Name This Peoria Landmark

Peoria Landmark #464

The official “about us” page on Maui Jim’s website doesn’t mention anything about Peoria, and at the bottom of their web site it says “© 2012 Maui Jim, Inc. Lahaina, Hawaii”

Their Wikipedia entry tells the rest of the story…

Maui Jim originally had its headquarters in Lahaina, Hawaii, but moved to Peoria after buying RLI Vision, the original vision insurance and vision care products unit of RLI Corp., in December 1996. The transaction was structured so that RLI Corp. became a major shareholder in Maui Jim, which has continued to the present.

I don’t blame them though, Peoria isn’t exactly a sexy place to for a swanky sunglass company to hail from.

Peoria Landmark #449

by Sue Grawey

The Coliseum
Adams and Hancock Streets, Peoria
Architect: Herbert E. Hewitt
Contractor: Henry H. B. Wiechmann
Total cost: $59,800.00

The Coliseum, Peoria’s civic center in the early twentieth century, provided space for diverse large gatherings. Operas were staged there, as well as firemen’s and policemen’s balls, World War I mass meetings, and two tournaments of the American Bowling Congress.

Valentine Jobst Sr. was paid $12,000 for the site. The Peoria City Railway Company financed the structure and then transferred it to the city in exchange for renewal of the streetcar franchise through 1926. Over five thousand citizens and dignitaries attended the May 4, 1901 dedication ceremonies.

The Coliseum was destroyed by fire May 27, 1920. The building and contents were under insured ($27,000). A year later, the city council voted to transfer the land to the state. The National Guard Armory was erected on the site in 1924.

Sources:

Peoria of Today
Peoria Journal, May 5, 1901
Peoria Journal Transcript, April 14, 1940
Peoria Star, May 27, 1920
Peoria Star, September 27, 1940
White, J. P., letter dated March 1955
Photo: Files of David V. Schlink

Peoria Landmark #433

JW – Pat yourself on the back… either it is rare or I don’t normally pay attention, but I don’t recall ever seeing dry run creek completely dry until last week after a hot and dry May.  The picture was taken just in front of the Park Rd. bridge in Bradley Park.  As I had already climbed down into the creek bed, I figured I might as well snap off a few more.  Ashely, Alisa, and Weed seem to be very popular.  Life, Maniacs and the Police, not so much…

Peoria Landmark #417

Update:

This one’s a little obscure, so I’ll give you guys a pass. Here’s a brief story about Joshua P Hotchkiss, as written by Charles Ballance in his 1870 book, the History of Peoria, Illinois.

Mr. Joshua P. Hotchkiss, in the fall of 1852, opened an office of the same kind, which he called the Bank of J.P. Hotchkiss & Co., and carried it on with apparent success until his death, which happened in 1856.  Mr. Hotchkiss was in feeble health for some time before his death, and intrusted the business to Lewis Howell, his cashier, and was so well pleased with his management that he provided in his will that Mr. Howell should, after his death, carry on the business in the same name, at a salary, for the benefit of his heirs.

This Mr. Howell did for about four years; but it becoming inconvenient, or perhaps impossible, to carry out the requirements of the will, he and others bought out the institution, and for about four years carried on the business in the name of L. Howell & Co.  In 1864, it was organized into a national bank, under the law of Congress, and called The Second National Bank of Peoria.  Under that law, and that name, it is operating now.

Peoria Landmark #414

Update:

Steve K: Charles Ballance was an earlier pioneer of Peoria. He was mayor of Peoria in the 1850′s. He wrote a book entitled The History of Peoria in the 1870′s.

Biography from PeoriaCountyIllinois.info:

BALLANCE, CHARLES (deceased), attorney at law, settled in the village of Peoria in 1831, being one of the three first lawyers in the place.

He descended from an ancient family of Durham, England, but his ancestors immigrated to Virginia over two centuries ago. His grandfather, Charles Ballance, was killed in the war of the revolution. Willis Ballance, the father of the subject of this sketch, married Miss Rejoice Greene, of Virginia. Charles was born in Madison county, Ky., Nov. 10, 1800; his educational opportunities were limited to the common schools and his individual efforts; taught several Winters to defray current expenses while pursuing his studies. To his innate desire for knowledge were supplemented an indomitable will and splendid memory, which soon gave him a well stored mind.

