois, United States. The home was constructed for Judge Jacob Gale around 1839 or 1840. The Greek Revival house was built within the five years following the city's downtown being laid out and streets established. It was...
- Madison TheatreMadison TheatreMadison Theatre is a historic theater in Peoria, Illinois, United States that opened on October 16, 1920, as a silent picture theatre.-History:...
- North Side Historic District
- Peace and HarvestPeace and Harvest"Peace" and "Harvest" are two tall limestonestatues in downtown Peoria, Illinois, USA. The male and female figures represent peace and harvest respectively...
- Peoria City HallPeoria City HallPeoria City Hall, located in the United States city of Peoria, Illinois, was designed and built by Reeves and Baillee in 1897 for US$271,500. The city hall was dedicated January 5 to January 7, 1899. The building is still Peoria's city hall and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
- Peoria Cordage CompanyPeoria Cordage CompanyThe Peoria Cordage Company buildings are located in an area of one and two story industrial and commercial buildings in the city of Peoria, Illinois, United States. Most of the buildings in the area were constructed between 1890 and 1920...
- Peoria Mineral SpringsPeoria Mineral SpringsPeoria Mineral Springs is 14,500 year old natural spring in the city of Peoria, Illinois, United States. The site, also known as Spring Hill, is located on a hillside on the historic West Bluff. In 1843, a "cave-like barrel-vaulted brick reservoir" was constructed; the structure is concealed within...
- Peoria WaterworksPeoria Water Works CompanyPeoria Waterworks is a building complex built in 1890 for the Peoria, Illinois water system. The three building site was constructed in 1890 after the publicly owned Peoria Water Company was sold to John T. Moffat and Henry C. Hodgskins. The building was designed in Romanesque Revival style and...
- Pere Marquette HotelPere Marquette HotelThe Hotel Père Marquette is a 14-story hotel in downtown Peoria, Illinois, United States. It was built in 1926 for $2.5 million , and features 288 guest rooms. The hotel is named for Father Jacques Marquette, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
- Pettingill-Morron HousePettingill-Morron HouseThe Pettingill-Morron House, or Morron House, is a house located in the American city of Peoria, Illinois. The 1868 mansion was originally built for Moses Pettingill, a hardware store owner who came to Peoria from New Hampshire in 1833...
- Rock Island Depot and Freight HouseRock Island Depot and Freight HouseThe Rock Island Depot and Freight House is a two story railroad station and adjacent one story freight house from the turn of the 20th century. It was constructed in 1899 directly besides the Illinois River in the American city of Peoria, Illinois. The depot and freight house are Peoria's last...
- Springdale CemeterySpringdale CemeterySpringdale Cemetery is a historic, non-sectarian, active cemetery in the United States city of Peoria, Illinois. It was chartered in 1855, received its first interment in 1857, and has over 70,000 bodies. It contains a public mausoleum and 15 private mausoleums.The property was acquired in 1854,...
- West Bluff Historic DistrictWest Bluff Historic DistrictThe West Bluff Historic District is one of three Registered Historic Districts in the Peoria County, Illinois, city of Peoria. The district is mostly residential and is an example of the opulence once enjoyed by the upper class in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of...
Sports
Peoria is home to professional hockey. The Peoria RivermenPeoria Rivermen
The Peoria Rivermen are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.-History:...
play in the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. The current hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
team is the third team to use the name Peoria Rivermen, and they started play in October, 2005 at the Peoria Civic Center
Peoria Civic Center
Peoria Civic Center is a convention center located next to Peoria City Hall in downtown Peoria, Illinois. USA. It has an arena, a theater, an exhibit hall, and meeting rooms...
. and are affiliated with the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League.
The Class A Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team Peoria Chiefs
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, from Peoria, Illinois. They play in the Midwest League....
home venue is O'Brien Field
O'Brien Field
O'Brien Field is a baseball field located in downtown Peoria, Illinois. It is the home of the Peoria Chiefs, the Class A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs; the Chiefs previously played at Meinen Field. The college baseball team of Bradley University also uses the field. The first game scheduled for...
, a stadium near downtown Peoria. This team is affiliated with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and plays in the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
.
The Peoria Sunday Morning League is the longest running semi-pro baseball league in the nation. It has been running for 91 years. The league boasts many former major leaguers such as Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
.
Peoria is home of the newly established Midwest Flames (American Basketball Association).
Peoria was also home to the Arena Football League 2 (af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...
) professional football team, the Peoria Pirates
Peoria Pirates
The Peoria Pirates were a professional arena football team that last played in af2, the minor league to the Arena Football League. They played their home games at Carver Arena, part of the Peoria Civic Center in Illinois, and were coached by Mike Hohensee...
, until mid-2009, when the team was folded, unable to find new buyers.
In 1946, the Peoria Redwings
Peoria Redwings
The Peoria Redwings were a women's professional baseball team who joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the season. The team represented Peoria, Illinois....
were created as part of the All-American Girls Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
(which was officially the American Girls Baseball League after 1950). The Redwings were the ninth team of twelve to enter the league, and were in the league for six of the twelve years of its existence. The Redwings folded after the 1951 season, and the league disbanded in 1954.
The Peoria Rugby Football Club is the Men's rugby club in Peoria Illinois, established in 1973. High school rugby in Peoria began in 2006.
Since 1974, Peoria has hosted the annual Steamboat Classic
Steamboat Classic
The Steamboat Classic is a running race featuring 4 mile and 15K events in Peoria, Illinois. In 2007 the race drew over 4000 participants. The four-mile race has been described as the world’s fastest. The world best times for both men and women, have been set at the Steamboat Classic....
event, a running race featuring 4 miles (6.4 km) and 15K events. In 2007, the race drew over 4,000 participants.
A chapter about Peoria is included in the basketball book Big Game, Small World by Alexander Wolff.
Peoria is the hometown of several college and professional basketball players, including Shaun Livingston
Shaun Livingston
Shaun Patrick Livingston is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks.-Early years:Livingston was born in Peoria, Illinois. He led Concordia Lutheran Grade School, coached by Mr. Tom Ruppert, to LSA state titles in 1999 and 2000...
