When I first drove into Springdale Cemetery, founded in 1855, I thought it was just going to be a standard burial ground with rows of normal tombstones. But that changed dramatically, as I soon hit narrow roads that dropped precipitously into deep hollows that stretch down into the river Illinois River valley. In the first…
Tag: Peoria
Dan Fogelberg Memorial, Peoria
“Dan Fogelberg? Who’s Dan Fogelberg?” As at least one friend has remarked to me recently, Google Maps has been arbitrarily highlighting some features and ignoring other more important landmarks. Recently, while scanning around Peoria on Google Satellite, one such arbitrary landmark popped up near the shores of Lake Peoria: The Dan Fogelberg Memorial. Peoria, as…
Tomb of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen and Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Peoria
Located just northeast of downtown Peoria, the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception has recently gained greater prominence as the burial place of the Venerable Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. I’ve looked at some of the houses nearby, most recently back in July. The first St. Mary’s was completed in 1852, and was a…
Richard Pryor and Peoria
I had known for awhile that Richard Pryor was from Peoria, but I had always assumed it was one of those situations where he was born there and had moved away when he was a small child. That is far from the case; his childhood is inextricably linked to his upbringing in the city. Weirdly,…
In Search of LeTourneau, Peoria
It is amazing how quickly we lose the memory of the huge old factories that once powered America through peacetime, and then when war came, helped defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Few people probably know the LeTourneau name anymore, despite it once being one of the largest producers of machinery in the world. Located…
Moss Avenue Between North MacArthur Highway and North Sheridan Road, Peoria
Heading east on Moss Avenue past North MacArthur Highway, the houses become even more stout, and even more heavy in their structure. But there are newer houses that are built after their Nineteenth Century predecessors, such as the house below, which probably dates from the 1920s. And then, we pick up where we had looked…
Moss Avenue Between Western Avenue and North MacArthur Highway, Peoria
Moss Avenue is a historic district that stretches along the bluffs near Bradley University northwest of downtown Peoria. I’ve broken up the street into two sections, first from Western Avenue to North MacArthur Highway/North University Avenue. There are a wide variety of styles, with everything from early Twentieth Century Colonial Revival to Shingle Style houses,…
Down by the River, Peoria, July 2021
Update: I revisited the area in August of 2023. I revisited the area of Peoria down by the river northeast of downtown on Saturday afternoon the weekend before the Fourth of July. Many businesses were closed for the holiday, including this pawnshop. I’ve looked at the area three times before: September of 2013, September of…
Medallion, Peoria
I came across this fascinating terracotta detail on the top of a commercial building in downtown Peoria. I’m not sure who it’s supposed to represent–maybe Andromeda–but it would be interesting to find out.
Northeast Peoria, August 2019
Update: I went back the weekend of the 4th of July in 2021 and in August of 2023. I revisited the house above in July of 2024 (eighth photo). Perhaps I was being too optimistic when I first documented Peoria northeast of downtown back in 2013. I have been back, and while there is a wonderful…