261 – Water Flowing in the East Bluff Woodlands
Upon hearing some rumors of abandoned mine shafts and evidence of a prohibition era tavern, I gathered together an exhibition team and went exploring. This is wooded hillside above Woodruff High School, across Abington St from Glen Oak Park. While we didn’t find what we set out to find, we did see some wild turkeys, some deer and a few appliances long ago dumped. We also found this odd feature bricked into the hillside, water freely flowing out of it. It is circularly bricked inside, similar to an old well, is filled with water and appears to go down about two feet to a sediment filled floor.
Is this “Breathers, left from the old mines 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 this area as his childhood hangout; maybe he knows something about it.
This also sits on the land which Neighborhood House is to build their new facility.
Here’s a zoomed out photo for perspective purposes.
And here’s a short video showing the water flow.
November 2nd, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Isn’t that in Springdale Cemetery?
November 2nd, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I’m thinking it’s at Guardian Angel Orphanage…
November 3rd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Isnt that where Willy York lives
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Something up off of MLK Drive, up in that area?
November 4th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Breathers, left from the old mines to vent gas buildup. Not sure where this one is though. Do not go in there lest ye run afoul of some C.H.U.D. ’s
November 4th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Raoul Duke, that sounds plausible, but there is water flowing out of it.
November 4th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
A black Nikon bag to the right!
November 7th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Well?
November 8th, 2008 at 2:41 am
but could it be rocky glen?
November 8th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
That is very interesting! So, it sits on the land where a new home will be built? How far away from the building site?
November 8th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
This is a little ways down the hill and Family House will be located on a semi-flat area on top of the bluff. How far away or what will become of this little treasure, I have no idea.
November 15th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
This is a natural spring. There is another natural spring on Union Hill (down below High Street).
February 28th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
This place is not just rumor, it really existed and is still there. My Dad used to go there when he was young during Prohibition. I have also talked to several other people over the years, that knew of this place and even one that had dug out the entrance in the mid 1980s and been in it and had retrieved some glasses from it. Bar stools and glasses are still in the place – it is underground and across from the Glen Oak Park – about halfway up Abington Hill about where the curve is and not too far from the street. This was part of an old mine shaft. The entrance has grown over but it is still possible to dig your way in there. I think this would make a great tourist attraction if anyone were to dig it out and reopen it…undoubtedly Al Capone and his people would have gone there while stopping over in Peoria on their many trips from Chicago to St. Louis. The last I heard, that section of the woods was up for sale.
February 28th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Oops, I almost forgot – the name of this Prohibition era bar back then was “the Grotto” and it was quite a popular night spot to go to.
February 28th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Thanks.
I have to see if I can find this place.
March 1st, 2009 at 1:10 pm
It is almost positively an old spring from the 1800’s. It has nothing to do with a coal mine. There are no mines in or around this area. Please confirm this by viewing the Peoria County Mine maps here:
http://tinyurl.com/awfx36
March 1st, 2009 at 1:14 pm
It is almost positively a natural spring. There are no coal mines in the immediate area or even the surrounding area. Please refer to the U.S. Geological Survey maps for areas of past mining and known mine shaft entrances by visiting here: http://tinyurl.com/awfx36
March 1st, 2009 at 1:15 pm
It is almost positively a natural spring. There are no coal mines in the immediate area or even the surrounding area. Please refer to the U.S. Geological Survey maps for areas of past mining and known mine shaft entrances by visiting here: tinyurl.com/awfx36
March 1st, 2009 at 8:40 pm
My wife and I looked for it today. Is this seen from the road, or is it around on the parking lot side of the the Woodruff Campus?
March 2nd, 2009 at 9:34 am
Sorry, Big J, your comments were held up in a moderation queue; thanks for the links.
LeTumba – you can’t see it from the road. It’s in the woods on the hillside behind the Woodruff parking lot and ball fields. It takes a bit of exploring, but it’s in there, about halfway up the bluff.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:02 am
Augydoggy, I just read your comment which is probably what LeTumba was referring to (that’s what I get for reading the comments in reverse order.)
Now I *really* have to go back before this place is destroyed by the new Neighborhood House.
March 2nd, 2009 at 10:34 am
Let’s meet and go together.
Name the time and the place.
I am free this next weekend.
March 2nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
Anyone following this thread. I live in the area of this hillside. An elderly gentleman who used to live down the street (now lives elsewhere in the city of Peoria) and my mom know each other. He showed her where this is. She tried to expain it to me, but I couldn’t find it. When it warms up this spring, I will see if he is up to showing me where this is and then I can lead a “field trip”. From the brief conversation I’ve had with him (he was rarely outside), he said it was a mine shaft or a cave…he really didn’t know its origin. I’ve seen the “mine maps”, but that doesn’t mean an unofficial mine or someone(s) didn’t just started the digging or mining process because they thought something was there. I say this because a process such as this is in the woods near my parents house in EP and there isn’t any record of it on the mine maps.
March 2nd, 2009 at 11:50 am
Hi Chef.
I don’t live far from you. I am more down towards Springdale off of Prospect.
Your offer sounds good, but I am anxious to go look for it right away. I wonder where the entrance to whatever this is may be located.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:31 am
OK, I am ready to go find this thing now that the weather is getting warmer – if anyone is interested in helping to explore they can email me at iconoclast666@hotmail.com
March 19th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Oops forgot to ask – since a lot of these posts were about 3 weeks ago, has anyone had a chance to go look yet, and if so, did you find anything? If you did find anything can you post detailed directions as to the Grotto’s exact location???
I would like to see this thing before it disappears – who knows, I might even check to see if the land is still for sale and reopen this thing if there is much left of it.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Me email again is iconoclast666@hotmail.com
April 6th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Found it. An update will be forthcoming.
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Neighborhood House is not going there. Family House is. And check your facts before you assume they are going to destroy it.
April 27th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Looks like it could be one of two things, either a natural spring or the endpoint of an old private storm drain pipe from the neighborhood above. If it rained recently when you took the video, the storm drain pipe might be more likely.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Do we have an update on this? I haven’t seen this one, but I was in Springdale Cemetery a few weeks ago and there was something that looked very similar. Upon closer look, there was no depth. It was basically a square box. A small square box. I haven’t a clue what purpose it would serve.
June 27th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
http://peoriaillinoisan.blogpeoria.com/2009/04/21/peoria-history-the-alps-picnic-pleasure-resort/