“I am sure that this deal marks the beginning of one of the largest enterprises in the Middle West, and assures the city of Peoria of an industry that they will be proud of in the future.” Pliny Holt to Murray Baker, personal letter, July 19, 1909.

Though traces of their physical presence have nearly disappeared over the centuries, French settlers played a large role in the history of Illinois. Their interests in the area varied[semicolon] some hoped to expand the fur trade, others tried to spre

Cora Agnes Benneson was an opinionated woman and a proponent of woman’s suffrage, yet most of her public energies were spent outside the suffrage arena. She was born in Quincy, Illinois, on June 10, 1851 to Robert Smith and Electra Ann (Park) Benneson,

Melinda Germann is a pioneer. Born in Quincy, Illinois in July 1863 during the War Between the States to Henry and Kate Knapheide, she considered herself a physician who tried hard to serve her patients as well as be a wife and mother. Her father was bo

In 1851, Martha Jane Chisley met and later married a slave from a neighbouring plantation, Peter Paul Tolton. Because their masters were Catholic, both Martha and Peter had been baptized Catholic, as it was the custom for the slave owner to baptize and pr

Standing atop Grand View Drive visitors can see what the Native Americans must have seen 12,000 years ago when they first discovered the lush river valley of Peoria. In 1910, President Teddy Roosevelt coined the phrase, World’s Most Beautiful Drive, whe

Peoria is famous worldwide for being the home of Caterpillar, Inc., maker of bright yellow tractors and heavy equipment. However, long ago there were once many industries that thrived in the heart of Illinois. Some would like to forget that it was distill

If you turned an estate worth half a million dollars into a fortune of over two million you would be prosperous. If you were the director of a bank for twenty-five years you would be a leader. If you donated a city park and endowed a private college, and

Emma Abbott was a nineteenth century world-renown singer with a lovely soprano voice. She toured the United States and Europe with her own very successful opera company. The Abbott English Opera Company was known for its elaborate costumes and Emma was k

In order to understand the significance of Lincoln’s speech at Peoria on October 16, 1854, one must first take a look at the political scene of the time.Abraham Lincoln had retired from politics having served four terms in the Illinois State Legislature