, A.J. Guyton, Sergio McClain
Sergio McClain
Sergio McClain is a former professional basketball player and NJCAA coach. He was the 1997 winner of the prestigious Illinois Mr...
, and Frankie Williams
Frank Williams (basketball)
Frank Lowell Williams is a former American professional basketball player. As a point guard, Williams starred at both the high school and collegiate levels, and played briefly in the NBA....
.
Peoria is the hometown of American Major League Baseball player Jim Thome, currently a designated hitter for the Cleveland Indians.
Media
Peoria is the 153rd largest radio marketMedia market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
in the United States and Peoria-Bloomington is the 116th largest television market in the United States.
The area has 14 commercial radio stations with six owners among them; four non-commercial full-power radio stations, each separately owned; five commercial television stations with two operating owners among them; one non-commercial television station; and two daily newspapers (Peoria Journal Star
Peoria Journal Star
The Journal Star is the major daily newspaper for Peoria, Illinois and surrounding area. First owned locally, then employee-owned, it became a Copley-owned entity in 1996. In 2007, the paper was sold to Fairport, New York-based GateHouse Media.-History:...
and Pekin Daily Times), both with the same owner.
Civic Center
The Peoria Civic Center
Peoria Civic Center
Peoria Civic Center is a convention center located next to Peoria City Hall in downtown Peoria, Illinois. USA. It has an arena, a theater, an exhibit hall, and meeting rooms...
includes an arena, convention center, and theater, and was completed in the early 1980s, was designed by the famed late architect Philip Johnson
Philip Johnson
Philip Cortelyou Johnson was an influential American architect.In 1930, he founded the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and later , as a trustee, he was awarded an American Institute of Architects Gold Medal and the first Pritzker Architecture...
. The three structures are connected via an enclosed glass panel arcade for all-weather protection and aesthetics. As of 2007, it has completed a $55 million renovation and expansion based on demand for larger conventions and entertainment venues.
The Peoria City Council is currently deciding (as of September 2011), because of delays in the project, whether to continue an agreement with a hotel developer, Gary Matthews, to build a Marriott Hotel and to refurbish the existing historic Pere Marquette Hotel
Pere Marquette Hotel
The Hotel Père Marquette is a 14-story hotel in downtown Peoria, Illinois, United States. It was built in 1926 for $2.5 million , and features 288 guest rooms. The hotel is named for Father Jacques Marquette, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
. If completed, it is hoped that these developments would boost Downtown Peoria's image and prospects, and its ability to attract larger conventions.
Renaissance Park
Renaissance Park is a research park originally established in May 2003 as the Peoria Medical and Technology District. It consists of nine residential neighborhoods, Bradley UniversityBradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
, the medical district, Caterpillar world headquarters, and the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research
National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research
The National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research is an United States Department of Agriculture laboratory center in Peoria, Illinois...
. The Peoria NEXT Innovation Center opened in August 2007 and provides both dry and wet labs, as well as conference and office space for emerging start-up companies. Over $1 billion in research is conducted in Peoria annually.
The Block (formerly Museum Square)
The Block is a $100+ million project that will contain the Peoria Riverfront Museum and The Caterpillar Experience, a museum and visitor's center showcasing Caterpillar past, present, and future. It is proposed as a 6.8 acres (27,518.6 m²) development in downtown Peoria along the Illinois River at the site formerly known as the Sears Block. The museum project had been on hold since mid-2008. However, the public voted in April 2009 to allow an additional tax to be levied across the entire Peoria County for the project's funding. Construction has begun on the underground parking structure for The Block. The Block is expected to open no earlier than 2012.Industry
Peoria's first major industry was started in 1830 by John Hamlin, who constructed the flour mill on Kickapoo Creek. In 1837, another industry was begun with E.F. Nowland's pork planting industry. Many other industries started slowly in Peoria including carriage factories, pottery makers, wholesale warehousing, casting foundries, glucose factories, ice harvesting, and furniture makers.Peoria became the first world leader for distilleries thanks to Andrew Eitle (1837) and Almiron S. Cole (1843). During this time, Peoria held 22 distilleries and multiple breweries. Together, they produced the highest amount of internal revenue tax on alcohol of any single revenue district in the entire U.S. Peoria also was one of the major bootlegging areas during the prohibition and home to the famed mobsters, the Shelton brothers. This great success placed Peoria into a building boom of beautiful private homes, schools, parks, churches, as well as municipal buildings.
In addition to the distilleries, came farm machinery manufacturing by William Nurse in 1837. Also, two men called Toby and Anderson brought the steel plow circa 1843, which gained immediate success. The dominant manufacturing companies in Peoria were Kingman Plow Co., Acme Harvester Co., Selby, Starr & Co., and Avery Manufacturing Co. In 1889, Keystone Steel & Wire developed the first wire fence and has since been the nation's leading manufacturer.
Around the 1880s, businesses such as Rouse Hazard Co. in Peoria, were dealers and importers of bicycles and accessories worldwide. Charles Duryea
Charles Duryea
Charles Edgar Duryea was the engineer of the first-ever working American gasoline-powered car. He was born near Canton, Illinois, the son of George Washington Duryea and Louisa Melvina Turner and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but spent most of his life working in Springfield, Massachusetts...
, one of the cycle manufacturers, developed the first commercially available gasoline-powered automobile in the U.S. in 1893.
At this time, agricultural implement production declined, which led the earth moving and tractor equipment companies to skyrocket and make Peoria in this field the world leader. In 1925, Caterpillar Tractor Co. was formed from the Benjamin Holt Co. and the C.L. Best Tractor Co. Robert G. LeTourneau's earth moving company began its production of new scrapers and dozers in 1935 which evolved into Komatsu-Dresser, Haulpak Division. Today, the joint venture between Komatsu and Dresser Industries has long since passed. The entity that remains is the off-highway truck manufacturing division for Komatsu America Corporation.
Well-known Peoria businesses
- Ameren Illinois — formerly AmerenCILCO, former Central Illinois Light Company (CILCO); now part of AmerenAmerenAmeren Corporation was created December 31, 1997 by the merger of Missouri's Union Electric Company and the neighboring Central Illinois Public Service Company . It is now a holding company for several power companies and energy companies. The company is based in St...
