PEORIA, ILLINOIS

'Peoria, Illinois' is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 112,936. The Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 369,161 in 2005.^[1]
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, and Peoria is often used as a test market for new products, services, and public policy polling.^[2]
Peoria is also headquarters for Caterpillar Inc., one of the 30 companies composing the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Contents

History

Geography

Topography

Environment

Climate

Cityscape

Webcams

Culture

Performing arts

Tourism

Registered historic places

Sports

Media

Newspapers

Analog television

Digital television (DTV)

Civic Center

Renaissance Park

Museum Square

Economy

Well-known Peoria businesses

Demographics

Law and government

Township of the City of Peoria

History

Education

Awards

Other notable buildings

Infrastructure

Health and medicine

OSF St. Francis Medical Center

Sanitary

Transportation

Interstate and U.S. Routes

State Routes

Rail transportation

Public Transportation

Aviation

Famous connections to Peoria

People born or raised in Peoria

Other famous Peorians

Famous events

See also

Points of interest

References

External links

History

The lands that eventually would become Peoria were first settled in 1680, when French explorers René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle and Henri de Tonti constructed Fort Crevecoeur. This fort would later burn to the ground, and in 1813 Fort Clark was built. When the County of Peoria was organized in 1825, Fort Clark was officially named Peoria.

Geography

Peoria is located at (40.720737, -89.609421).

Topography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 120.8 km² (46.6 mi²). Land comprises 115.0 km² (44.4 mi²) of the area, and 5.8 km² (2.2 mi²) (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.

Environment

Climate

Monthly normal and record temperatures (in °F)^[3]

Measurement	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Record High	70	72	86	92	93	105	104	103	100	90	81	71
Normal High	30.7	36.6	49.4	62.0	73.0	82.2	85.7	83.6	76.7	64.4	48.8	35.5
Normal Low	14.3	19.7	30.2	40.3	50.8	60.1	64.6	62.6	54.0	42.3	31.4	20.1
Record Low	-25	-19	-10	14	25	39	47	41	26	19	-2	-23

Monthly normal precipitation (in inches)³

Measurement	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Precipitation	1.50	1.67	2.83	3.56	4.17	3.84	4.02	3.16	3.12	2.77	2.99	2.40
Snow	6.7	5.0	4.2	0.8	trace	trace	trace	0	trace	0.1	2.1	6.2

Cityscape

Webcams

The city of Peoria, Illinois has several webcams that display different views of the city.
The first is located on the campus of Bradley University. This webcam was installed in late 2006. The most prominent feature that you can see from this webcam is Bradley Hall, also located on the Bradley University campus. View the Bradley University webcam.
Another local webcam is from WEEK-TV News-25. This webcam gives a view of the downtown area from the top of the Jefferson Building.View the WEEK webcam.
WHOI TV also has a local webcam giving a wider view of the downtown Peoria area. View the HOI 19 webcam.
The Peoria Journal Star has a webcam mounted on its building aimed mostly at the busy McClugage bridge, which carries US routes 24 and 150 over the Illinois River. You can also pan this camera so as to look around the area or even into the office windows of the Journal Star itself. View the PJStar.com bridgecam.

Culture

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.^[4]
Peoria's downtown area includes corporate, governmental, convention, educational, and medical facilities. It also boasts the Peoria Civic Center, Apollo Theatre, O'Brien Field and an arts, dining, and entertainment area near the riverfront. Downtown now also maintains a permanent population living in high rise condominiums, riverfront lofts, and converted office/warehouse condominiums and apartments.
Grandview Drive, which Teddy Roosevelt is said to have called the "world's most beautiful drive" during a 1910 visit^[5], runs through Peoria and Peoria Heights. In addition to Grandview Drive, the Peoria Park District boasts 9,000 acres (36 km²) of parks, including Glen Oak Zoo and five public golf courses. There are also several private and semi-private golf courses. The Peoria Park District was the 2001 Winner of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation for Class II Parks.^[6]
Museums in Peoria include the 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 museum, a planetarium, and the Caterpillar World Visitors Center.^[7]
The Steamboat Classic, held every summer, is the world's largest four-mile running race and draws international runners.^[8]
Peoria's sister cities include Friedrichshafen, Germany; Benxi, China; and Clonmel, Ireland. Peoria has also recently adopted Biloxi, Mississippi, as a sister city to aid in its recovery from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.^{[9] [10]}

