A weekly investigation of the history of Pekin and Tazewell County, including an archive of all blogs going back to 2015.
This is a revised version of a “From the Local History Room”...
Jared L. Olar
August 13, 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
It was less than a decade from the creation of the Illinois...
Jared L. Olar
March 5, 2026
Looking back over America’s 250-year history with a more local focus, last...
Jared L. Olar
January 29, 2026
Pekin and Tazewell County were well represented at the 2024 Illinois State...
Jared L. Olar
April 25, 2024
For this third in our series of Pekin Bicentennial Black History Month...
Jared L. Olar
February 22, 2024
This is a reprint of a “From the Local History Room” column...
Jared L. Olar
April 28, 2022
It was a century ago that the Lincoln Circuit Marking Association, led...
Jared L. Olar
March 10, 2022
Last autumn a newly-published diary detailing an Easterner’s 1835 travels in the...
Jared L. Olar
March 4, 2022
From the Archives
Read stories about the people, places, events, landmarks, businesses, and everyday moments that helped shape Pekin’s history. Each article offers a closer look at the community’s past while preserving the local stories and experiences that connect generations.
Explore Your Roots
Discover your Family's History
Read stories about the people, places, events, landmarks, businesses, and everyday moments that helped shape Pekin’s history.
