238 – Peoria Mineral Springs, Soda and Ginger Ale., aka Zealy Moss Home
701 W. 7th Street, Peoria’s mineral springs (#237) reside on this property.
Illinois Department of Commerce website:
Peoria Mineral Springs, free-flowing for more than 14,000 years, is Peoria’s oldest landmark. The purity of the water enticed many brewers and helped to create Peoria’s successful brewery industry. In 1850, Ransom Hickey founded the Peoria Mineral Springs Bottling Works on 7th St, across from the springs. The firm operated in a long, red building at the foot of Union Hill. Peach Cider, Lithia Seltzer, and Rose Malt were some of the beverages it marketed.
Peoria Mineral Springs became the site for Peoria’s first utility, the Peoria Water Works, on Feb 1, 1843 when Col A. O. Garrett, Norman Purple, and William Moss received a charter from Gov. Thomas Ford (who is buried in Springdale Cemetery). They built a house on the site to be used as the headquarters. The house has been home to Zealy Moss, William Moss, Ransom Hickey, and Preston Clark. The Spencer Street Hill, which runs by the house, is Peoria’s only remaining cobblestone street.
Notice the CILF (Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation) plaque on the stone gate entrance, and the wood sign on the front of the building.
A guy who was working on his car in the driveway says the house is for sale at a price of well under $100,000. An MLS search turned up nothing.
June 1st, 2008 at 11:40 am
This is one of the oldest buildings in Peoria, located off of 7th Street, I believe. It used to look down on Goose Lake. There might have been a brewery located out of it.
June 1st, 2008 at 7:56 pm
There is supposedly a spring in the back yard, or used to have one.
June 7th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I claim victory.
June 7th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Congratulations. The check’s in the mail.
June 7th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I owned and rehabed the house next door. There was a Lake behind the house, and the Spring is located behind the house next door to it, and it’s still active to this day. I drank out of this spring and it’s outstanding water. The City should buy the house and declare it a Landmark. Right now, it’s use is to deal pot out of the house…or so I think. But I’m pretty sure.
June 9th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Yup, I’ve been dying to snag a house in that neighborhood…..
November 8th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
[...] to vent gas buildup” as Raoul Duke suggests, or an East Bluff natural spring, similar to the Peoria Mineral Springs on the West Bluff, as we initially thought? I have no idea. I seem to recall Billy Dennis claiming [...]
November 27th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I am the owner of the house,and it is a great land mark,the water is the some of the best drinking water i ever encountered.I have been working on the house for 9 years,it has been a long road,the house has came along way ,since the beggining,the house has so much potential,scott j you have no idea ,about my residence ,i had a bad roomate ,that no longer lives there,the house still needs alot of work,but has came along way.One of the nicest homes in Peoria,I am very proud to own such ,I fine piece of history,for Peoria.
April 28th, 2009 at 12:30 am
I was by this house a little while ago. Neat old residence. However, I couldn’t really see the Spencer Street Hill cobblestoned street mentioned in the description above. It looks like some kind of street ran by this house up the bluff awhile ago, but has since been overgrown (& maybe partially paved?).