He spent about thirty years of the prime of his life in the “French claims” legal controversy which so perplexed and harassed the early American settlers of Peoria. He seemed to be the only attorney who possessed the faith and courage to battle in behalf of the early settlers against those old claims. But he fought to the bitter end, carrying the matter from one court to another, until he won a final triumph and forever silencing the last French claimant and leaving the rightful owners in peaceful possession of their property. Mr. Ballance had in early times purchased a large tract of land in the lower end of the city where some of those French claims rested, and the successful results of his litigations forever removed the incubus from his, as well as his neighbors’, lands. Those contests gave him a knowledge of the laws bearing upon real estate, which rendered him famous as a land title lawyer.

In addition to his extensive legal labors, Mr. B. found time to prepare and publish a history of Peoria in 1870, a book of 270 pages, which was the last work of his life. He was elected alderman from the 1st ward in 1852, and mayor of the city in 1855. Mr. B. married Julia Schnebley, of Peoria, in 1835, who bore him ten children, —— living. He died on August 10, 1872, leaving an extensive estate, chiefly lying in the lower end of the city, and much of it is now occupied by the large manufactories in that quarter.

Peoria Landmark #411

Update:

Took a while, but Sarah guessed it.  This statue sits in front of the school, facing the parking lot.  History from their website:

St. Vincent de Paul Parish was established in 1962 by Bishop John B. Franz. The new parish was formed from the northern sections of both St. Philomena and Holy Family and named in honor of the Congregation of the mission priests founded by St. Vincent. Reverend Robert L. Livingston was appointed the first pastor in June of 1962. Construction of the original buildings also began in 1962 and consisted of an 8 – room school building with a combination chapel-gymnasium and an 8 bedroom Sister’s Convent.

St. Vincent de Paul School originated in September 1962 with 300 students. Nine classrooms were added to the main school building in 1963, and in 1965, four bedrooms and a utility room were added to the convent. The church construction started in 1976 and although construction was not yet complete, the parishioners gathered for the first Eucharistic service in the new church on the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul, September 27, 1977.

The Dominican sisters from Springfield, IL served our parish for 23 years, and it was a great sadness to see them depart in 1985 because of a lack of personnel. Among the Sisters serving our parish school were the principals: Sr. Eugenia, Sr. Emila, Sr. Angelene, and Sr. Rita Marie.

The Ground Breaking Ceremony for our Parish Hall expansion took place in April 1998. Following ten months of construction, St. Vincent de Paul School moved into the new building on February 16, 1999. The air conditioned addition includes our Parish Hall, 3 and 4 year old pre-school classrooms, 7th and 8th grade classrooms, our school library, and computer lab.

There is also a recently completed addition of a new gym complex, combined with St. Jude taking away student population, I hear put them in some financial straits, although I have to admit, it’s a beautiful gym!

Peoria Landmark #409

Update: While their sign may be in a bit of disrepair, if you want to step back in time to a place which seems to have been frozen in time, including a rarity these days called customer service, this is the place to go.  We’ve rent-to-owned two brass instruments and they expertly refurbished a 1940′s era saxophone which now plays and sounds like new.  Nothing but praise from me for these guys.

Strode Music Co.
2510 N. Sheridan Rd.
688-2459

Peoria Landmark #408

Update: Whitey’s it is!

Peoria Journal Star, Mar 11, 2010. Dining Out: Whitey’s Tip Top Inn still in tiptop shape.

Whitey’s Tip Top Inn on Sheridan Road has been a neighborhood pub since the repeal of Prohibition and, according to Peoria City Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken, the place serves “to-die-for cheeseburgers.”

Owner Mark White took over the place – long called the Tip Top because of its location at the top of the center bluff – in 1992. He has a picture of it from the ’40s and says it’s amazing how little has changed – inside and out.

One big difference, though, is that Whitey serves food. It’s the kind of food you expect at a bar – greasy, gut-filling grub like pizza and hot wings. Better yet, he serves it whenever. If he’s open, so is the kitchen. So, if it’s 1 a.m. and you’re craving an Italian sausage and onion rings, Whitey will fix you up.

