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

With the completion and dedication of the new Pekin Public Library and...

Jared L. Olar

July 22, 2021

Last week we recalled the visit of U.S. President Gerald R. Ford...

Jared L. Olar

July 15, 2021

Last week we told of the founding of the Friends of the...

Jared L. Olar

July 1, 2021

The Pekin Public Library, with the help of the Tazewell County Genealogical...

Jared L. Olar

June 30, 2021

For those who were unable to attend Pekin’s first-ever Juneteenth celebration at...

Jared L. Olar

June 28, 2021

As we have recalled the story of the construction of the new...

Jared L. Olar

June 24, 2021

Up to this point in our series on the history of the...

Jared L. Olar

June 10, 2021

In the previous installment of our ongoing series on the history of...

Jared L. Olar

June 3, 2021