- Archer Daniels MidlandArcher Daniels MidlandThe Archer Daniels Midland Company is a conglomerate headquartered in Decatur, Illinois. ADM operates more than 270 plants worldwide, where cereal grains and oilseeds are processed into products used in food, beverage, nutraceutical, industrial and animal feed markets worldwide.ADM was named the...
— corn processing plant and ethanol producer - Bergner'sBergner'sBergner's is a major department store in central and northern Illinois, established in 1889 in Peoria, Illinois, and offering mid-line to higher end merchandise in their largest stores. The current flagship store is located in Peoria at The Shoppes at Grande Prairie.-Beginnings:Bergner's was...
— department store; started in 1889 in downtown Peoria and eventually bought out Carson Pirie Scott & Co.; now part of Bon-Ton - Caterpillar Inc.Caterpillar Inc.Caterpillar Inc. , also known as "CAT", designs, manufactures, markets and sells machinery and engines and sells financial products and insurance to customers via a worldwide dealer network. Caterpillar is the world's largest manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas...
(world headquarters) — heavy equipment and engineEngineAn engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
manufacturer - CEFCUCitizens Equity First Credit UnionCitizens Equity First Credit Union is a federally insured credit union based in Peoria, Illinois, commonly referred to by its registered trademark, CEFCU.CEFCU was founded in 1937 to serve the employees of Caterpillar Tractor Company...
— Credit union; started by Caterpillar employees; now serves residents of 14 Central Illinois counties - Komatsu America Corporation — world's 2nd largest mining equipment manufacturer has a large manufacturing facility in Peoria
- Maui Jim (world headquarters) — sunglasses manufacturer
- National Center for Agricultural Utilization ResearchNational Center for Agricultural Utilization ResearchThe National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research is an United States Department of Agriculture laboratory center in Peoria, Illinois...
— largest USDA research facility; where mass production of penicillinPenicillinPenicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
was invented - RLI Corp.RLI Corp.RLI Corp. is an American property and casualty insurance company headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, with eighteen branch offices conducting business in all fifty U.S. states. Founded in 1965, RLI was one of the first insurers of contact lenses; the letters RLI originally stood for Replacement...
(world headquarters) — specialty insuranceInsuranceIn law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
company
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 112,936 people, 45,199 households, and 27,345 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,543.4 people per square mile (982.1/km²). There were 49,125 housing units at an average density of 1,106.3 per square mile (427.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.29% White, 24.79% African American, 0.20% Native American, 2.33% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.16% of mixed races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.51% of the population. The city has a sizable, established Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
population with a long history in local business and government.
There were 45,199 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. Individuals made up 33.2% of all households, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,397. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $20,512. Some 18.8% of the population was below the poverty line.
Special censuses were conducted in 2004 and 2007 that noted a total increase of 8,455 in the city's population since the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, mainly in the northwest corridor making the current population 121,391. The metropolitan area has a population of 370,000, which includes Peoria
Peoria County, Illinois
Peoria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 186,494, which is an increase of 1.7% from 183,433 in 2000. Its county seat is Peoria....
, Tazewell
Tazewell County, Illinois
Tazewell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 135,394, which is an increase of 5.4% from 128,485 in 2000. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. The majority of the population live in the suburbs and bedroom communities...
, Woodford, Stark
Stark County, Illinois
Stark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 5,994, which is a decrease of 5.3% from 6,332 in 2000...
and Marshall counties
Marshall County, Illinois
The median income for a household in the county was $41,576, and the median income for a family was $48,061. Males had a median income of $35,765 versus $21,452 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,065...
. Suburbs and towns in this area include Bartonville, Bellevue, Creve Coeur, Dunlap, East Peoria, Germantown Hills, Groveland, Marquette Heights, Metamora, Morton, North Pekin, Pekin, Peoria Heights, Pottstown, Rome, Tremont, Washington, and West Peoria.
Law and government
Peoria is a home ruleHome rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
with a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and ten city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
members. The city is divided into five districts. Five council members are elected at-large.
Steven Settingsgaard became Chief of Police on March 9, 2005.
| Office | Office holder |
|---|---|
| Mayor | Jim Ardis Jim Ardis Jim Ardis is a city politician in Peoria, Illinois. He has been mayor of Peoria since 2005, and was a city councilman starting in 1999.-Background:... |
| City Councilperson - District 1 | Clyde Gulley Jr. |
| City Councilperson - District 2 | Barbara Van Auken |
| City Councilperson - District 3 | Timothy Riggenbach |
| City Councilperson - District 4 | William R. Spears |
| City Councilperson - District 5 | Dan Irving |
| City Councilperson - At Large | W. Eric Turner |
| City Councilperson - At Large | Jim Montelongo |
| City Councilperson - At Large | Ryan Spain |
| City Councilperson - At Large | Gary V. Sandberg |
| City Councilperson - At Large | George F. Jacob |
| City/Township Clerk | Mary L. Haynes |
| City Treasurer/Township Collector | Patrick Nichting |
| Township Supervisor | Joe Whalen |
| Township Assessor | Bonnie D. Gavin |
Township of the City of Peoria
The Township of the City of Peoria (sometimes called City of Peoria Township) is a separate government from the City of Peoria, and performs the functions of civil townshipCivil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
government in most of the city. The border of the township matched the Peoria city limits until 1991, when it was frozen at its current boundaries; the City of Peoria itself has continued expanding outside of the City of Peoria Township borders into Kickapoo
Kickapoo Township, Peoria County, Illinois
Kickapoo Township is located in Peoria County, Illinois. The population was 3,573 at the 2000 census. Kickapoo Township changed its name from Orange Township on an unknown date, but the best guess is 1850.- External links :***...
, Medina
Medina Township, Peoria County, Illinois
Medina Township is located in Peoria County, Illinois. The population was 6,388 at the 2000 census. Medina Township changed its name from Franklin Township on an unknown date, but most likely in 1850.-External links:* * *...
, Radnor Townships
Radnor Township, Peoria County, Illinois
Radnor Township is located in Peoria County, Illinois. The population was 2,433 at the 2000 census. Radnor Township first changed its name from Benton Township to Fremont Township, then to Radnor. The exact dates are unknown, but thought to be 1850....