I didn’t go that route, instead choosing to pop in for a workday lunch with my husband. The place was quiet, just a couple guys at the bar, so the service was super quick. Whitey does it all: pours the beer, makes the food, serves it up.

I’d been meaning to visit Whitey’s for ages based on Van Auken’s recommendation. Still, I expected just a few options considering he doesn’t have any kitchen help. The menu impressed us – hamburgers, tenderloins, Philly cheese steaks, butterfly pork chops, Italian sausage, chicken sandwiches, pizza and a bunch of goodies like onion rings and fried green beans.

Inside, the place is not trying to be anything fancy. Everything is a little worn and mismatched, kind of like the bar your grandfather probably frequented. It’s a little old school.

You can eat at the bar or there are high bar tables, all offer a good view of the eight TVs in the small place. A sign hangs over the bar: “Maximum capacity: 24 Fiddes, 15 Gilfillans, 3 Mottelers or 1 Monkton.” Neighborhood support is still strong here. Whitey’s, until not too long ago, was also a hangout for certain council members after their marathon meetings. Not so much anymore, Whitey says, although “the mayor pops in every once in a while. When he ran the Lucky Lady, I was his Budweiser salesman.”

For lunch, we started with the cheddar cheese crisps ($5) because they sounded interesting. They are actually what most of us know as cheese balls, but Whitey said he didn’t like that name. My husband was thrilled because they are exactly like the ones from his favorite Illinois State University hangout – if only they came with a side of marinara instead of ranch dressing. The cheddar nuggets are breaded and deep fried, not healthy but definitely addictive.

My husband ordered Whitey’s wings ($6.50) and onion rings ($5) and I chose the Philly cheese steak ($6), which came with chips.

Whitey admits that most of his fare is from Gordon Food Service, but he’s chosen some really good items. Two things he does himself: Whitey’s wings and the pizza. While the crust is premade, he adds fresh toppings.

For the wings, Whitey marinates and seasons them himself with his own blend of spices before frying them and adding hot sauce. He doesn’t skimp, either. My husband had at least a dozen in his overflowing basket.

The onion rings may have been poured from a bag, but at least Whitey knows to fry them in really hot oil so they weren’t at all greasy. Also, they are the battered kind – my favorite.

As for my sandwich, the Philly cheese steak is thin slices of steak topped with grilled onions and melted cheese and served on a hot, soft hoagie roll. After gorging on the cheese balls and onion rings, I could only finish about half.

The chips were Kitchen Cooked, a favorite of many.

Is it hard to rave about bar food? Not when Whitey serves it piping hot with a big smile and anytime you want it.

Peoria Landmark #406

Scott Smith: “Cilco Sub Station, S. Adams”

I don’t have much more to add other than it’s at Adams near the exit from from 474.  I didn’t realize it until Kevin mentioned it, but I happened to drive by today and that really is a tree growing out of the roof.  It has definitely grown since this picture was taken.

Semi-related, who remembers this day?

Peoria Landmark #391

This ought to bring back some memories. Since it’s pretty obvious what this is, can anyone guess when I took the picture? If anyone knows when and why it closed down, that would be nice to know too!

Journal Star, May 23, 2004 in an article titled “The 7 Wonders of Peoria”

During his youth, Ron Innes didn’t harbor the dreams of typical boys. His ultimate goal involved hubcaps.

“That was always his dream, ever since he was a little boy, to have a house covered in wheel coverings,” said wife Sandy Innes.

Though he died more than a year ago, Ron Innes lived long enough to see his vision come to pass. In 1990, he opened the Hubcap House , a structure covered from foundation to rooftop in sparkling silver hubcaps.

The other 7 “wonders” are Carl’s Chicken, the Emo Clown, Neil’s Auto Arch, Twistee Treat Cone, Height’s Tower Woodpecker, and of course, Vanna Whitewall.

In another article referred to by Steve from 2009, Phil Luciano says it the property was leveled in 2005 to make way for a parking lot.

It also says this, “The city once complained that the Hubcap House violated an ordinance mandating that no sign cover more than 20 percent of a business. The Hubcap House countered by saying the wheel covers were not a sign but a wall covering, just like aluminum siding. After receiving a petition with more than 1,000 signatures supporting the unconventional exterior, the city decided to leave the Hubcap House alone.”

btw – I took that picture March of 1992 and the physical address was 3601 SW Adams.

