The history of Peoria, Illinois began when French explorers constructed Fort Crevecoeur in 1680. The County of Peoria was organized in 1825, the town in 1835, and Peoria was incorporated as a city in 1845. During the Industrial Revolution, coal mining, steamboat, and railroad businesses flourished in Peoria.[1] Until Prohibition took effect in 1920, Peoria was known as the “Whiskey Capital of the World” and produced more rye whiskey than anywhere else in the world at the time.[1][2] The "whiskey barons" contributed to the infrastructure of Peoria, building mansions, parks, churches, schools, and other historic buildings.[1] Manufacturing has been a key industry in Peoria for over 150 years, including bicycles, automobiles, Caterpillar machines, washing machines, and barbed wire.[1] During World War II, Peoria's USDA lab made strides in the commercial production of penicillin.[1] Today Peoria is a mid-sized city supported by industries such manufacturing and healthcare, as well as small businesses and a growing arts and culture scene.
Several important Native American settlements were located close to Peoria Lake, like the main villages of the Kickapoo and Potawatomi tribes.[10] Other tribes may have used it as a game preserve during the winter while living in the Kaskaskia village, as the area was known for its "fat beasts".[10][11][12][13] The Peoria tribe remained near the lake after the Kaskaskia departed before 1700.[14][15][11][16][17]
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The settlement became legally British in 1763 after the French & Indian War, but remained French in practice. By 1778 the village had become part of the territory of the new United States, and George Rogers Clark appointed Maillet as military commander. Maillet established a new village, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the old one. It later became known as "La Ville de Maillet" and was on the present-day site of downtown Peoria.[19][20] The new village was considered to be better situated, and by 1796 or 1797, all the inhabitants of the old village had moved to the new.[21]
According to at least one document, the first black resident of Peoria was a man named Jean Baptiste Point du Sable.[22] A document shows that he purchased a house and land on March 13, 1773 and remained there until at least 1783, where he was still on record as the head of a house.[23]
19th century
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American settlement began in April 1819, when settlers arrived at the old Fort Clark.[20]
The County of Peoria was organized on January 13, 1825.[1] The county seat was erected near the old Fort Clark.[20] Peoria was incorporated as a town in 1835, having then a population of about 1,600. In 1845, it was incorporated as a city.[24][1]
The Grand Opera House was constructed in the 1880s.[28]
During the later half of the 19th century vaudeville became widely popular. Peoria was a main stop on the circuits and the phrase "Will it play in Peoria?" became popular from the early 1880s through the early 1930s.[29]
In 1889, Peter Sommer obtained a patent for a machine that wove wire into fence.[30][31] Keystone Woven Wire Fence Company (late Keystone Steel & Wire Company in 1907) produced the first woven wire fence.[25] The company was started on a farm in neighboring Tazewell County across the river, but moved to Peoria on Adams Street and later to Bartonville.[31][32]
In 1892, Charles Duryea built the first gasoline-powered automobile in Peoria.[25]
The new L-shaped County Courthouse was constructed for $4 million dollars and was dedicated by Lady Bird Johnson on September 22, 1965.[25][26]
1970s
On May 1, 1973, three armed gunmen held a classroom of fifth-grade students hostage at St. Cecilia Catholic grade school. One hostage was John Ardis, younger brother of Mayor Jim Ardis. The stand-off lasted 90 minutes with only one casualty: one of the gunmen.[38]
1980s
The County Courthouse was expanded in a $11.5 million project to improve security and expand courtroom space.[26]
Waterfront in Peoria, Illinois, c.1909
21st century
2000s
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Peoria District 150, suffering from high levels of student poverty and red ink, closed Woodruff High School and debated whether to construct a new Glen Oak School and a charter school. Peoria Notre Dame High School explored construction of a new high school. The Jump Trading Simulation Center is opened and the expansion is completed at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Illinois Central College in East Peoria significantly expanded its North Campus in Peoria and opens and then expands a new Pekin campus. UnityPoint Health-Peoria bought Methodist Medical Center and Proctor Hospital in Peoria, and later, Pekin Hospital in nearby Pekin. The University of Illinois at Chicago Medical School Peoria Campus expanded and became a four-year medical school. Peoria (Central) High School won its first ever men's basketball state championship. [2004 marked the school's 4th State Boys' Basketball Championship, with the other years being 1908, 1977, and 2003.]
In 2015, Caterpillar announced plans to expand its world headquarters in Peoria.[43] However, in 2017, Caterpillar moved its world headquarters and about 300 employees to Deerfield, though 12,000 employees (the largest global concentration) remained in Peoria.[44][45]
2020s
On March 16, 2020, Peoria County confirmed its first case of COVID-19 during the pandemic.[46] April 14, 2020 was the date of the first COVID-related death in Peoria County.[47] In April 2021, the Peoria metro area had the 9th highest daily average for new COVID cases in the nation.[48] In December 2021, Peoria area hospitals were at or near capacity with a surge of the Delta variant.[49]
In April 2023, Urbana-based Carle Health bought Methodist Hospital, Proctor Hospital, Pekin Hospital, Methodist College, and their associated clinics for $75 million.[50][51][52]