. In the years before the freeze, the Township of the City of Peoria had grown to take up most of the former area of Richwoods
Richwoods Township, Peoria County, Illinois
Richwoods Township is located in Peoria County, Illinois. The geographic designation is Township 9 North, Range 8 East of the Fourth Principal Meridian. The population was 6,539 at the 2000 census. The majority of its area is the village of Peoria Heights, Illinois.Part of Richwoods Township was...
and what is now West Peoria Township
West Peoria Township, Peoria County, Illinois
West Peoria Township is located in Peoria County, Illinois. The population was 4,762 at the 2000 census. West Peoria was the portion of Peoria Township that was left when the City of Peoria Township was formed in 1907...
.
Education
K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
school districts:
- Peoria Public Schools District 150 is the largest and serves the majority of the city. District 150 schools include dozens of primary and middle schools, as well as three public high schools: Richwoods High SchoolRichwoods High SchoolRichwoods High School is the most northern of the three regular public high schools in Peoria, Illinois, United States. Opened as a township high school in 1957, it was brought into Peoria Public Schools District 150 in the 1960s. Feeder middle schools are Mark Bills, Lindbergh, Rolling Acres...
, which hosts the competitive International Baccalaureate Program of study; Manual High SchoolManual High School (Peoria, Illinois)Manual High School is a public high school located in the south end of Peoria, Illinois. It is the southernmost of the three city high schools operated by the Peoria Public Schools. Manual opened in 1909 and moved from its Lincoln avenue site to a new building located at 811 S...
; and Peoria High SchoolPeoria High School (Peoria, Illinois)Peoria High School is a public high school in Peoria, Illinois. Peoria High School was established in 1856 and is the oldest continually operating high school west of the Allegheny Mountains. Peoria High is located at 1615 N. North Street and moved to this location in 1916...
(Central), the oldest high school in Illinois. Until the end of the 2009-2010 school year, a fourth high school, Woodruff High School, also operating in town. According to SchoolDigger, District 150 has the highest-ranking middle schoolMiddle schoolMiddle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
(Washington Gifted Middle School), but also the third- and eighth-lowest-ranking middle schools (Trewyn and Lincoln, respectively) and the second-lowest-ranking elementary schoolElementary schoolAn elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
(Tyng Primary School) in Illinois. Tyng closed in 2009. - Dunlap Community Unit School District 323 serves the far north and northwest parts of Peoria that were mostly outside the city before the 1990s.
- Limestone Community School District 310 serves a small portion of the western edge of the City of Peoria (western edges of Wardcliffe and Lexington Hills areas), but mainly serves the suburbs of BartonvilleBartonville, IllinoisBartonville is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,310 at the 2000 census. Bartonville is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, BellevueBellevue, IllinoisBellevue is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,887 at the 2000 census. Bellevue is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and surrounding towns. - Peoria Heights School District 325 serves the suburb of Peoria HeightsPeoria Heights, IllinoisPeoria Heights is a village lying almost entirely in Peoria County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 6,635 at the 2000 census. Peoria Heights is a suburb of Peoria and is surrounded by the city except for its eastern boundary on Peoria Lake, a relatively wider section of the...
; however, parts of the City of Peoria immediately outside the Heights are in this school district.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States.-Territory:...
currently runs six schools in the city: five grade schools and Peoria Notre Dame High School
Peoria Notre Dame High School
Peoria Notre Dame High School is a Catholic parochial high school in Peoria, Illinois. It is the largest parochial school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria with approximately 815 students and has a college preparatory curriculum. According to the school, more than 99% of students graduating...
. Non-denominational Peoria Christian School operates a grade school, middle school, and high school.
In addition, Peoria Christian School, Concordia Lutheran School, Peoria Academy, Christ Lutheran School, and several smaller private schools exist.
Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
, Midstate College
Midstate College
Midstate College is a small, private vocational school and proprietary college in Peoria, Illinois.- History :Midstate College's origins date back to 1857, when a commercial school was started in Peoria. In 1865, a similar school opened, and the two schools combined in 1868. In 1888, the merged...
, the University of Illinois College of Medicine
University of Illinois College of Medicine
The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a four-year program leading to the MD degree at four different sites in Illinois: Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana–Champaign....
at Peoria, the Downtown and North campuses of Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College, often called ICC, is a large Illinois community college with its largest campus in East Peoria, Illinois, off Illinois State Route 116 near U.S. Route 150 and the McClugage Bridge...
, and the Peoria campus of Robert Morris University are based in the city. In addition, Eureka College
Eureka College
Eureka College is a liberal arts college in Eureka, Illinois related by covenant to the Christian Church and founded in 1855. It has a strong focus on the mutual development of intellect and character. Stated core values are learning, service and leadership...
and the main campus of Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College, often called ICC, is a large Illinois community college with its largest campus in East Peoria, Illinois, off Illinois State Route 116 near U.S. Route 150 and the McClugage Bridge...
are located nearby.
Health and medicine
The health-care industry accounts for at least 25% of Peoria's economy. The city has three major hospitals: OSF Saint Francis Medical CenterOSF Saint Francis Medical Center
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, located in Peoria, Illinois, United States, is a teaching hospital for the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and part of the OSF Healthcare System...
, Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, and Proctor Hospital. In addition, the Children's Hospital of Illinois, the University of Illinois College of Medicine
University of Illinois College of Medicine
The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a four-year program leading to the MD degree at four different sites in Illinois: Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, and Urbana–Champaign....
at Peoria, and the Midwest Affiliate of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children's catastrophic diseases. It is located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a nonprofit medical corporation chartered as a 501 tax-exempt organization under IRS regulations.In...
are located in the city. The hospitals are all located in a medical district around the junction of Interstate 74
Interstate 74
Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
and Knoxville Avenue
Illinois Route 40
Illinois Route 40 is a north–south route in central portion of the U.S. state of Illinois. It runs from Interstate 74 in East Peoria north to Illinois Route 78 at Mt. Carroll, just south of U.S. Route 52 and Illinois Route 64. This is a distance of ....
