William H. Bates

In the summer of 1834, the small pioneer community of Pekin – just four...

Sunday this week was the 174th anniversary of Pekin’s vote to incorporate as a...

During Pekin’s Juneteenth celebration last month, a crowd gathered downtown to witness the dedication...

Three special days of honor in Peoria and Pekin this month culminated Saturday, 17...

In recent years, the lives of Nance Legins-Costley (1813-1892) and her family have become...

One of the most prominent of Pekin’s community leaders in the earliest years of...

By Jared Olar Local History Specialist Last autumn a newly-published diary detailing an Easterner’s...

By Jared Olar Library Assistant Among the big changes that came to the Pekin...

By Jared Olar Library Assistant In recent weeks, we have looked back to the...

By Jared Olar Library Assistant As we continue the story of the early history...