Peoria City Hall
Architecture
Peoria City Hall was designed and built by Reeves and Baillee in 1897 for US$271,500.
The Flemish Renaissance structure was designed so that any one of its four sides could serve as the front. The exterior is red sandstone from the Lake Superior region, quarried in 1890.
The Victorian cupola bell tower from the original city hall building is at the peak. The 4,300-lb bell was built in 1865.
During construction, a cornerstone of the building was left open for residents were to drop in personal or historic items that would be sealed inside.
The city hall was dedicated January 5 to January 7, 1899. At the ceremony, Civil War hero turned mayor Maj. John Warner said, “Chicago has one larger and far more expensive, but gloomy and dark within; while this is lightsome, bright and cheerful in every department.”
The interior has a marble staircase, ironwork railings, and stained glass windows. An 1889 statue “Love Knows No Caste” by artist Fritz Triebel is visible in the front hall.
In 1912, a mural was commissioned. The interior mural depicts muses of learning, peace, and medicine along with symbols of the community and its industries.
Significant Events
In the 1960s, Peoria City Hall was the site of public speeches by Adlai Stevenson III, Edward Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson.
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in February 1973.
The Peoria Civic Center was built behind it in 1982.
In 2017, Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) awarded the City of Peoria the Leslie B. Knope Trophy for "Best City Hall".
Notes
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Peoria City Hall," (PDF), National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, HAARGIS Database. Retrieved 15 April 2007.
- ^ Lynn, Greg (2017-03-24). "The Nation's Finest City Hall". Peoria Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ Lasswell, Mark (2022-10-01). "Peoria's Architects and the Jewels They Left behind". Peoria Magazine. Archived from the original on 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ "Peoria City Hall, 419 Fulton Street, Peoria, Peoria County, IL". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ Shelley, Tim (2023-03-07). "Here's how a bit of Bergner's is keeping Peoria City Hall in prime shape for years to come". WCBU Peoria. Archived from the original on 2023-05-29. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ Wombacher, Marty (2017-03-23). "You Can't Fight City Hall...But You Can Go And Take A Look Around Inside...And When You Do, You'll Find It's One Spectacular (And Award-Winning) Building!". Meanwhile, Back In Peoria... Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ Nightengale, Laura (2016-03-23). "5 things about Peoria City Hall you probably didn't know". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ "Remarks on the Courthouse Steps in Peoria | The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- ^ Wyatt, Kent (2017-03-11). "#ELGLCityHall: Pawnee Goes to Peoria". ELGL. Archived from the original on 2023-09-23. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
External links
- City of Peoria — official website
- Survey number HABS IL-1129 — Peoria City Hall, 419 Fulton Street, Peoria, Peoria County, IL
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