Performing arts

The Peoria Symphony Orchestra is the 10th oldest in the nation. Peoria is also home to Opera Illinois, the Peoria Municipal Band, the Peoria Area Civic Chorale, the Central Illinois Youth Symphony, and two ballet companies: Peoria Ballet and Illinois Ballet. Several community and professional theatres 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.^[11]
The Contemporary Art Center of Peoria, and the Peoria Art Guild and Galleries, host of the Annual Art Fair that is rated as one of the best professional art fairs in the nation ^[12], are in Peoria.
Comedy clubs, and several venues for a variety of traveling shows and concerts including Broadway touring companies, are located in and around Peoria.^[13]
Peoria has embarked on major renovations and expansion to Peoria Zoo at Glen Oak Park. When finished, the new zoo improvements will triple the size of the zoo and will have a major African safari exhibit. Work began 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.^[14]

Tourism

Registered historic places

★ Central National Bank Building (Peoria)

★ Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Peoria)

★ Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall

★ Grandview Drive

★ International Harvester Building

★ John C. Proctor Recreation Center

★ Judge Flanagan Residence

★ Judge Jacob Gale House

★ Madison Theatre

★ North Side Historic District

★ Peace and Harvest

★ Peoria City Hall

★ Peoria Cordage Company

★ Peoria Mineral Springs

★ Peoria Waterworks

★ Pere Marquette Hotel

★ Pettingill-Morron House

★ Rock Island Depot and Freight House

★ Springdale Cemetery

★ West Bluff Historic District

Sports

Peoria is home to the AHL Peoria Rivermen. 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.^[15] 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.^[16][17]
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, Mike Dunne, and Jim Thome.
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 9th team of 12 to enter the league, and were in the league for 6 out of the 12 years of the league's existence. The Redwings folded after the 1951 season, and the league disbanded in 1954.^[18]

Media

Newspapers

★ Peoria Journal Star (daily) [1]

★ Times Newspapers (weekly) [2]

Analog television

★ 19 WHOI, ABC

★ 25 WEEK-TV "News 25", NBC [3]

★ 31 WMBD-TV "Newschannel 31", CBS

★ 43 WYZZ-TV "Fox 43", Fox

★ 47 WTVP, PBS [4]

★ 59 WAOE "My59", MyNetworkTV

Digital television (DTV)

★ 28 WYZZ-DT (43.1 - High Definition) "Fox 43", Fox

★ 40 WHOI-DT (19.1 - High Definition), ABC

★ 40 WHOI-DT (19.2 - Standard Definition), The CW Television Network

★ 46 WTVP-DT (47.1 - Standard Definition), PBS

★ 46 WTVP-DT (47.2 - High Definition), PBS HDTV

★ 46 WTVP-DT (47.3 - Standard Definition)

★ 56 WEEK-DT (25.1 - High Definition) "News 25", NBC

★ 56 WEEK-DT (25.2 - Standard Definition), NBC Weather Plus

Civic Center

Main articles: Peoria Civic Center

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 is in the process of a $55 million renovation and expansion based on demand for larger conventions and entertainment venues.

