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 #279
This photo was taken only by dumb luck just before it got a new dome of which I wasn’t aware was so soon in the works.
Report on the new dome from Week-TV:
For all of you star gazers, workers are putting the finishing touches on the new dome of the Northmoor Observatory.
After last week’s removal of the 55-year-old sliding dome that was operated mostly by manual chains, the construction of a new electric powered dome is almost complete.
Grants and donations paid for most of the 75 thousand dollar dome.
“There have been many people involved in the funding of the dome. Caterpillar has been involves in it. We’ve had participation also from local companies. NE Finch was one of them. Intec Service another, we’ve had three labor unions, The Masons, The Ironworkers, and the Steam Fitters have all contributed people and apprentices and so forth to help with the construction of the dome”, said Peoria Astronomical Society member, Terry Beachler.
The almost 100-year-old, 12-foot telescope housed in the observatory is also getting a facelift before returning to the observatory. Terry Beachler says the renovation has come at a good time, as this is the International Year of Astronomy. The 400th anniversary since Galileo looked through a telescope.
History, via the Peoria Astronomical Society:
Northmoor Observatory is located within the city of Peoria at the Leo Donovan Golf Course, and houses a 9 inch refractor telescope.
The telescope was one of two built in 1913 for the Illinois Watch Company of Springfield, Illinois. The 9-inch flint-forward lens was ground by Petitdidier, the same optician who ground lenses for Dr. A.A. Michelson’s famous experiment to determine the speed of light. The telescope body was manufactured by Gaertner Scientific of Chicago,
Illinois. The telescope was purchased by Bradley University, but put away and never used. It was later “re-discovered” sitting under bleachers in Huff Gym in the old Field House on the Bradley campus. In 1955, it was reassembled at the Northmoor site where it still stands. The observatory underwent a major renovation in 2009, and a new rotating dome was installed in place of the original rusted dome.
Peoria Landmark #275
*Photo by “LeTUMBA”
I couldn’t find any information about the “new” Rock Island Depot, so I’ll do what I like to do best and let the commenters tell the story…
This is the last terminal for the Rock Island Railroad passenger service to Chicago from Peoria. The depot used before this one is what is now known as the River Station.
SD:
This depot was built in 1960. It is commonly known as the new/old Rock Island Depot. The inside has been gutted. Before the Park district was using it for storage bums went in and stripped all the copper wire out and anything else that they could sell. There is a tower room there that was used for the railroad. In front of this is a switch table that was used with the round house that was there at one time. Currently the Park district uses the building to store equipment, in exchange for keeping the grounds up for the city. Constitution Gardens is adjacent to the depot. This entire outfit is on the grounds of what was the original Peoria Riverfront Park. You can park in the parking lot and walk around the building and enjoy Constitution Gardens and the river and have lunch or just hang out.
THill: The bridge at the bottom of “Grand View Drive”.
Historic Peoria: “Construction of Grand View Drive began in 1903, and when it was completed in late 1904, the road consisted of gravel measuring 30 feet wide and 8 inches deep. In 1936, the drive was paved and trees were planted along the road. That year, tennis courts, softball fields, and picnic areas were also added.”
Everyone knows what Theodore Roosevelt said about it, but according to PeoriaHistory.com the exact quote from 1910 is “I have traveled all over the world, and this is the world’s most beautiful drive.”
In 1996 the entire drive and park land was added to the National Register of Historic places.
Here’s a YouTube video of Grandview from a bicycle. The bridge gets crossed at the 7 minute mark.
…and the Changes Statue, says Kara Harris. I didn’t get out of my car to read the plaque. Infact, I didn’t even see a plaque.
Located just to the North of Detweiller Golf Course along Galena Road, it is a basic boat launch area on the Illinois River which features, according to the Peoria Park District, “boat ramp, picnic area with grills, restrooms, parking and open river front. Open dawn – 11 pm daily. Free boat launching.“
The Love Shack
Katney: “There are a couple of buildings back in the woods off of Rt 29 owned by the park district – if I remember right this is the smaller one and it is pretty scary inside.”
I didn’t look inside. As Katney said, it looked pretty scary inside and I wasn’t about to find out what was in there! If someone would like to go down and check it out for themselves, it’s on the south side of the barn (NTPL#219) located off of SanKoty and Galena Rd.
Both ends of a long forgotten Peoria Park District soccer field.
Check out StfRon’s GeoCache of this place. Pretty cool.
A sign at the trail entrance says Wildlife Preserve, Parcel #5157, Peoria Park District. To get here, pull into SanKoty Ln, just down from Gardner Ln off Galena Rd. Park on the side of the road just where SanKoty curves. To the south you will see a small break in an old fence. That is the beginning of the trail.
Aerial view of what is officially parcel# 1414100008, via PeoriaGIS:
You can relax, Billy, although I understand your frustration, I’m almost certain that this was never a sanctioned Park District soccer field.
A big thank you to Scott O’Brien for taking these photos and sending me off to a place I previously never knew existed.