Peoria
Known as Whiskey City due to its central role in the production of the hard liquor for much of its history, Peoria was originally settled in the late Seventeenth Century. Home of the young Richard Pryor, the city saw the normal upheaval and suburbanization during the mid-Twentieth Century, and has now seen the renovation and redevelopment of its down and former warehouse district.
Family Farm
Located southeast of Washington, Illinois, my family has owned our farm in Central Illinois since the 1860s. I have been documenting the historic barns on the farm for over a decade. Sadly, the cattle barn built in the 1910s was destroyed by a tornado in March of 2023. But the farm will continue to be an important legacy of the Naffziger Family.
Bloomington-Normal
The two cities of Bloomington-Normal are perhaps best known for higher education and insurance, calling two universities and State Farm Insurance. Larger Bloomington has a downtown with loft developments and residential streets lined with Victorian period houses, while Normal has a railroad station linking the city to parts abroad.
Lincoln
The first city named after famous president, Lincoln is a bustling city full of beautiful architecture along a railroad and Route 66 between St. Louis and Chicago. Long home to the now closed Lincoln College and Lincoln State School, it has now diversified into other industries.
