GreenerPasture.com

Sign In



FREE genealogy since 1999 - History belongs to all of us!

Add YOUR Family To This Page

flag  History of Peoria, Illinois, USA

Journey back in time to Peoria, Illinois, USA

Visit Peoria, Illinois, USA. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and genealogy.

Follow us on Instagram     

Are you from Peoria? Do you have ancestors from there? Tell us YOUR story!


Peoria, Illinois, USA

Peoria, Peoria, Illinois, USA

Peoria is the oldest community in Illinois.

50states.com

There is MUCH more to discover about Peoria, Illinois, USA. Read on!
  • 1680 - Fort Crevecoeur (Peoria) founded
    First European settlement in Illinois.
    wikipedia.org

  • 1813 - Fort Crevecoeur (Peoria) renamed Fort Clark

    wikipedia.org

  • 1823 - Fort Clark (Peoria) renamed Peoria

    wikipedia.org

  • 1830 - December 29 - A very heavy snowstorm ushered in the "winter of the deep snow." The storm produced 30 inches of snow at Peoria IL and 36 inches at Kansas City MO.

    WeatherForYou.com

  • 1854 - Peoria
    Peoria, a handsome and flourishing city, capital of Peoria county, Illinois, on the right or W. bank of Illinois river, at the out let of Peoria lake, 70 miles N. from Spring field, and 151 S. W. from Chicago. It is the most populous town on the river, and one of the most important and commercial...Read MORE...


  • Peoria, Illinois, USA
    The Genuine Dr. C. McLane's Liver Pills
    for sale by
    W. R. Peck
    Chemist & Druggist
    203 S. Madison St.
    Peoria, Ill.
    Advertisement
  • Peoria, Illinois, USA
    Rhea, Smalley & Co.,
    Wholesale Dealers in All Kinds of Farm Machinery
    226 S. Washington and 120 Liberty Sts., Peoria, Ill.
    Advertisement
  • Peoria, Illinois, USA
    Yellow Dock Root
    put up by Allaire-Woodward & Co., Peoria, Ill.
    Advertisement
  • Peoria, Illinois, USA
    Valerian
    put up by Allaire-Woodward & Co., Peoria, Ill.
    Found at The Way It Was Museum, Virginia City, Nevada
    Advertisement
  • 1895 - Peoria
    Peoria, a city, the capital of Peoria co., Ill., is pleasantly situated on the W. bank of the Illinois River, at the lower end of Peoria Lake, about 65 miles N. of Springfield. By railroad it is 160 miles S.W. of Chicago, 53 miles E.S.E. of Galesburg, and 45 miles W.N.W. of Bloomington. It was in...Read MORE...


  • Peoria, Illinois, USA
    It Bears the Brunt of Wash-Day work
    The Peoria Washer
    Clark, Quien & Morse
    401 Commercial Street
    Peoria, Ill.

    The Ladies' Home Journal
    May 1898
    Advertisement
  • Peoria, Illinois, USA
    Lake, South Park, Peoria, Ill.
    Postcard
  • News 1903 - EXPLOSION IN BIG PEORIA DISTILLERY KILLS FOUR, HURTS FIVE. ENTIRE NORTH WALL BLOWN DOWN, BUT FIRE FORTUNATELY IS AVERTED. TWO MEN STILL MISSING.
    OF THOSE RESCUED ALIVE FROM RUINS, TWO DIE ON THE WAY TO COTTAGE HOSPITAL - HOW ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
    THOUSANDS DRAWN TO SCENE.
    COMPANY ESTIMATES ITS LOSS AT $75,000 AND IT WILL BE SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE OPERATIONS ARE RESUMED.

    Peoria, Oct. 3. - An awful catastrophe occurred at the plant of the...Read MORE...


  • 1906
    Peoria, a city, the capital of Peoria co., Ill., is pleasantly situated on the W. bank of the Illinois River, at the lower end of Peoria Lake, 160 miles SW. of Chicago, on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis and other railroads. It has several notable public...Read MORE...


  • News 1909 - THREE KILLED IN NORTHWESTERN WRECK.
    Peoria, Ill., Jan. 16. - Two extra freight trains on the Chicago and Northwestern collided head-on Friday evening four miles northwest of this city. Three trainmen were instantly killed, one is missing and believed to be in the wreckage, and two others were seriously injured.
    The dead:
    JOE...Read MORE...


