Name This Peoria Landmark

Peoria Landmark #302

Born March 13, 1838. Died 1913. Grave located in Glendale Cemetery. Washington, Il.

Ancestry.com:

1860 US Census, Washington, Tazewell County, IL, dated 06-06-1860. His age 22, works as a farmer, real estate valued at $600, personal estate valued at $300, born in Germany. Lives with wife Nancy, age 23, born in IL. Also with them is Susan Staples, age 15, born in IL, sister of wife Nancy.

1870 US Census, Washington, Tazewell County, IL, dated 06-20-1870. His age 31, works as a farmer, real estate valued at $3500, personal estate valued at $1500, born in Germany. Lives with him is wife Nancy, age 31, (born in IN) and children Flora, age 9, and Nelley, age 7 (both born in IL). Also living with them is an Eli Price, age 19, born in IL.

1880 US Census, Washington, Tazewell County, IL, dated 06-21-1880. His age 42, operates a saw mill, born in Nesse, parents born in Nesse (Germany). Lives with wife Nancy, age 42 (born in IL, parents born in Canada and IN), children Flora, age 19, Nellie, age 17, Wilde (unsure of name), age 9, Luther, age 7, and Sean (unsure of name), age 4, all born in IL.

1900 US Census, Washington Township, Tazewell County, IL, dated 06-12-1900. His age 62, dob 03-1838, married for 40 years, born in Germany, parents born in Germany, immigrated in 1846, in the US for 53 years, owns the farm on which he lives. Lives with wife Nancy (age 63, dob 03-1837, has given birth to 7 children, 5 of whom survive, born in IL, father born in Canada, mother born in IN), son Luther (age 26, single, dob 08-1873, born in IL, works as a farmer), daughter Nelli Barnaum (age 37, dob 05-1863, married for 17 years, no children, born in IL) and son-in-law Alvi Barnaum (age 40, dob 07-1859, married for 17 years, born in OH-NY-OH, traveling salesman). (Below them on the census is son Wilde, with his wife Carrie and son Harold.)

1910 US Census, Washington, Tazewell County, IL, dated 1910. His age 72, widowed, born in Germany, parents born in Germany, lives on own income. He is listed as grandfather and living with Claus (?) Hughes, his wife Pauline Hughes and their son Clark Hughes.

Peoria Landmark #301

Located in the Ronald Reagan Peace Garden on the grounds of Eureka College, this is one of 41 portions of the Berlin Wall located around the world.

Eureka College’s 1982 commencement speech as given by Ronald Reagan on May 9, now known as “The Eureka Speech”, and the first time the world heard the words START, or Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty:

President Gilbert, trustees, administration and faculty, students, and the friends of Eureka College, and particularly those whose day this is, the graduating class of ‘82:

Dan, you said the 25th and now the 50th. Do you mind if I try for the 75th?[The President was commemorating the 50th anniversary of his graduation from Eureka College.]

But it goes without saying that this is a very special day for you who are graduating. Would you forgive me if I say it’s a very special day for me also? Over the years since I sat where you, the graduating class of 1982, are now sitting, I’ve returned to the campus many times, always with great pleasure and warm nostalgia. Now, it just isn’t true that I only came back this time to clean out my gym locker. [Laughter]

On one of those occasions, as you’ve been told, I addressed a graduating class here, “’neath the elms,” and was awarded an honorary degree. And at that time I informed those assembled that while I was grateful for the honor, it added to a feeling of guilt I’d been nursing for 25 years, because I always figured the first degree they gave me was honorary. [Laughter]

Now, if it’s true that tradition is the glue holding civilization together, then Eureka has made its contribution to that effort. Yes, it is a small college in a small community. It’s no impersonal, assembly-line diploma mill. As the years pass, if you have let yourselves absorb the spirit and tradition of this place, you’ll find the 4 years you’ve spent here living in your memory as a rich and important part of your life.

Oh, you’ll have some regrets along with the happy memories. I let football and other extracurricular activities eat into my study time with the result that my grade average was closer to the C level required for eligibility than it was to straight A’s. And even now I wonder what I might have accomplished if I’d studied harder. [Laughter]

Now, I know there are differences between the Eureka College of 1932 and the Eureka of 1982, but I’m also sure that in many ways — important ways — Eureka remains the same. For one thing, it’s impossible for you now to believe what I’ve said about things being the same. We who preceded you understand that very well, because when we were here, we thought old grads who came back only after 5 years — not 50 — couldn’t understand what our life was like and what had taken place and changed. So, take my word for it. As the years go by, you’ll be amazed at how fresh the memory of these years will remain in your minds, how easily you can relive the very emotions that you experienced.

The Class of ‘32 has no yearbook to record our final days on the campus. The Class of ‘33 didn’t put out a Prism because of the hardships of that Great Depression era. The faculty sometimes went for months on end without pay. And yet this school made it possible for young men and women, myself included, to get an education even though we were totally without funds, our families destitute victims of the Depression. Yes, this place is deep in my heart. Everything that has been good in my life began here.

Graduation Day is called “Commencement,” and properly so, because it is both a recognition of completion and a beginning. And I would like, seriously, to talk to you about this new phase — the society in which you’re now going to take your place as full-time participants. You’re no longer observers. You’ll be called upon to make decisions and express your views on global events, because those events will affect your lives.

I’ve spoken of similarities, and the 1980’s like the 1930’s may be one of those — a crucial juncture in history that will determine the direction of the future.