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 University, the medical district, Caterpillar world headquarters, and the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research. Over $1 billion in research is conducted in Peoria annually.^[19]

Museum Square

Slated for completion in 2009, the $100+ million Museum Square is a new 6.8-acre development in downtown Peoria along the Illinois River. Planned and designed by architecture firm Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, the Square will house two separate facilities - the Peoria Riverfront Museum - The Center of Art, History, Science & Achievement and the Caterpillar Visitor Center. The 110,000-square-foot museum will feature hands-on and interactive displays, a planetarium and Imaginarium, innovative galleries and ever-changing, regionally focused exhibits on the arts, sciences, history, and nature. It will highlight the region's creativity, innovations, and worldwide impact - past, present and future. Caterpillar, an international company, will maintain the 50,000-square-foot Caterpillar Visitor Center, which will showcase the history of the company.^[20]

Economy

Well-known Peoria businesses

★ AmerenCILCO - former Central Illinois Light Company; now part of Ameren

★ Archer Daniels Midland - corn processing plant

★ Bergner's - department store; started in 1889 in downtown Peoria and eventually bought out Carson Pirie Scott & Co.; now part of Bon-Ton

★ Caterpillar Inc. (world headquarters) - bulldozer and engine manufacturer

★ CEFCU - Credit union; started by Caterpillar employees; now serves residents of 14 Central Illinois counties

★ Clifton Gunderson LLP (national headquarters) - 13th largest national accounting and consulting firm^[21]

★ The Junior League of Peoria - women's volunteer organization

★ Komatsu Mining Systems - construction equipment manufacturer

★ L.R. Nelson Corporation (world headquarters) - manufacturer of irrigation sprinklers

★ National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research - largest USDA facility; where mass production of penicillin was invented

★ RLI Corp. (world headquarters) - specialty insurance company

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 112,936 people, 45,199 households, and 27,345 families residing in the city. The population density was 982.1/km² (2,543.4/mi²). There were 49,125 housing units at an average density of 427.2/km² (1,106.3/mi²). 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% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.51% of the population.
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.
A special census was conducted in 2004 that noted an increase of 5,200 in the city's population, mainly in the northwest corridor. The metropolitan area has a population of 370,000, which includes parts of 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, Tremont, Washington, and West Peoria.

Law and government

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 township 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 state; the City of Peoria itself has continued expanding outside of the City of Peoria Township borders into Medina and 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.

History

Peoria was incorporated as a village on March 11,1835. The city did not have a mayor, but they did have a village president. The first was Rudolphus Rouse who served from 1835 to 1836. A town marshal handled all the problems. The first Chief of Police was appointed in 1837; he was John B. Lishk. No records were kept on the size of the department. The city was incorporated on April 21, 1845. This was the end of a village president and the starting of the mayoral system. First mayor was William Hale. Each time a new mayor is chosen, a new Chief of Police is inducted. Peoria is now served by Steven Settingsgaard Chief of Police, inducted March 9, 2005.
Peoria is served by a mayor and five city council members. The city is divided into five districts. The present city clerk is Mary L. Haynes. Bonnie P. Gavin is the current city assessor. City treasurer is Reginald A. Willis.

Education

Peoria is served by two public K-12 school districts:

★ Peoria Public Schools District 150 is the larger and serves the majority of the city. District 150 schools include dozens of primary and middle schools, as well as Richwoods High School which hosts the competitive International Baccalaureate Program of study, Woodruff High School, Manual High School, and Peoria High School (Central), the oldest high school in Illinois. District 150 is also home to Washington Gifted Middle School, which is currently the top middle school in Illinois based on overall ISAT test scores.^[22]

★ Dunlap Community Unit School District 323 ([5]) serves the far north and northwest parts of Peoria that were mainly outside the city before the 1990s.
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, 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 College are based in the city. According to the ''Princeton Review'', Bradley University ranks in the Top 25 entrepreneurial campuses out of 357 schools and universities.

Awards

★ Peoria has been awarded the All-America City Award three times (1953, 1966, and 1989).