  • Peoria, Illinois, USA
    McKinley Bridge, Peoria, Ill.
    Postcard
  • News 1912 - TWENTY BRADLEY STUDENTS HURT. WHEN FLOOR COLLAPSES WHILE ON AN INSPECTION TRIP THROUGH DISTILLERY.
    Peoria, April 13. - A score of students of the Bradley Polytechnic institute were injured, twelve seriously, when a floor collapsed at the Woelner distillery, throwing fifty young people to the ground. The party was inspecting the fermenting room. Every police patrol and ambulance in the city was...Read MORE...


  • Peoria, Illinois, USA
    Views of Peoria, Ill.
    Postcard
  • News 1929 - THREE MISSING IN PEORIA FIRE. WATCHMAN AND TWO FIREMEN BELIEVED DEAD IN RUINS OF PEORIA MARKET.
    Peoria, Ill. - (AP) - Fire destroyed the Peoria Market, a four-story brick building in the heart of the business district, early today. Three persons were missing and at least two of them were believed to have been killed when the building collapsed. Damage was estimated at $1,000,000.

    Firemen...Read MORE...


  • News 1935 - EXPLOSION AT DISTILLERY TAKES LIFE OF ONE MAN.
    Peoria, Ill. - (AP) - The ruins cooled, workmen Wednesday sought to extricate the body of JOHN BARDON, 38, the single victim of an explosion and fire at the Hiram Walker distillery here.

    BARDON'S body was found Tuesday night by searchers directed by his brother, CHARLES, but salvage workers were ...Read MORE...


  • 1953 - February 1 - WEEK TV channel 25 in Peoria, IL (NBC) begins broadcasting

    historyorb.com



Old Photos, Pictures, Advertisements and Postcards from Peoria, Illinois, USA


Peoria, Illinois, USA

Advertisement
Pinterest
The Genuine Dr. C. McLane's Liver Pills
for sale by
W. R. Peck
Chemist & Druggist
203 S. Madison St.
Peoria, Ill.

Peoria, Illinois, USA

Advertisement
Pinterest
Rhea, Smalley & Co.,
Wholesale Dealers in All Kinds of Farm Machinery
226 S. Washington and 120 Liberty Sts., Peoria, Ill.

Peoria, Illinois, USA

Advertisement
Pinterest
Yellow Dock Root
put up by Allaire-Woodward & Co., Peoria, Ill.

Peoria, Illinois, USA

Advertisement
Pinterest
Valerian
put up by Allaire-Woodward & Co., Peoria, Ill.
Found at The Way It Was Museum, Virginia City, Nevada

Peoria, Illinois, USA

Advertisement
Pinterest
It Bears the Brunt of Wash-Day work
The Peoria Washer
Clark, Quien & Morse
401 Commercial Street
Peoria, Ill.

The Ladies' Home Journal
May 1898

Peoria, Illinois, USA

Postcard
Pinterest
Lake, South Park, Peoria, Ill.

Peoria, Illinois, USA

Postcard
Pinterest
McKinley Bridge, Peoria, Ill.

Peoria, Illinois, USA

Postcard
Pinterest
Views of Peoria, Ill.

History, News and Stories of Peoria, Illinois, USA

Add informationAdd History/News/Story
  • 1680 - Fort Crevecoeur (Peoria) founded
    First European settlement in Illinois.
    wikipedia.org
  • 1813 - Fort Crevecoeur (Peoria) renamed Fort Clark

    wikipedia.org
  • 1823 - Fort Clark (Peoria) renamed Peoria

    wikipedia.org
  • 1830 - December 29 - A very heavy snowstorm ushered in the "winter of the deep snow." The storm produced 30 inches of snow at Peoria IL and 36 inches at Kansas City MO.

    WeatherForYou.com
  • 1854 - Peoria
    Peoria, a handsome and flourishing city, capital of Peoria county, Illinois, on the right or W. bank of Illinois river, at the out let of Peoria lake, 70 miles N. from Spring field, and 151 S. W. from Chicago. It is the most populous town on the river, and one of the most important and commercial... Read MORE...

