History of Peoria, Illinois in Timeline

Peoria, Illinois, the county seat of Peoria County, is situated on the Illinois River. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 113,150, ranking it as the eighth-most populous city in Illinois. Peoria serves as the primary city within the Peoria metropolitan area of Central Illinois, which encompasses Fulton, Marshall, Peoria, Stark, Tazewell, and Woodford counties and had a population of 402,391 in 2020.

1910: Theodore Roosevelt Visit

During a 1910 visit, Theodore Roosevelt purportedly called Grandview Drive the "world's most beautiful drive".

1911: Lincoln Branch Library Opened

In 1911, the Lincoln Branch, a Carnegie library, opened as part of the Peoria Public Library system.

1919: Peoria held distilleries and breweries

Between 1837 and 1919, Peoria held over 24 distilleries and 73 breweries.

1925: Caterpillar Tractor Co. formed

In 1925, Caterpillar Tractor Co. was formed from California-based companies.

1935: LeTourneau's earth moving company began production

In 1935, Robert G. LeTourneau's earth moving company began its production of new scrapers and dozers.

July 1936: Hottest Temperature

In July 1936, Peoria reached its highest recorded temperature of 113 °F (45 °C).

1943: Peoria Plan for Human Rehabilitation Launched

In 1943, the "Peoria Plan for Human Rehabilitation" was launched, creating a model for medical and occupational rehabilitation. This plan aimed to integrate returning World War II veterans back into the workplace, eventually leading to the creation of the Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

1949: Heart of Illinois Fair Established

In 1949, the Heart of Illinois Fair was established and has run annually since.

1951: Luthy Garden Established

Luthy Garden was established in 1951.

1955: Railroad Service to Peoria Union Station Ends

In 1955, several Midwestern railroads ceased service to Peoria Union Station.

1978: Rock Island Railroad Discontinues Peoria Rocket

In 1978, the Rock Island Railroad discontinued the Peoria Rocket train service into its Rock Island Depot.

1981: Amtrak Discontinues Prairie Marksman Service

In 1981, Amtrak discontinued the Prairie Marksman service, which ran between Chicago and East Peoria.

June 6, 1982: Peoria Civic Center Opened

On June 6, 1982, the Peoria Civic Center, designed by Philip Johnson, opened.

1990: Township Borders Frozen

In 1990, the border of the Township of the City of Peoria was frozen at its current boundaries.

1996: Komatsu bought out Dresser

In 1996, Komatsu bought out Dresser.

1996: Mudvayne Founded in Peoria

In 1996, the alternative metal band Mudvayne was founded in Peoria.

2001: National Gold Medal Award

The Peoria Park District, the first and still largest park district in Illinois, was the 2001 Winner of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation for Class II Parks.

May 2003: Peoria Medical and Technology District Established

In May 2003, Renaissance Park was originally established as the Peoria Medical and Technology District.

2004: Interstate 74 Reconstruction Begins

In 2004, reconstruction began on Interstate 74 between Interstate 474 on the west and Illinois Route 8 on the east as part of the Upgrade 74 project.

2006: Interstate 74 Reconstruction Continues

The Upgrade 74 project, which started in 2004, was still underway in 2006, reconstructing Interstate 74 between Interstate 474 and Illinois Route 8.

August 2007: Peoria NEXT Innovation Center Opened

In August 2007, the Peoria NEXT Innovation Center opened.

2007: Peoria Civic Center Renovation Completed

By 2007, the Peoria Civic Center completed a $55 million renovation and expansion.

2009: Zoo Improvements Finished

Finished in 2009, the new Peoria Zoo improvements more than triple the size of the zoo and feature a major African safari exhibit.

September 7, 2010: Museum Block Groundbreaking

On September 7, 2010, the Museum Block broke ground in downtown Peoria.

2010: Peoria Area

According to the 2010 census, Peoria has a total area of 50.23 square miles.

2011: The Pale King Published Posthumously

In 2011, David Foster Wallace's unfinished novel, The Pale King, featuring vignettes based in Peoria, was published posthumously.

2011: East Peoria-Bloomington Passenger Rail Service Study Published

In 2011, a study of East Peoria–Bloomington passenger rail service was published, though plans for the proposed service were later abandoned due to financial considerations.

October 12, 2012: Museum Block Opened

On October 12, 2012, the Museum Block, housing the Peoria Riverfront Museum and the Caterpillar World Visitors Center, opened.

October 2012: Museum Block Opening

In October 2012, the Museum Block opened in downtown Peoria.

2013: Hotel Pere Marquette Renovations

In 2013, the Hotel Pere Marquette finished renovations with a skyway linking to the Peoria Civic Center.

2014: OSF HealthCare Fourth Top Employer

In 2014, OSF HealthCare was the city's fourth top employer.

June 2015: Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum Opened

In June 2015, the Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum opened in the Glen Oak Pavilion.

2017: Caterpillar Announces Move

In late-2017, Caterpillar Inc. announced it was moving to Deerfield, Illinois.

2018: IHSA State Chess Championship

Beginning in 2018, the IHSA State Chess Championship teams were narrowed to 128 by the use of sectional elimination competitions.

2018: Caterpillar Relocates Headquarters

In 2018, Caterpillar Inc. relocated its global and national headquarters from Peoria to Deerfield, Illinois.

2018: 5th Worst City for Black Americans

In 2018, Peoria ranked as the 5th worst city for Black Americans based on income, educational, and unemployment disparities between Black and white residents.

2020: Population Decrease

Between 2020 and 2022, Peoria's population was estimated to have decreased approximately 1.9%.

2020: Peoria Population

In 2020, the city of Peoria had a population of 113,150, making it the eighth-most populous city in Illinois.

August 2021: Passenger Rail Committee Established

In August 2021, a Passenger Rail Committee was established, which requested a study of Peoria-Chicago passenger rail service from IDOT.

2021: Peoria Poverty Rate

According to the 2021 American Community Survey, Peoria's poverty rate was 19.7 percent.

2021: Peoria Ranked Healthcare Hub

In 2021, Peoria was ranked as the sixth midsize healthcare hub in the country by Business Facilities.

2021: Rita Ali Becomes Mayor

In 2021, Rita Ali became Peoria's first female and African American mayor.

2021: OSF HealthCare Top Employer

Since 2021, OSF HealthCare has been the city's top employer.

July 2022: Peoria-Chicago Passenger Rail Service Study Published

In July 2022, a study of Peoria–Chicago passenger rail service was published, estimating startup costs at $2.54 billion.

2022: Caterpillar Relocates Headquarters

In 2022, Caterpillar Inc. relocated its headquarters from Deerfield, Illinois to Irving, Texas.

2022: Median Household Income

In 2022, the median household income in Peoria was estimated to be $53,568.

2023: Carle Health Purchases Hospitals

In 2023, Carle Health finalized a deal to purchase Methodist and Proctor Hospitals from UnityPoint.

February 2024: OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute Opens

In February 2024, OSF Healthcare opened the $250 million OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute.

September 2024: Komatsu Announced Enhancing Peoria Operations

In September 2024, Komatsu Limited announced that it was "enhancing its Peoria operations by constructing a new office building".

2024: Peoria Market Ranking

As of 2024 Nielsen ratings, Peoria is the 157th largest radio market in the United States and Peoria-Bloomington is the 122nd largest television market in the United States.