★ According to ''Forbes'', the Peoria area is ranked the most affordable U.S. metropolitan area to live in out of the nation's 150 largest metro areas. ''Forbes'' also recently 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.^[23]

★ 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.^[24]

★ ''Inc. Magazine'' placed Peoria #33 on its Top Cities for Doing Business in America out of 274 populations centers.

★ Peoria was ranked a 4 Star Logistics City by ''Expansion Management Magazine''^[25] despite the city's population decreasing continuously since the 1980s.

★ Peoria consistently ranks in the Top 10 Best Mannered Cities in America as complied by etiquette expert Marjabelle Young Stewart.^[26]

Other notable buildings

★ Chase Bank Building - known for most of Peoria history as as Block and Kuhl; later Carson Pirie Scott & Co.

★ Civic Center Plaza – formerly the Jefferson Building, River Valley Savings Plaza, and Peoria Savings Tower

★ First National Bank of Peoria Building – originally Alliance Life Building, now Commerce Bank

★ Peoria County Courthouse

Infrastructure

Health and medicine

The health-care industry accounts for at least 25% of Peoria's economy. The city has three major hospitals: OSF St. Francis Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center of Illinois, 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. Methodist Medical Center has recently announced a $300 million expansion and modernization of its current center. This "medical district", which will be economically important to the Peoria area's future growth, serves much of central Illinois from Chicago to Saint Louis, including the Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, Danville, and Springfield-Decatur-Lincoln metropolitan areas. The surrounding towns are also supported by Proctor Hospital, Pekin Hospital, and Eureka Hospital.

OSF St. Francis Medical Center

OSF St. Francis Medical Center is ranked as the ninth-largest hospital in the nation and is the largest hospital in Illinois outside the Chicago or St. Louis areas. It is the central Illinois area's trauma center and the largest regional hospital in downstate
Illinois.
In 2006, a $245 million expansion and renovation project was announced for its Peoria campus. When completed, the renovation will provide a new physician's office complex for the OSF Medical Group, larger and separate entrance into a new Children's Hospital of Illinois building, new adult and pediatric emergency and trauma facilities, and house more adult and children's facilities. This is forecast to create 850 construction jobs and 1,000 additional permanent health care related jobs.

Sanitary

Peoria is one of approximately 900 American cities that have combined sewer overflow systems. As of 2007, the combined sewer system in the City of Peoria is violating pollution standards: sanitary sewer overflow affects the system approximately 25 times per year, dumping raw sewage into the Illinois River each time. This violation of the federal Clean Water Act has drawn the attention of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, which has mandated that the city make improvements.^[27]

Transportation

Interstate and U.S. Routes

The Peoria area is served by two Interstate highways: Interstate 74, which runs from northwest to southeast through the downtown area, and Interstate 474, a southern bypass of I-74 through portions of Peoria and the suburbs of Bartonville and Creve Coeur. I-74 crosses over the Illinois River via the Murray Baker Bridge, while I-474 crosses via the Shade-Lohman Bridge. The nearest metropolitan centers accessible on I-74 are Galesburg 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 McCluggage Bridge; east of the bridge, U.S. 150 runs southeast to Morton, while U.S. 24 runs due east to Washington.

State Routes

The following state routes run through Peoria:

★ Illinois Route 6 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 29 south of Chillicothe. It is marked as a north-south road.

★ Illinois Route 8 roughly parallels I-74 to the south. It enters Peoria from Farmington and runs southeast through the city, passing just southwest of the downtown area. Illinois 8 crosses into East Peoria via the Cedar Street Bridge with Illinois Routes 29 and 116. 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 40 enters Peoria from the north as Knoxville Avenue. It runs south through the center of the city and exits southeast over the Bob Michel Bridge. Illinois 40 is marked as a north-south road.

★ Illinois Route 91 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 Bellevue. It runs directly east and crosses into East Peoria over the Cedar Street Bridge.
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.

Rail transportation

Metro Peoria is served by ten common carrier railroads. Four are Class 1'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. 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 finally, RailAmerica's Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway, which uses BNSF trackage to reach Galesburg and its own line to reach Logansport, Indiana.