Peoria Landmark #389

This is an old Standard Oil station, located on Wayne & Perry, with a ’72 Ford Pickup (??) parked in front, and there were, in fact, two people there when I visited (you can see one in the reflection of the glass) but I cannot confirm if they sold funny balloons inside.

Searching the web, I found a picture of another station with similar lettering in Macomb.

* Hat Tip: Chef Kevin

Name This Peoria Landmark #388

Swan Lake Memory Gardens. 4601 War Memorial Dr.

There are two semi-famous people buried here.  One, William “Billy” Mauch, who starred as the pauper in the 1937 edition of The Prince & The Pauper.  (sorry about the Spanish overdubs but it was the best I could find)

The other being Officer Donan Faulkner, Jr. who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sept 20, 2001.

Peoria Journal Star, Sept 21, 2001:

Gunshots allegedly fired by a fleeing teen-ager early Thursday claimed the life of a decorated Peoria police officer and father of five, who became the first lawman killed here since 1987 and the first city officer slain in 54 years.

Officer Donan James ”Jim” Faulkner Jr., 37, was pronounced dead at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center at 12:24 a.m., less than 20 minutes after he was shot multiple times during a foot chase at Saratoga Street and Romeo B. Garrett Avenue on the city’s South Side.

The arrest that evening of Jarvis H. Neely, 18, who was booked on a murder charge – and who Police Chief John Stenson said may face the death penalty – hardly cheered fellow officers and City Hall officials, whose grief for victims from last week’s East Coast terror attacks turned inward after Faulkner’s death. ”I thought a week ago I felt all kinds of emotions after the terrible tragedies. . . . I didn’t think I would feel any worse. But I do,” Mayor David Ransburg said at a midday press conference packed with police officers and staff, some of whom openly wept. ”I am sad. I am frustrated. I am angry.

”I hope others feel the same way and we can take that anger . . . to redouble our efforts to make the streets of Peoria safe.”

That’s something police promised to aggressively continue. Police have seen a sharp upswing in shootings in recent weeks in a city that has been wracked for years with violence stemming from a multi-million dollar drug trade.

”Firemen who survived (last) Tuesday in New York went back to work when the buildings came down. Policemen went back to work. . . . We’ll go to work tomorrow,” said Stenson, choking back tears. ”We take this job knowing you travel harm’s highway.

”Sometimes, luck gets you home at the end of a shift. Sometimes, circumstances prevail.”

Jarvis Neely was sentenced to life in prison.

Peoria Landmark #386

I never did get the ‘now’ picture, but we all know what Chili’s looks like at the corner of University & Glen. This was Sipp School, as Steve mentioned.

I don’t know when it was built, but I found an article in the Journal Star archives (dated 5/19/05) stating it closed after the 82/83 school year, along with Lincoln and Webster due to declining enrollment.

Of the three, only Lincoln School was relocated, although not until 10 years later. Lincoln’s original location at 317 Hayden Place, north of O’Brien Field, was on prime property. The city wanted the land for the redevelopment of Southtown and the construction of the Peoria Civic Center development.

All the Lincoln students were sent to the old Washington School at 839 W. Moss Ave., which had been closed but was re-opened to accommodate them. That building is now an adult education center.

The students from Sipp School, 4823 N. University, were divided among Rolling Acres, Thomas Jefferson and Lindberg schools. Today, the Chili’s Bar & Grill sits on the Sipp School location.

Students from Webster School, 923 W. Millman, were transferred to some of the six Richwoods High School feeder schools.

There is currently a Sipp School page on Facebook.

*Photo scanned from the book Reading, Writing & Religion.

Peoria Landmark #384

I knew someone would  say “a telephone pole”! Yes, that is Main Street Commons in the background. Photo taken from Bradley’s parking deck adjacent to St. Mark’s Church.

In looking at the amenities offered for Bradley students, “Free Tanning” is listed… I guess I’m out of touch, but that just strikes me as odd.

Peoria Landmark #382

Although pretty cool, it didn’t warrent a three week vacation. This is a closeup view of a piece of the Preston Jackson’s sculpture called (as far as I can gather) “outside history” located directly behind the Peoria Riverfront Visitor’s Center.