, adjacent to downtown in the southeast of the city, except for Proctor Hospital in the geographic center of the city. The surrounding towns are also supported by Proctor Hospital, Pekin Hospital, Eureka Hospital, and the Hopedale Medical Complex
Hopedale Medical Complex
The Hopedale Medical Complex is a community medical center located in Hopedale, Illinois. Founded by Dr. Lawrence Rossi in 1955, the hospital and surrounding facilities are owned and operated by the not-for-profit, charitable corporation known as The Hopedale Medical Foundation...
.
Interstate and U.S. routes
The Peoria area is served by three Interstate highways: Interstate 74Interstate 74
Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
, which runs from northwest to southeast through the downtown area, Interstate 474
Interstate 474
Interstate 474 is an Interstate Highway loop route that provides a southern bypass around the north central Illinois city of Peoria. I-474's parent interstate is I-74. As the first digit of the interstate's number is even, it follows the established convention of providing a loop around a city....
, a southern bypass of I-74 through portions of Peoria and the suburbs of Bartonville
Bartonville, Illinois
Bartonville is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,310 at the 2000 census. Bartonville is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and Creve Coeur
Creve Coeur, Illinois
Creve Coeur is a village in Groveland Township, Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 5,448...
, and Interstate 155
Interstate 155
Interstate 155 is the designation for two Interstate Highways in the United States, all of which are related to Interstate 55:*Interstate 155 , a spur to Peoria*Interstate 155 , a spur to Dyersburg, Tennessee...
, which runs south from I-74 in Morton to Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
in Lincoln which connects to Springfield and St. Louis. I-74 crosses over the Illinois River via the Murray Baker Bridge
Murray Baker Bridge
The Murray Baker Bridge is a landmark cantilever bridge that carries Interstate 74 over the Illinois River from downtown Peoria to East Peoria in central Illinois...
, while I-474 crosses via the Shade-Lohmann Bridge. The nearest metropolitan centers accessible on I-74 are the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
to the west, and Bloomington-Normal
Bloomington-Normal, Illinois
Bloomington-Normal refers to the twin municipalities of Bloomington and Normal in McLean County, in Central Illinois. The combined population of the two communities in a special census in 2006 was 125,000.-Sports:...
to the east.
From 2004 to 2006, Interstate 74 between Interstate 474 on the west and Illinois Route 8
Illinois Route 8
Illinois Route 8 is an east–west state road in central Illinois. It runs east from Illinois Route 97 south of Maquon to the intersection of U.S. Route 24 and Business U.S. 24 near Washington. Illinois 8 is long.- Route description :...
on the east was reconstructed as part of the Upgrade 74 project.
In addition, U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24 is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It originally ran from Pontiac, Michigan, in the east to Kansas City, Missouri, in the west. Today, the highway's eastern terminus is west of Clarkston, Michigan, at an intersection with I-75 and its western terminus is near...
runs along the bank of the Peoria side of the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
, becoming a major arterial downtown as part of Adams Street and Jefferson Avenue, and then continuing southwest towards Bartonville
Bartonville, Illinois
Bartonville is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,310 at the 2000 census. Bartonville is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
as Washington Street, which turns into Adams Street on the south end of Peoria. U.S. Route 150
U.S. Route 150
U.S. Route 150 is a 571 mile long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky .-Illinois:In the state of Illinois, U.S. 150 runs from the Quad City International Airport at U.S...
serves as the main arterial for the northern portion of the Peoria area, becoming War Memorial Drive before heading west towards Kickapoo. Both of these routes enter from the McClugage Bridge; east of the bridge, U.S. 150 runs southeast to Morton
Morton, Illinois
Morton is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, USA, known for its pumpkins and annual Pumpkin Festival. The population was 15,198 at the 2000 census. Morton, the home of a Caterpillar distribution facility and a Libby's pumpkin plant, is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical...
, while U.S. 24 runs due east to Washington
Washington, Illinois
Washington is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,841 at the 2000 census. There are currently 13,167 people living in Washington, according to a 2004 special census. Washington is part of the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
State routes
The following state routes run through Peoria:- Illinois Route 6Illinois Route 6Illinois Route 6 is a 4-lane freeway in central Illinois. It begins as a northern extension of Interstate 474 at Interstate 74 west of Peoria, and ends at Illinois Route 29 in Mossville, south of Chillicothe...
runs along the northwestern portion of the city as an extension of I-474. It is a four-lane freeway that runs from the I-74/474 intersection northeast to Illinois Route 29Illinois Route 29Illinois Route 29 is a two to four lane state road that runs south from U.S. Route 6/Illinois Route 89 at Spring Valley to U.S. Route 51/Illinois Route 16 at Pana, running through Pekin, Peoria and Springfield. The nearest major north–south highway, Interstate 39, runs parallel to Illinois...
south of ChillicotheChillicothe, IllinoisChillicothe is a city on the Illinois River in Peoria County, Illinois. The population was 5,996 at the 2000 census. Chillicothe is just north of the city of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.- Geography :...
. It is marked as a north-south road. - Illinois Route 8Illinois Route 8Illinois Route 8 is an east–west state road in central Illinois. It runs east from Illinois Route 97 south of Maquon to the intersection of U.S. Route 24 and Business U.S. 24 near Washington. Illinois 8 is long.- Route description :...
roughly parallels I-74 to the south. It enters Peoria from FarmingtonFarmington, IllinoisFarmington is a city in the northeast corner of Fulton County, Illinois, United States. It is north of Canton and Lewistown, west of Peoria and Bloomington, and east of Galesburg and Macomb. The population was 2,601 at the 2000 census. The public school system is Farmington Central Community Unit...
and runs southeast through the city, passing just southwest of the downtown area. Illinois 8 crosses into East Peoria via the Cedar Street BridgeCedar Street BridgeThe Cedar Street Bridge carries Illinois Route 8, Illinois Route 29, and Illinois Route 116 over the Illinois River. It is about a mile and a half southwest from downtown. The bridge is a simple steel arch bridge that towers approximately 70 to above the surface of the river, and is the shortest...
with Illinois Routes 29 and 116Illinois Route 116Illinois Route 116 is a cross-state rural state highway that runs from U.S. Route 34 by Gladstone east to the intersection of U.S. Route 45 and Old U.S. Route 45, on the north side of Ashkum...
