A weekly investigation of the history of Pekin and Tazewell County, including an archive of all blogs going back to 2015.
Earlier this year, in preparing the Pekin Public Library’s U.S. Semiquincentennial “Portrait...
Jared L. Olar
May 14, 2026
While Pekin traces its origin to the 1824 arrival of Jonathan Tharp...
Jared L. Olar
November 13, 2024
The first 19 years of Pekin’s history cover the period when our...
Jared L. Olar
March 14, 2024
Around the time white settlers began flooding into Tazewell County in the 1820s,...
Jared L. Olar
October 5, 2022
We have previously recalled the life of Pottawatomi leader Shabbona (c.1775-1859), who...
Jared L. Olar
September 30, 2021
This is a reprint of a “From the Local History Room” column...
Jared L. Olar
November 29, 2019
As previously noted in this column, the city of Pekin was established...
Jared L. Olar
June 22, 2018
This week we return to Pekin’s pioneer historian William H. Bates, from...
Jared L. Olar
August 5, 2017
The Black Hawk War of 1832 is a significant moment in Illinois...
Jared L. Olar
October 28, 2016
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.
From the Archives
Discover your Family's History
Read stories about the people, places, events, landmarks, businesses, and everyday moments that helped shape Pekin’s history.
