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.
Among the notables of Pekin’s pioneer past was Col. Thomas W. Cooper...
Jared L. Olar
November 13, 2025
Among the prominent figures of Pekin’s history was Julius Franz Jaeckel (1862-1950),...
Jared L. Olar
November 6, 2025
Last Thursday, Oct. 23, the City of East Peoria unveiled a new...
Jared L. Olar
October 30, 2025
The first two installments in our series on the history of 1119...
Jared L. Olar
October 23, 2025
Part One of our history of 1119 Hamilton Street reached as far...
Jared L. Olar
October 16, 2025
Recently a patron of the Pekin Public Library suggested that we look...
Jared L. Olar
October 9, 2025
One of Pekin’s oldest churches is preparing to celebrate its 175th anniversary...
Jared L. Olar
October 2, 2025
Coming right on the heels of last year’s Pekin Bicentennial celebrations, the...
Jared L. Olar
September 25, 2025
About 120 years ago, the northwest corner of Eighth Street and Park...
Jared L. Olar
September 19, 2025
Among the notable men of Pekin’s history, James Michael Haines (1822-1909) was...
Jared L. Olar
September 11, 2025
Among the prominent business leaders of Pekin’s past, the name of John...
Jared L. Olar
September 4, 2025
Just last week, the Everett McKinley Dirksen Congressional Center in Pekin celebrated...
Jared L. Olar
August 28, 2025
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