Peoria Landmark #292
Forgive me, but I just couldn’t help laughing at the sign that says “Deforestation” while a pile of logs lay in the background. To be fair, the Peoria Park District did re-use as many of the trees as they could in building the Africa exhibit as is evident to anyone who visits.
Here’s some other pictures. It’s quite nice, but the “older” section appears to be now closed.
Peoria Landmark #291
While looking up information about “The Castle House,” which is located on Grand View Drive next to the Peoria Country Club, I found this website which published some emails regarding it. This one is particularly interesting…
I lived in the Grandview Drive Castle from about 1962 to 1972. My family owned it and restored it. The Haase’s bought it in the 1970’s when Dad became ill as I recall.
My father, Walter F. Dexter, bought it for the princely sum of $50,000 from the Lusk family who had owned it since it was built in 1928. By 1962, the home had been used little and was in need of serious major renovation, which took a couple of years and an investment many times the purchase price.
It will alway remain for me the source of many fond memories, good times and spooky fun! It was said to be haunted, and well — we did hear plenty on stormy nights! -Dan Dexter
This home is also featured in the current (May, 2009, Issue 38) issue of Numero magazine which has this fun snipped – “A secret playroom for young children has a window to the outside, but there is no obvious entrance from the inside – unless you know where the hidden door is located.”
According to Numero, the small stone bridge fronting the house was used to cross the moat, which was drained in the 1950’s.
It was also the inspiration for the Children’s book “Melinda’s Doll House” by Bess Edmundson, and (I’ll take MAWB’s word for it) was described in Dorothy Cannell’s “Thin Woman Series.”
Peoria Landmark #290
Well, now we know that there are at least two in existence. This one is at Junction City. The other (NTPL #286) is on High Street. As the plaque there says “The fountains were placed along the riverfront road downtown to give Peorians and their horses water as they traveled.”
Anyone know of any others? I don’t.
Peoria Landmark #289
Scio: “I think this is a retaining wall from one of the houses on High St. Looks like this picture was taken from the dead end road that curves off High St. and goes halfway down the bluff about 2-3 houses down from Giant Oak Park.”
That is precisely where this is located.
The road was paved with brick all the way down to where it ends behind the U of I College of Medicine. Just past this very impressive retaining wall, the road curves down and to the right at which point the road resembles more of a creek bed than anything else, but curbs and steps to non-existent places still remain. It appears the road used to extent to N. State St (see map).
Peoria Landmark #288
As you are approaching University on the eastbound exit ramp from I74, look down into the woods on your right and you will see this little Chinese looking shelter. It is becomming more difficult to see, now that the trees have fully taken on their leaves, but you can still see it with a keen eye (I do not recommend backing up.)
Nearby is an old Chinese garden, estimated by the neighbors to have been built sometime in the 50’s.
In the same area but of likely an earlier time period, there is also a marble ‘dance floor’ (hard to show properly in a photo), and the entire area is strung with crude electricity and light fixtures. It must have been quite the gathering spot!
This is on private property, so do not go down there without permission of the homeowners above the bluff.
Peoria Landmark #287
Owned & operated by Peoria Public School District 150. I don’t have much to say about this place, but I did learn that there is another Peoria Stadium down in Arizona that is the spring training host to the Seattle Mariners & San Diego Padres.
Peoria Landmark #286
Located in Giant Oak Park on High Street near the Easton Manor.
Thanks as always to my commenters. This site would be nothing without you.