Public Transportation

Public bus service is provided by the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District, which goes by the name CityLink. CityLink operates 20 bus routes that service the city, Illinois Central College and much of East Peoria, Illinois, Peoria Heights, West Peoria, and points between Peoria and Pekin, Illinois.^[28] Most routes run between 7 a.m. and 6p.m. Monday through Friday with a handful of routes running as late as 1 a.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on Saturdays. No Sunday or major holiday service is provided.

Aviation

The Greater Peoria Regional Airport serves Peoria and surrounding communities. The airport is served by 5 passenger airlines (United, American, Delta, Northwest and Allegiant Air) and numerous cargo carriers. Nonstop destinations include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit, Denver, Orlando, 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.

Famous connections to Peoria

People born or raised in Peoria

★ Darryl Ashmore, retired football player who is the cousin of Carla McGhee (WNBA Star)

★ Bill Ballance - radio host

★ Mark Staff Brandl - artist

★ Jack Brickhouse - announcer: voice of the Chicago Cubs

★ Nancy Brinker - United States ambassador to Hungary 2001-09-06 to 2003-06-19; founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure; sister of Susan G. Komen

★ Charles Correll - performer, star of Amos and Andy on radio

★ Wayne A. Downing - Four-Star United States Army Genral

★ Philip José Farmer - science fiction and fantasy author

★ Dan Fogelberg - musician

★ Betty Friedan - feminist author: notably of ''The Feminine Mystique''

★ Joe Girardi - Major League Baseball catcher; former manager of the Florida Marlins

★ Jerry Hadley - opera tenor

★ Tecumseh "Teck" Holmes III - actor, rapper, former Direct Effect host, cast member

★ Tom Irwin - Steppenwolf Theatre Company actor and television actor

★ Dick Jauron - NFL Head Coach for the Buffalo Bills

★ Sam Kinison - comedian and actor (East Peoria, IL)

★ Susan G. Komen - namesake of Susan G. Komen for the Cure

★ Ray LaHood - U.S. Congressman from Illinois' 18th District

★ Tami Lane - Hollywood prosthetic makeup artist: 2005 Academy Award for Makeup winner for ''

★ Ralph Lawler - announcer: legendary voice of the Los Angeles Clippers

★ Shaun Livingston - basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers

★ Camryn Manheim - actress; lived in Peoria until age 12

★ Carla McGhee - basketball forward: gold-medalist in basketball at the 1996 Summer Olympics

★ Robert H. Michel - former U.S. Congressman from Illinois' 18th District: longest-serving Republican leader of the House of Representatives

★ Richard Pryor - comedian and actor

★ Rett Devil (Kassiane Sibley) - blogger

★ Gary Richrath - guitarist from REO Speedwagon

★ Jeff Salzenstein - tennis player

★ Matt Savoie - figure skater: U.S. bronze medalist, member of 2006 Winter Olympics U.S. team

★ George D. Sax - banking entrepreneur: credited with the innovation of drive-through banking

★ Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen - host of ''The Catholic Hour'' on radio and ''Life is Worth Living'' on television, cause for canonization opened by Pope John Paul II in 2002.

★ Dan Simmons - author of the Hyperion Cantos series and other novels

★ David Ogden Stiers - actor: Major Charles Emerson Winchester III on ''M
★ A
★ S
★ H''

★ Jim Thome - baseball player for the Chicago White Sox

Other famous Peorians

★ John Coleman - meteorologist: founder of The Weather Channel; weatherman for several TV stations in Chicago and New York

★ The Forecast - indie rock band

★ Harry Harrison - "Morning Mayor of Peoria" on WPEO, disc jockey on several New York City radio stations.

★ Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll - popular and controversial orator and former Illinois Attorney General

★ Tony Kelly - artist

★ Swami - artist

★ Mudvayne - math metal music band

★ Planes Mistaken for Stars - punk/hardcore band

★ General John M. Shalikashvili - former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Famous events

★ September 19, 1813 to October 21, 1813 - Peoria War

★ 1844 - Abraham Lincoln came to Peoria to get involved in the Aquilla Wren divorce case and took it to the Supreme Court of Illinois

★ October 16, 1854 - Abraham Lincoln first publicized his stand that the United States should move towards restricting and eventually eliminating slavery, a position directly against historic compromises such as the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The speech, which was possibly similar to one given in Springfield, Illinois, 12 days earlier, followed the speech of Stephen A. Douglas, whom Lincoln would later debate regularly in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858.

★ April 15, 1926 - Charles Lindbergh's first air mail route, Contract Air Mail route #2, began running mail from Chicago to Peoria to Springfield to St. Louis and back.^[29] 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 murderer Richard Speck begins at the Peoria County courthouse, after a change of venue from Chicago to ensure a fair trial.

★ Theodore Roosevelt named Grandview Drive, a street on the bluffs overlooking the Illinois River "the world's most beautiful drive." The Peoria radio station and CBS television affiliate WMBD attached the description to its call sign.

See also

★ Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria

★ Spirit of Peoria - paddle wheel riverboat

★ Grandview Drive

★ The Junior League of Peoria

Points of interest

★ Civil War Monument - County Courthouse Plaza

★ George L. Luthy Memorial Botanical Garden

★ Glen Oak Park and Zoo

★ Peoria Riverfront

★ St. Mary's Cathedral

★ Scottish Rite Cathedral

★ Wildlife Prairie State Park

References

1. US Census Bureau population estimates for Metropolitan Statistical Areas
2. Early Primaries Don't Reflect U.S. Prefs Stephen Ohlemacher
3. USTravelWeather.com: Historical.Peoria Weather Data
4. "Penicillin: Opening the Era of Antibiotics"
5. url = http://www.historicpeoria.com/entry.php?eid=205&catid=2&cid=1
6. url = http://www.peoriaparks.org/
7. url= http://www.peoriamagazines.com/pp/2007/jan/development
8. "Top International Field Expected at Steamboat Classic 4 Mile"
9. http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ils/foreign_languages/pdf/il_sister_cities.pdf
10. http://www.peoriamagazines.com/pp/2007/jan/culture
11. Peoria Players History
12. url = http://www.peoriamagazines.com/aa/2005/sep/annual-fine-art-fair
13. http://www.peoriamagazines.com/pp/2007/jan/arts-entertainment
14. url = http://www.peoriaplayhouse.org
15. Official Site of the Peoria Rivermen. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
16. Official Site of the Peoria Chiefs. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
17. Information about Midwest League teams. Retrieved April 15, 2007.
18. All-American Girls Professional Baseball League records. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
19. url = http://www.ci.peoria.il.us/docs/Publications/Annual%20Report/COP_AnnualReport.pdf
20. url=http://www.peoriamuseumsquare.com
21. Clifton Gunderson LLP, Aministrative
22. url=http://www.schooldigger.com/schoolrank.aspx
23. "Forbes Ranks Peoria No. 47 on Cost of Doing Business Index"
24. 2005 Best Places to Live
25. Peoria Among The Nation'S Top Logistics-Friendly Cities
26. "America's best-mannered city"
27. "Sewers, Sewage and Saving Our River"
28. CityLink maps
29. Contract Air Mail Route No.2: Chicago - Peoria - Springfield - St. Louis. Includes images of Peoria-addressed and Peoria-postmarked postcards. Retrieved 2007-01-13.

External links

★ (Illinois)|Peoria travel guide from Wikitravel

★ Official municipal site

★ Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

★ Peoria GIS Consortium

★ Peoria Museum Square

★ Peoria PlayHouse

★ Peoria 1719-1730

★ 336 Coalition - proposed route to Macomb