by Norman V. Kelly
It was 1850 and the little village trading post had become a town in 1835 and a city in 1845. The total make up of the entire Peoria city limits was only one square mile. There were a few cabins, a house or two a couple of breweries and distilleries and a library. It was astounding how this little city...
Read MoreI thought I would bring you some early history in a form of a diary that was devotedly kept and guarded by our keeper of the records, the folks at the Peoria Public Library. Even before we became a city in 1845, there were newspapers located here, followed quickly by a library and record keepers, court files, and police reports. That record was scrupulously kept. Most importantly for me as a writer was the record of deaths kept in the coroner’s office. The only time our records were distorted was during the time our pet gangster....
Read Moreby Tammy Zachman
I’m not sure Henri De Tonti expected the diversity that would be Peoria, Illinois today. French explorer Henri De Tonti established the city of Peoria in 1691, named after the local...
Read MoreGive Me Shelter
by: Rebecca Richardson
According to the Human Society of the United States: “Animal shelters care for 6-8 million dogs and cats every year. Approximately 3-4 million of these animals will be euthanized due to overpopulation and lack of adoptions.” Each month we'll take a look at... READ MORE
Read MoreGrand Prarie View
by Jeff McSweeney
The novel, Grand Prairie View, evolves with each Peorian. We have been introduced to commercial real estate developers, a director of a non-profit, Rod Stewart and a host of others. I wish I could be more like them for their commitment to a... READ MORE
Read MoreAt The Spotted Cow With Frank Abdnour
by Bill More
His enthusiasm is truly contagious. Frank Abdnour, age 55, is the proud owner and chef at The Spotted Cow Creamery and Creations in Peoria. He loves ice cream, and has always loved... READ MORE
Read Moreby Nicole Watts
Salt (www.saltpeoria.com) is located in Peoria Heights at 4542 N. Prospect Rd. Salt is without a doubt, my favorite restaurant in Peoria and my default location for celebrations! It has a quiet ambiance and friendly and attentive staff. Both the lunch and dinner menus are delightfully... READ MORE
Read MoreThe Peoria Bach Festival 2014 is scheduled for June 2-8. Among the guest artists will be conductor, harpsichordist, and organist Stephen Alltop and Baroque specialist Josefien Stoppelenburg, soprano, both from Chicago. Stephen and Josefien will present a recital of Baroque chamber music on Thursday, June 5. Stephen will then present an organ concert for the Bach at Noon concert on Friday, June 6 and then that evening conduct the 2014 Coffee Concert. The Coffee Concert this year will feature music that Bach himself most likely... READ MORE
Read Moreby Bill More
What a delight to sit down once again with Sam Eid, age 49, owner of One World Catering and Café at Main and University in Peoria. Sam and his brother are full owners and they have been providing unique, varied, and different dishes at this spot since 1993 --- and they have location, location, location. They bought out the previous owner for about... READ MORE
Read Moreby Bill More
Did you ever get the feeling when you meet someone that they are exactly where they are supposed to be in life, that they are doing what they were meant to be, that they know it, and that they are comfortable in their skin and can foresee a solid future doing what they are doing? Guess what?... READ MORE
Read Moreby Bill More
I had the great good pleasure to speak with Stephanie Bernardi Brott to interview her regarding food trends in Central Illinois. Stephanie is now 42 and has been in the food business nearly all her life. She and her family own Mona’s and Capponi’s restaurants in Toluca, Illinois, for decades, and the Bernardi’s restaurants in... READ MORE
Read Moreby Job Abraria
In the heart of Peoria, at the mouth of the High Wine district, and the gateway to the historic Moss-Bradley neighborhood lays a grand old church, presently known as the Hale Memorial Church. This church was built in 1900; it has been a part of Peoria’s culture since it’s peak in the... READ MORE
Read MoreToday, we often run across buildings from past eras and wonder just what used to be there. We might be curious about the purposes people once had for constructing a particular building and perhaps even wonder what in the world could it could be used for today, if anything. Surely times have changed and so have the technologies that drive our world. Today, everything is computerized, electrified, simplified—you name it. We drive, we fly, we Skype and so forth, yet one thing has not changed: we are still human with the same basic needs. Of course when the subject of basic needs arises, we tend to think of food, clothing and shelter, but I think there are more basic needs than that. Surely we can't exist without those particular three essentials, but in order to actually live, we need to feed our souls, ignite our imaginations and have a sense of solid grounding. That's where history jumps up to the plate. READ MORE
For over three centuries, there has been European and then American settlement in the area that is now Peoria. Prior to that, Native Americans were a part of this landscape for countless ages. Everywhere around us, there are echoes of that long and varied past. There is something rather indelible that binds us all together through the spans of time; much like a tapestry made of a thousand threads woven together and bound by an intricate border. READ MORE
