A weekly investigation of the history of Pekin and Tazewell County, including an archive of all blogs going back to 2015.
With our country now celebrating its Semiquincentennial (250 years), this is an...
Jared L. Olar
March 12, 2026
One of Tazewell County’s early pioneer families were the Beckleys, a Pennsylvania...
Jared L. Olar
January 2, 2026
As we recalled last week, the same year that Pekin voted to...
Jared L. Olar
April 11, 2024
The first 19 years of Pekin’s history cover the period when our...
Jared L. Olar
March 14, 2024
Before the formal platting and surveying of the little pioneer settlement that...
Jared L. Olar
January 11, 2024
This is a reprint of a “From the Local History Room” column...
Jared L. Olar
February 24, 2022
This is a reprint of a “From the Local History Room” column...
Jared L. Olar
December 30, 2021
This is a reprint of a “From the Local History Room” column...
Jared L. Olar
August 21, 2020
After Illinois achieved statehood, new settlers poured into central Illinois throughout the...
Jared L. Olar
March 2, 2018
In Mackinaw Township Cemetery is a gravestone marked with the Christian cross,...
Jared L. Olar
March 18, 2016
Judging from the number of “likes” and “shares” on Facebook and Twitter,...
Jared L. Olar
November 28, 2015
Here’s a chance to read again one of our old Local History...
Jared L. Olar
November 28, 2015
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.
