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.

Author's Articles

Next month, Tazewell County will celebrate Juneteenth with a program on Thursday,...

Jared L. Olar

May 22, 2025

Numbered among the notable businessmen of Pekin’s “Gilded Age” was John William...

Jared L. Olar

May 15, 2025

Almost two years after the formal dedication of a memorial park honoring...

Jared L. Olar

April 17, 2025

This week we bring our history of the house at 920 Broadway...

Jared L. Olar

April 10, 2025

In the course of our history of the house at 920 Broadway,...

Jared L. Olar

April 3, 2025

The next chapter in the story of the house at 920 Broadway...

Jared L. Olar

March 29, 2025

Continuing this week with our series on the history of the house...

Jared L. Olar

March 20, 2025