Author
Local History Program Coordinator at the Pekin Public Library. I oversee the library’s local history room collection, write a weekly local history column/weblog for the library, and present local history programs at the library and in the community.
About 80 people gathered at Antioch Cemetery in rural Tazewell County on...
Jared L. Olar
June 4, 2026
In keeping with this year’s celebration of the American Semiquicentennial, this month...
Jared L. Olar
May 28, 2026
Here at “From the History Room,” last week we saw that although...
Jared L. Olar
May 21, 2026
Earlier this year, in preparing the Pekin Public Library’s U.S. Semiquincentennial “Portrait...
Jared L. Olar
May 14, 2026
As we have mentioned here more than once, William H. Bates (1840-1930)...
Jared L. Olar
May 7, 2026
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the creation of the United...
Jared L. Olar
April 30, 2026
A total of 84 Illinois counties were organized from 1790 (when Illinois...
Jared L. Olar
April 23, 2026
The formation and naming of Illinois’ 102 counties, which we have been...
Jared L. Olar
April 16, 2026
This week we’ll continue with our review of the names of the...
Jared L. Olar
April 9, 2026
In the last few weeks we have recalled how Tazewell County was...
Jared L. Olar
April 2, 2026
Last week’s placement of a new, permanent sign at Freedom & Remembrance...
Jared L. Olar
March 26, 2026
After our recalling the story of the creation of Tazewell County last...
Jared L. Olar
March 19, 2026
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