In about a month I will meet in Europe with the leaders of nations who are our closest friends and allies. At Versailles, leaders of the industrial powers of the world will seek better ways to meet today’s economic challenges. In Bonn, I will join my colleagues from the Atlantic Alliance nations to renew those ties which have been the foundation of Western, free-world defense for 37 years. There will also be meetings in Rome and London. Read the rest of this entry »

Peoria Landmark #300

The Trefzger family grave is located in St Joseph’s Cemetery on Heading Ave in West Peoria. Obviously around here the name Trefzger is synonymous with the locally famous Trefzger’s Bakery, but did you know Wikipedia actually has an entry on the name Trefzger? What don’t they have an entry on?

Trefzger is a German surname that belongs to that category of surnames which originated as nicknames and were later assumed as hereditary surnames. The origin of this nickname is thought to lie in the Middle High German term “trefs”, referring to a “weed,” and in some context of a person, a “good for nothing” or an “over-bearing, bothersome person.” Another possible origin takes into account that the particular “weed” that “trefs” referred to was nearly impossible to kill, therefore, in the context of a person, a “trefs” would be someone who was very hardy and lived a long life.

Most Trefzgers that have not yet emigrated to the US reside in the town of Wehr, Germany.

[...]

The bakery was established in Peoria in 1861 by Simon Trefzger, who emigrated to the U.S. from Wehr. It is still in business, generally thought to be the oldest Peoria business still in operation. It was run by four generations of the Trefzger family from 1861 to 1993, at which time it was sold outside the family, but the buyer kept the business at the same location and the name was retained.

History of Trefzger’s bakery from their web site:

In the year 1856, Simon Trefzger came to America from Germany. He settled in Cincinnati, Ohio for five years. In 1861 he moved to Peoria. That same year, Simon Trefzger established the first bakery at 54 Fulton Street, half way between Adams and Washington.

The bakery moved to the corner of Main and Monroe Streets in the 1870’s and remained there for 83 years. In 1953 the business moved from downtown to Peoria’s north end. Trefzger Bakery, 3504 North Prospect, remains at this location today.

The bakery was in the family for 132 years. In 1993, Joe Jr. sold the bakery and began his retirement. The bakery was sold to Jeff Huebner who remains the owner today.

A detailed account of Simon Trefzger’s life can be read [here] and his obituary can be read [here].

Peoria Landmark #299

I couldn’t find any information on the carving, but here’s some info on the church courtesy of Genealogy Trails.com:

Father John Blaise Raho, the first priest assigned to serve the settlers of the area indicates in his letter that the corner stone was laid on August 4, 1839. [...]

The church ground and the cemetery that surrounds it was donated by William Patrick Mulveny, a native of Dublin, Ireland. His grave lies a few feet South of the church. The church was built by the men and women of Kickapoo. timbers were hand hewed and pegged. the sandstone was quarried near Joliet, Illinois and hauled by oxen cart to Kickapoo. The stone was laid by men and the mortar was mixed by the women.

St. Patrick’s Church remained the only Catholic Church in the area until 1861. At that time the German Catholics purchased a former Episcopalian Church in the Village of Kickapoo. this became St. Mary’s Church. Mass was offered in both churches until 1921 when the present St. Mary’s Church of Kickapoo was built. the two parishes were then combined and Mass was no longer offered in St. Patrick’s Church on a regular basis.

St. Patrick’s Church was abandoned and allowed to deteriorate until the early 1960’s. At that time the Bishop Rosati Council, Knights of Columbus, in cooperation with several other Knights of Columbus Councils in Central Illinois, requested permission from Bishop John Franz, then Bishop of Peoria, to begin a restoration program for the church. Bishop Franz granted permission and the many back breaking hours for the men who volunteered their time and talent began. The restoration program took three years and two months to complete. On the Feast of All Saints, November 1, 1964 a rededication ceremony was held.

The 1938 cemetery is also the first Catholic Cemetery in Peoria County.

Thanks to NoLemon and Billy Dennis.

Peoria Landmark #298

CIProud.com, dated Oct 17, 2007:

WMBD/WYZZ TV – PEORIA — Giving loved ones a place to rest for eternity can be a way of getting closure for those left behind to mourn, and now Peoria is giving residents the same opportunity with their pets.

Deep inside the property of Springdale Cemetery, you’ll find three acres of land called Whispering Woods. Saturday morning, Springdale Cemetery officials along with the Peoria Zoo held a dedication ceremony.

They unveiled two memorials, one in honor of Boomer and Leah, lions from the Peoria Zoo who’ve passed away. The second memorial honors Bill Rutherford and his dog Frosty. Rutherford was responsible for opening the Wildlife Prairie State Park, along with his faithful companion Frosty.

Peoria Landmark #297

Waymarking.com:

This site is a normally dry reservoir and dam built by the Army Corps of Engineers for flood control on Farm Creek. The immediate value of this dam is to store flood waters that would otherwise flood parts of East Peoria, IL, which is just downstream from the dam. It is also part of the overall plan of the Corps of Engineers for flood control in the Illinois River and Mississippi River systems.

The coordinates (N 40° 40.372 W 089° 30.134) are for the overlook for the dam along Bittersweet Road. Although the dam itself is closed to the public, the area has been made into a recreation area maintained by the Corps of Engineers that includes picnicking and hiking and bike trails. Parking for the recreation area is along Bittersweet Road about a quarter mile east of the overlook.