. Illinois 8 is marked as an east-west road. - Illinois Route 29 runs with U.S. 24 through Peoria along the Illinois River from Chillicothe through downtown Peoria. It then joins Illinois 8 and 116 across the Cedar Street Bridge. Illinois 29 is marked as a north-south road, and is called Galena Road north of U.S. 150.
- Illinois Route 40Illinois Route 40Illinois Route 40 is a north–south route in central portion of the U.S. state of Illinois. It runs from Interstate 74 in East Peoria north to Illinois Route 78 at Mt. Carroll, just south of U.S. Route 52 and Illinois Route 64. This is a distance of ....
(formerly 88) enters Peoria from the north as Knoxville Avenue. It runs south through the center of the city and exits southeast over the Bob Michel BridgeBob Michel BridgeThe Bob Michel Bridge carries Illinois Route 40 over the Illinois River just .75 miles up-river from the Cedar Street Bridge. Illinois 40 terminates at an interchange with Interstate 74 just east of the bridge. The bridge serves as a direct surface route from a major commercial center...
. Illinois 40 is marked as a north-south road. - Illinois Route 91Illinois Route 91Illinois Route 91 is a rural state road in central Illinois. It runs from the northwest edge of Peoria at U.S. Highway 150 to U.S. Highway 34 south of Kewanee. Illinois 91 is long.- Route description :...
briefly enters Peoria at the intersection with U.S. 150 in the far northwestern portion of the city. Traffic on Illinois 91 mainly accesses the Grand Prairie Mall, or continues to Dunlap. - Illinois Route 116 enters from the west at BellevueBellevue, IllinoisBellevue is a village in Peoria County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,887 at the 2000 census. Bellevue is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. It runs directly east and crosses into East Peoria over the Cedar Street Bridge.
The planned Illinois Route 336
Illinois Route 336
Illinois Route 336 is a four-lane freeway/expressway combination that serves western Illinois. It is also used to refer to the name of a future project to connect the cities of Quincy and Peoria via underserved Macomb....
project will also connect Illinois 336 with I-474 between Illinois 8 and Illinois 116. Construction on the segment nearest Peoria has not started, nor has funding been allocated.
Rail transportation
Metro Peoria is served by ten common carrierCommon carrier
A common carrier in common-law countries is a person or company that transports goods or people for any person or company and that is responsible for any possible loss of the goods during transport...
railroads. Four are Class I railroad
Class I railroad
A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III...
s: BNSF, Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific. The last one, Union Pacific, has a north-south oriented line which skirts the west edge of the city but a line branches off of it to enter Peoria. One Class II/Regional
Class II railroad
A Class II railroad in the United States is a mid-sized freight-hauling railroad, in terms of its operating revenue. , a railroad with revenues greater than $20.5 million but less than $277.7 million for at least three consecutive years is considered a Class II railroad...
, Iowa Interstate, serves the city, coming out of Bureau Junction, Illinois. Five Class III/Shortline
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
railroads: Central Illinois Railroad
Central Illinois Railroad
The Central Illinois Railroad is a shortline railroad in Illinois. The switching and terminal railroad operates trackage near Peoria, Illinois...
, which operates a portion of the city-owned Peoria, Peoria Heights and Western Railroad; two Genesee and Wyoming-owned operations: Illinois & Midland Railroad (the former Chicago and Illinois Midland, comes up from Springfield) and Tazewell and Peoria Railroad
Tazewell and Peoria Railroad
The Tazewell & Peoria Railroad is a short-line railroad, running entirely in Peoria County and Tazewell County, Illinois, and formed by Genesee & Wyoming Inc. to lease the assets of the century-old Peoria and Pekin Union Railway , which is owned by Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern and Canadian...
(leases the Peoria and Pekin Union Railway
Peoria and Pekin Union Railway
The Peoria and Pekin Union Railway is a switching and terminal railroad in Illinois that began operating in 1881 and was leased to the Tazewell and Peoria Railroad in 2004. Its main yard and roundhouse are in East Peoria, Illinois, and it owns track on both sides of the Illinois River...
from its owners Canadian National, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific; Pioneer Railcorp's Keokuk Junction Railway
Keokuk Junction Railway
The Keokuk Junction Railway Company , is a Class III railroad terminal railroad in the US states of Illinois and Iowa.KJRY started service as a terminal railroad operating over tracks built in 1857 as part of the Keokuk & Des Moines Valley Railroad...
(which now owns the Toledo, Peoria and Western's West End from Lomax and La Harpe in Western Illinois, plus the branch from Keokuk); and RailAmerica
RailAmerica
RailAmerica, Inc., based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a holding company of a number of short-line railroads and regional railroads in the United States and Canada....
's Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
The Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway is a short-line railroad that operates of track from Mapleton, Illinois, through Peoria across Illinois to Logansport, Indiana, and includes a branch line between Logansport to Winamac, Indiana...
, which uses BNSF trackage to reach Galesburg and its own line to reach Logansport, Indiana
Logansport, Indiana
Logansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,396 at the 2010 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana, at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northeast of Lafayette.-History:...
. There is no passenger rail connecting Peoria to other urban centers, although this possibility and the possibility of rail service that connects St. Louis to Chicago (by way of Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, and Pontiac) has been and is being investigated.
Peoria's last intercity rail service ended in 1981, when Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
withdrew the Prairie Marksman
Prairie Marksman (Amtrak)
The Prairie Marksman was a daily passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago's Union Station and East Peoria, Illinois. The route was an indirect successor to the Rock Island's Peoria Rocket.- History :...
, which stopped in nearby East Peoria
East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 23,402 at the 2010 census. East Peoria is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area, located across the Illinois River from downtown Peoria. It is home to many Caterpillar Inc. facilities...
.
Public transportation
Public bus service is provided by the Greater Peoria Mass Transit DistrictGreater Peoria Mass Transit District
The Greater Peoria Mass Transit District is a mass transit district based in Peoria, Illinois; the district itself also includes Peoria Heights and West Peoria. It was established in 1970 and, prior to adopting the name CityLink, it was known as GPTransit...
, which operates 20 bus routes under the name CityLink, that serve the city, Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College
Illinois Central College, often called ICC, is a large Illinois community college with its largest campus in East Peoria, Illinois, off Illinois State Route 116 near U.S. Route 150 and the McClugage Bridge...
and much of East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria, Illinois
East Peoria is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 23,402 at the 2010 census. East Peoria is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area, located across the Illinois River from downtown Peoria. It is home to many Caterpillar Inc. facilities...
