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Peoria History
Throughout the years, Peoria has lived through a rich and interesting history, full of culture and diversity.
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The Native Americans
The inhabitance of Peoriacan be traced as far back as 10,000B.C. with Native American tribes. Many artifacts have been found that suggest these tribes were very organized and ritualistic, with a great respect and reverence for nature. By the middle of the 17th century, the area was occupied by the Illini Indians, whose major tribes were the Peoria , the Kaskaskia, the Michigamea, the Cahokia , and the Tamaroa.
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Over time the populations of the Peoria tribe decreased as a result of warfare with neighboring Indian nations. As a result of the Indian Removal Acts of the 1830’s, the small number of Peorians that remained in the area was forced to move to Oklahoma . Above is a picture of a Peorian chief and to the left, the Peorian tribal flag. |
The French
The French first came into Peoria's history in 1673, when Father Jaques Marquette and Louis Joliette explored Peoria's shores. Seven years later, Robert Cavalier de LaSalle and Henri de Tonti arrived on the eastern bank of the Illinois River and made Fort Crevecouer, a drawing of which can be seen to the right.
Peoria's first village grew around Fort St. Louis II, also known as Fort Piimiteoui, which is thought to have been located near the foot of Mary and Adams streets. This |
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fort was built by Tonti and Francois Daupin de LaForest. It became the first Europen settlement in Illinois, complete with trading posts, a blacksmith shop, a chapel, a winepress, and a windmill.
During the War of 1812, American forces believed that the French villagers were supporting the Native Americans. In their war efforts, the Americans burned and razed the French village to the ground while any living inhabitants were captured and sent down the river to Alton. After that, the Americans had gained control of Peoria. |
The Americans
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In 1813, American soldiers built Fort Clark on the land that was once occupied by the French village. Six years later Josiah Fulton and six other men came to the area and became the first American pioneers to settle here. Beginning with those settlers, Peoria flourished, and finally in 1845, Peoria was able to be considered a city. To the left is a piece of a map of Adams and Edmund streets in Peoria from 1867.
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Culture and Industry
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Peoria's cultural history is infamous for it's role in entertainment in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Peoria had a diverse variety of people due to the different immigrants who had settled here. Because of the eclectic tastes from different cultures, new shows would play in Peoria before they tried to make it big on Broadway. If the people of Peoria liked the show, it was considered to have a good chance at success; however, if it flopped, it was back to the drawing board. Thus came the phrase: "If it plays in Peoria, it'll play anywhere." |
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Peoria also has some historical roots in the business of breweries and distilleries. Andrew Eitle began Peoria's first brewery in 1837 and Almiron S. Cole the first distillery in 1843. From those beginnings until prohibition, Peoria led the world in the distiling industry. To the left is a 1937 drawing of Peoria's old distillery, Hiram Walker and Sons, Inc. In it's heyday, the distillery was the largest in the world and was able to grind 20,000 bushels of grain each day. Many of Peoria's historically wealthy became so as a result of the distiling industry. |
For more information on Peoria's history or for information about historical tours of Peoria, please visit the The Peoria Historical Society's website.
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