286 – The Easton Fountain
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.
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.
April 25th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
It’s the stone monument (I think it was once a fountain) in Burr Oak Park on High Street.
I really like that park, it is a nice peaceful walk and of course, that tree is HUGE! I’ve always thought the Victorian Mansion that’s across the street from this park, the huge greenish one with the lookout tower at the top is really interesting. Anyone know the story on that Mansion?
April 26th, 2009 at 1:23 am
So who was Easton?
April 26th, 2009 at 8:39 am
I went out to visit it this morning. The plaque next to it explains that Edward S. Easton, one of Peoria’s wealthiest residents, placed a number of these water fountains downtown.
Providing easy access to fresh water was Easton’s way of welcoming travelers and their horses arriving in Peoria.
The shape makes me think horses and people drank from the same fountains.
PI: I enjoyed the Alps post on Peoria Illinoisian site…went & saw it this morning, too. It was right where you described. Fascinating stories.
Josh: Easton built the mansion at the corner of Main and High, wonderfully restored by Converse Marketing. It was part of a home tour last year and I learned that four presidents (Teddy Roosevelt was one, I forget the other three) were entertained in it and are each featured in portraits on display inside. Peoria’s distillery barons were quite powerful in those decades leading up to prohibition.
April 26th, 2009 at 10:04 am
The plaque mentions that a number of these fountains were commissioned by Sara Hall Easton to honor her husband, a wealthy grain dealer and distiller, upon his death in 1901.
April 26th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I wonder how many others there were and what became of them?
April 26th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
His wife donated 8 of them. Not only was he a distiller and grain dealer but he served on the City Council.
April 26th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
The empty lot between the park and the Easton Mansion/Converse Bldg. used to be home to “The Easton Flats”, an apartment building that was torn down years ago.
April 26th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
There is a stone like this by the Butcher Block in Junction City. Don’t know if it is the same name, but it would make a headstone in Junction City make sense.
April 26th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I know the people that own that house across the street. Its my big brothers ex’s family. They have lived there since the 1950′s. I dont know about it before that. They have been slowly remodeling the inside.
It was also featured in the Richard Pryor movie JoJo dancer .