, Peoria Heights
Peoria Heights, Illinois
Peoria Heights is a village lying almost entirely in Peoria County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 6,635 at the 2000 census. Peoria Heights is a suburb of Peoria and is surrounded by the city except for its eastern boundary on Peoria Lake, a relatively wider section of the...
, West Peoria
West Peoria, Illinois
West Peoria is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, USA. The population was 4,762 at the 2000 census. West Peoria is a suburb of Peoria and is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, and points between Peoria and Pekin, Illinois
Pekin, Illinois
Pekin is a the county seat of Tazewell County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located on the Illinois River, Pekin is also the largest city of Tazewell County, and a key part of the Peoria metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, its population is 34,094. A small portion of the city limits extends...
.
Aviation
The General Wayne Downing Peoria International Airport serves Peoria and surrounding communities. The airport is served by 4 passenger airlines (UnitedUnited Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, American
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, Delta, and Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air is an American low-cost airline owned by Allegiant Travel Co. that operates scheduled and charter flights. Allegiant Travel Company is a publicly traded company with 1,300 employees and one billion USD market capitalization...
) and numerous cargo carriers. Nonstop destinations include Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit, Denver, Phoenix, and Tampa. Cargo carriers serving Peoria include FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
, UPS
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
and Airborne Express
Airborne Express
Airborne Express was an express delivery company and cargo airline. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, its hub was at Wilmington, Ohio.Airborne was founded as the Airborne Flower Traffic Association of California in 1946 to fly flowers from the state of Hawaii to US Mainland.Airborne Express...
(now DHL
DHL
DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....
).
Mount Hawley Airport, on the north end of the city, also accepts general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
. Numerous other general aviation airports are located in the tri-county region.
Pekin Municipal Airport, in Pekin, Illinois
Pekin, Illinois
Pekin is a the county seat of Tazewell County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located on the Illinois River, Pekin is also the largest city of Tazewell County, and a key part of the Peoria metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, its population is 34,094. A small portion of the city limits extends...
, across the river, also serves the area.
Points of interest
- Civil War Monument at County Courthouse Plaza
- Grandview DriveGrandview DriveGrandview Drive is a two and a half mile scenic road with adjacent park areas through Peoria and Peoria Heights, Illinois. Major portions of the road give a view of the Illinois River and its valley as well as clear views of the some of the most prestigious and historic homes in the area...
along the Illinois RiverIllinois RiverThe Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
bluff in Peoria and Peoria HeightsPeoria Heights, IllinoisPeoria Heights is a village lying almost entirely in Peoria County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 6,635 at the 2000 census. Peoria Heights is a suburb of Peoria and is surrounded by the city except for its eastern boundary on Peoria Lake, a relatively wider section of the... - Glen Oak Park, including Glen Oak Zoo and George L. Luthy Memorial Botanical GardenGeorge L. Luthy Memorial Botanical GardenThe autumn of 2011 will mark the 60th anniversary of Luthy Botanical Garden, a Peoria landmark known for magnificent flower shows, botanical displays, events and horticultural education...
- Spirit of PeoriaSpirit of PeoriaThe Spirit of Peoria is a riverboat that normally runs in the Peoria, Illinois area on the Illinois River watershed.. The boat participated in the 2004 Grand Excursion...
— paddle wheelPaddle wheelA paddle wheel is a waterwheel in which a number of scoops are set around the periphery of the wheel. It has several usages.* Very low lift water pumping, such as flooding paddy fields at no more than about height above the water source....
riverboatRiverboatA riverboat is a ship built boat designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury units constructed for entertainment enterprises, such... - Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception (Peoria, Illinois)Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception (Peoria, Illinois)The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria, the diocese where the renowned Catholic televangelist and sainthood candidate, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, was born and raised...
(also known as St. Mary's Cathedral) - Scottish Rite CathedralScottish Rite Cathedral (Peoria, Illinois)The Scottish Rite Cathedral in Peoria, Illinois is a church-style building that houses the Scottish Rite Bodies of the Valley of Peoria. The building is at 400 NE Perry Avenue, at the corner with Spalding Avenue, at...
- Wildlife Prairie State ParkWildlife Prairie State ParkWildlife Prairie State Park, officially dedicated as Hazel & Bill Rutherford Wildlife Prairie State Park, is an Illinois state park located in Peoria County, Illinois, in central Illinois, about 10 miles west of downtown Peoria....
, about 10 mi (16 km) west of the city
Notable events
- September 19 to October 21, 1813 — Peoria WarPeoria WarDuring the War of 1812, the Illinois Territory was the scene of fighting between Native Americans and United States soldiers and settlers.Tensions in the Illinois Territory between U.S. settlers and Native Americans were on the rise in the years before the War of 1812...
- 1844 — Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
came to Peoria to get involved in the Aquilla WrenAquilla WrenAquilla Wren was a store owner in Peoria, Illinois in the 1830s and 1840s. He came of note as a result of a divorce proceeding in which Abraham Lincoln was involved.-Divorce proceedings:...
divorce case and took it to the Supreme Court of IllinoisSupreme Court of IllinoisThe Supreme Court of Illinois is the state supreme court of Illinois. The court's authority is granted in Article VI of the current Illinois Constitution, which provides for seven justices elected from the five appellate judicial districts of the state: Three justices from the First District and... - October 16, 1854 — Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
first publicized his stand that the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
should move towards restricting and eventually eliminating slaverySlaverySlavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, a position directly against historic compromises such as the Kansas-Nebraska ActKansas-Nebraska ActThe Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opening new lands for settlement, and had the effect of repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820 by allowing settlers in those territories to determine through Popular Sovereignty if they would allow slavery within...
. The speech, which was possibly similar to one given in Springfield, IllinoisSpringfield, IllinoisSpringfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, 12 days earlier, followed the speech of Stephen A. DouglasStephen A. DouglasStephen Arnold Douglas was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in 1860. He lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln, whom he had defeated two years earlier in a Senate contest following a famed...