  • 1895 - Peoria
    Peoria, a city, the capital of Peoria co., Ill., is pleasantly situated on the W. bank of the Illinois River, at the lower end of Peoria Lake, about 65 miles N. of Springfield. By railroad it is 160 miles S.W. of Chicago, 53 miles E.S.E. of Galesburg, and 45 miles W.N.W. of Bloomington. It was in... Read MORE...

  • News  1903 - EXPLOSION IN BIG PEORIA DISTILLERY KILLS FOUR, HURTS FIVE. ENTIRE NORTH WALL BLOWN DOWN, BUT FIRE FORTUNATELY IS AVERTED. TWO MEN STILL MISSING.
    OF THOSE RESCUED ALIVE FROM RUINS, TWO DIE ON THE WAY TO COTTAGE HOSPITAL - HOW ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
    THOUSANDS DRAWN TO SCENE.
    COMPANY ESTIMATES ITS LOSS AT $75,000 AND IT WILL BE SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE OPERATIONS ARE RESUMED.

    Peoria, Oct. 3. - An awful catastrophe occurred at the plant of the... Read MORE...

  • 1906
    Peoria, a city, the capital of Peoria co., Ill., is pleasantly situated on the W. bank of the Illinois River, at the lower end of Peoria Lake, 160 miles SW. of Chicago, on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, the Chicago, Peoria and St. Louis and other railroads. It has several notable public... Read MORE...

  • News  1909 - THREE KILLED IN NORTHWESTERN WRECK.
    Peoria, Ill., Jan. 16. - Two extra freight trains on the Chicago and Northwestern collided head-on Friday evening four miles northwest of this city. Three trainmen were instantly killed, one is missing and believed to be in the wreckage, and two others were seriously injured.
    The dead:
    JOE... Read MORE...

  • News  1912 - TWENTY BRADLEY STUDENTS HURT. WHEN FLOOR COLLAPSES WHILE ON AN INSPECTION TRIP THROUGH DISTILLERY.
    Peoria, April 13. - A score of students of the Bradley Polytechnic institute were injured, twelve seriously, when a floor collapsed at the Woelner distillery, throwing fifty young people to the ground. The party was inspecting the fermenting room. Every police patrol and ambulance in the city was... Read MORE...

  • News  1929 - THREE MISSING IN PEORIA FIRE. WATCHMAN AND TWO FIREMEN BELIEVED DEAD IN RUINS OF PEORIA MARKET.
    Peoria, Ill. - (AP) - Fire destroyed the Peoria Market, a four-story brick building in the heart of the business district, early today. Three persons were missing and at least two of them were believed to have been killed when the building collapsed. Damage was estimated at $1,000,000.

    Firemen... Read MORE...

  • News  1935 - EXPLOSION AT DISTILLERY TAKES LIFE OF ONE MAN.
    Peoria, Ill. - (AP) - The ruins cooled, workmen Wednesday sought to extricate the body of JOHN BARDON, 38, the single victim of an explosion and fire at the Hiram Walker distillery here.

    BARDON'S body was found Tuesday night by searchers directed by his brother, CHARLES, but salvage workers were ... Read MORE...

  • 1953 - February 1 - WEEK TV channel 25 in Peoria, IL (NBC) begins broadcasting

    historyorb.com

Peoria, Illinois, USA Genealogy

Ancestors Who Were Born or Died in Peoria, Illinois, USA

We currently have information about ancestors who were born or died in Peoria.

View Them Now (sorted by year of birth)


Ancestors Who Were Married in Peoria, Illinois, USA

We currently have information about ancestors who were married in Peoria.

View Them Now

Not the place you are looking for? Try again!

Search for Your Family by Place

To search for a place, specify place name below. Choose name from the list. Then SEARCH.
*Place Name:

Who Are You Searching For?

Search for Your Family by Name

NOTE: If you don't know your ancestor's whole name or are unsure of the spelling, specify part of the name.

First Name:
*Last Name:
Gender:
Born (+/- 2 years):
Died (+/- 2 years):
Match all terms exactly:

Updated: 4/16/2023 7:44:47 AM

Are you from Peoria? Do you have ancestors from there? Tell us YOUR story!

If you'd like to be contacted by others who have ancestors from Peoria, leave a message here!
The comments you read here belong only to the person who posted them. We reserve the right to remove off-topic and inappropriate comments.