Crossing the Illinois River from the old distillery district in Peoria, is the home of the giant Caterpillar factories, and the massive railyards that serve them. The Cedar Street Bridge connects the two.

East Peoria has experienced a bit of a renaissance in the last decade, and huge swaths of the old riverfront have been replaced with “lifestyle centers.” But there are some nice residential neighborhoods left.

Like much of the valley, drainage canals have altered and manipulated the natural world.