, whom Lincoln would later debate regularly in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858The Lincoln–Douglas Debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for Senate in Illinois, and the incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate. At the time, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures; thus Lincoln and...
. - April 15, 1926 — Charles LindberghCharles LindberghCharles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
's first air mail route, Contract Air Mail route #2, began running mail from ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to Peoria to SpringfieldSpringfield, IllinoisSpringfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
to St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and back. Local legend purports that Lindbergh offered Peoria the chance to sponsor his trans-Atlantic flight but refused. The plane would have been called the "Spirit of Peoria". - April 3, 1967 — The trial of mass murderMass murderMass murder is the act of murdering a large number of people , typically at the same time or over a relatively short period of time. According to the FBI, mass murder is defined as four or more murders occurring during a particular event with no cooling-off period between the murders...
er Richard SpeckRichard SpeckRichard Franklin Speck was a mass murderer who systematically tortured, raped and murdered eight student nurses from South Chicago Community Hospital in Chicago, Illinois on July 14, 1966.- Monmouth, 1941–1950 :...
begins at the Peoria CountyPeoria County, IllinoisPeoria County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 186,494, which is an increase of 1.7% from 183,433 in 2000. Its county seat is Peoria....
courthouse, after a change of venue from ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to ensure a fair trial. - Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
called Grandview DriveGrandview DriveGrandview Drive is a two and a half mile scenic road with adjacent park areas through Peoria and Peoria Heights, Illinois. Major portions of the road give a view of the Illinois River and its valley as well as clear views of the some of the most prestigious and historic homes in the area...
, a street on the bluffs overlooking the Illinois River "the world's most beautiful drive." The Peoria radio stationWMBD (AM)WMBD is the oldest radio station in Peoria, Illinois. It broadcasts on 1470 kHz with 5000 watts day and night, with a 2-tower pattern during the day and a 4-tower pattern at night.The station started broadcasting in 1927...
and CBS television affiliateWMBD-TVWMBD-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Illinois licensed to Peoria. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 30 from a transmitter on Pinecrest Drive in Groveland Township's East Peoria section. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 7 and in...
WMBD attached the description to its call sign.
Awards
- Peoria has been awarded the All-America City AwardAll-America City AwardThe All-America City Award is given by the National Civic League annually to ten cities in the United States.The oldest community recognition program in the nation, the award recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon...
three times (1953, 1966, and 1989). - In 2007, Forbes ranked Peoria #47 out of the largest 150 metropolitan areas in its annual "Best Places for Business and Careers." Peoria was evaluated on the cost of doing business, cost of living, entertainment opportunities, and income growth.
- In 2005, Sperling and Sanders Best Places to Live Rankings among 331 metropolitan areas placed Peoria #51, citing "low cost of living, low cost of housing, and attractive residential areas" as the main pros to the area.
- Peoria was ranked a 5 Star Logistics City by Expansion Management Magazine in 2007
- Peoria consistently ranks in the Top 10 Best Mannered Cities in America as compiled by etiquette expert Marjabelle Young Stewart.
- Peoria was ranked as one of the "50 Next Great Adventure Towns" in the US in the September 2008 issue of National Geographic AdventureNational Geographic AdventureNational Geographic Adventure, formerly known as Adventure One but now commonly known as Nat Geo Adventure, is a subscription TV channel part of National Geographic Channels International and News Corporation...
magazine. This was mainly based on the extensive mountain biking trails in and around the city and the live entertainment options found on the RiverFront. - In 2009, Peoria was ranked 16th best city with a population of 100,000–200,000 ("Mighty Micros") in the U.S. Next Cities List. The list was compiled by Next Generation Consulting, a firm which studies and consults on hiring trends and workplace issues nationwide, and the indexes used were divided into earning, learning, vitality, around town, after hours, cost of lifestyle and social capital. Top Mighty Micro was Fort Collins, ColoradoFort Collins, ColoradoFort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
; the other Mighty Micro in Illinois was SpringfieldSpringfield, IllinoisSpringfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
at #5. - In 2009, Peoria was ranked #5 best mid sized city to launch a small business by CNN Money and Fortune Small Business.
- Milken Institute released its Best Performing Metropolitan Areas listing for 2008 and the Peoria Area ranked #33 among the top 200 largest metropolitan areas in the country. It was the highest ranking area in Illinois with Chicago coming in next at #148.
Religion
- Episcopal Diocese of QuincyEpiscopal Diocese of QuincyThe Diocese of Quincy is an Anglican diocese in western Illinois, United States. It is a founding member of the Anglican Church in North America...
— diocese seat is in Peoria - Roman Catholic Diocese of PeoriaRoman Catholic Diocese of PeoriaThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States.-Territory:...
External links
- Official municipal site
- The Heartland Partnership — owner of several economic development organizations
- Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Peoria GIS Consortium — geographically-based property data and mapping site for Peoria city and county
- Map of Peoria Neighborhoods
- Peoria 1719-1730
- 336 Coalition — proposed route to Macomb
- Peoria Facebook Fan Page
Notable webcams
- Bradley's WebCam — Bradley UniversityBradley UniversityBradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
campus: Bradley Hall and quad; installed in 2006 - Peoria District 4 internal traffic — Illinois Department of Transportation site with traffic conditions map and cameras of three Interstate 74Interstate 74 in IllinoisIn the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 74 is a major northwest-southeast Interstate Highway that runs across the northern portion of the state. It runs from the Iowa state line at the Mississippi River southeast to the Indiana state line east of Danville, Illinois. This is a distance of 220.34...
interchanges - PJStar BridgeCam — user-drivable camera with view of the McClugage Bridge, U.S. Route 150U.S. Route 150U.S. Route 150 is a 571 mile long northwest-southeast United States highway, signed as east–west. It runs from U.S. Route 6 outside of Moline, Illinois to U.S. Route 25 in Mount Vernon, Kentucky .-Illinois:In the state of Illinois, U.S. 150 runs from the Quad City International Airport at U.S...
, and nearby areas, from the Peoria Journal StarPeoria Journal StarThe Journal Star is the major daily newspaper for Peoria, Illinois and surrounding area. First owned locally, then employee-owned, it became a Copley-owned entity in 1996. In 2007, the paper was sold to Fairport, New York-based GateHouse Media.-History:...
building