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CHistory
History · East Peoria

East Peoria’s post office opened in 1863, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 32% of U.S. towns · #534 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it

Below: 12 old photos and papers, maps from 1905 on, and the census since 1890.

1863first post office
0on the National Register
13%homes built before 1940
12old photos & papers
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From East Peoria’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How East Peoria began

When was East Peoria founded?

1863

The East Peoria post office opened in 1863, the earliest record of the town by name. Another post office, Fond Du Lac (1872), opened inside today’s city and later closed.

First census: 392 in 18902020 census: 22,484163 years

How historic is East Peoria?

C

More historic than 32% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first East Peoria post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade

What drives East Peoria’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, East Peoria is more historic than 32% of U.S. towns, #534 of 768 in Illinois. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of East Peoria’s overall grade.
Founding era1863, from the first post office: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 194012.7% of homes (±2.4) · typical IL town 10.6% · U.S. 8.4%B−National RegisterNo listings counted · typical IL town 0.5 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 32%
NewerOlder
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 31%

Few Illinois towns list much on the Register (a typical Illinois town has 0.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so East Peoria’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C+. The pre-1940 share (±2.4 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.

Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about East Peoria’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Then and nowOne place photographed years apart. Drag to compare.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s East Peoria, and 7 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 19057 editions of the USGS map, 1905 to 1996. Watch East Peoria change.A town in old photos12 old photos, postcards and papers, 1910–1977.
★ What stands out · Then & now

The same spot, 81 years apart

Drag across each photo to compare.

The Caterpillar Tractor Co. Factory, Peoria, IllThe Caterpillar Tractor Co. Factory, Peoria, Ill (64733)c. 19302011
The Caterpillar Tractor Co. Factory, Peoria, Ill (64733)Matched from the two captions
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

East Peoria had its own post office from 1863 to 1886. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

East Peoria
1863–1886
Fond Du Lac
1872–1883
East Peoria
1889–1983
18601940today
Hamlets and corners on the map
CaldwellCloverdaleFond du LacFondulac Plaza Shopping CenterGardenaHighway VillageRobein
Gone or out of use
Pleasant Hill SchoolschoolRichland SchoolschoolWashington Schoolschool
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside East Peoria
FondulacGuth

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

On the map

East Peoria on the map, 1905 to 1996

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of East Peoria. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

East Peoria on the 1905 USGS mapEast Peoria on the 1927 USGS mapEast Peoria on the 1949 USGS mapEast Peoria on the 1950 USGS mapEast Peoria on the 1967 USGS mapEast Peoria on the 1979 USGS mapEast Peoria on the 1996 USGS map1905Peoria sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of East Peoria.

The story

How East Peoria came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of East Peoria.

Read it all →

Several years after Illinois became a state (which happened December 18, 1818), William Blanchard and three other men (Charles Sargeant, Theodore Sargeant, and David Barnes) crossed Fort Clark (located in Peoria) to the eastern side of the Illinois River. The land here was a swampy floodplain; nevertheless, they made their claim on the land and built huts, growing corn and tomatoes in the fertile soil. This settlement was originally named "Fondulac Township", with fondulac meaning "bottom of the lake" in French.

Over the course of a few years, more settlers arrived. Jacob L. Wilson, Thomas Camelin, and a man simply known as "Donohue" established themselves in the new township, with Wilson eventually becoming the Justice of the Peace.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

East Peoria, 1863 to 1984

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1863Post officeThe East Peoria post office opens
  3. 1872Post officeThe Fond Du Lac post office opens
  4. 1883Post officeThe Fond Du Lac post office closes
  5. 1886Post officeThe East Peoria post office closes
  6. 1889Post officeThe East Peoria post office opens
  7. 20th century
  8. 1905On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  9. 1910In the archiveHolt Caterpillar factory in East Peoria in March 1910
  10. 1930In the archiveThe Caterpillar Tractor Co. Factory, Peoria, Ill (64733)
  11. 1955Born hereHoward Lance is born here
  12. 1956Born hereRoger Phegley is born here
  13. 1963In the archiveToledo Peoria and Western 204 (RS2) idling on ready track in front of Main Shops and yard…
  14. 1973In the archiveLOOKING TOWARD PEORIA FROM COOPER PARK IN EAST PEORIA ACROSS THE FLOOD WATERS OF THE ILLI…
  15. 1983Post officeThe East Peoria post office closes
  16. 1984Born hereKenny Robertson is born here
By decade

East Peoria, decade by decade

4 decades in the archive, from the 1910s to the 1970s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s5 items
Holt Caterpillar factory in East Peoria in March 19101910Holt Caterpillar factory in East Peoria in March 1910Holt East Peoria 1910 interior left1910Holt East Peoria 1910 interior leftHolt East Peoria 1910 interior more1910Holt East Peoria 1910 interior moreHolt East Peoria 1910 outside with Minnesota tractor1910Holt East Peoria 1910 outside with Minnesota tractorInterior Holt Caterpillar factory East Peoria Illinois 19101910Interior Holt Caterpillar factory East Peoria Illinoi…
1930s–1970s7 items
The Caterpillar Tractor Co. Factory, Peoria, Ill (64733)c. 1930The Caterpillar Tractor Co. Factory, Peoria, Ill (647…Toledo Peoria and Western 204 (RS2) idling on ready track in front of Main Shops and yards at Peoria, IL in June 19631963Toledo Peoria and Western 204 (RS2) idling on ready t…WLC President of High School Math Club1967WLC President of High School Math ClubLOOKING TOWARD PEORIA FROM COOPER PARK IN EAST PEORIA ACROSS THE FLOOD WATERS OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER1973LOOKING TOWARD PEORIA FROM COOPER PARK IN EAST PEORIA…Peoria - Caterpillar Administration Building from Savings Tower1974Peoria - Caterpillar Administration Building from Sav…Peoria and Illinois River from Air 19741974Peoria and Illinois River from Air 1974Peoria from the Air over Tazewell County 19771977Peoria from the Air over Tazewell County 1977
1980s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today12 recent
Peoria Aerial - Facing West2016Peoria Aerial - Facing WestPeoria Aerial - Facing Northwest2016Peoria Aerial - Facing NorthwestPeoria Aerial - Facing North2016Peoria Aerial - Facing NorthMissouri Pacific 913 (F7A) in P&PU yard, East Peoria, IL on January 28, 19672015Missouri Pacific 913 (F7A) in P&PU yard, East Peoria,…Peoria, Illinois2012Peoria, IllinoisThe Caterpillar Tractor Co. Factory, Peoria, Ill2011The Caterpillar Tractor Co. Factory, Peoria, IllShaggy Ink Caps (Coprinus comatus)2011Shaggy Ink Caps (Coprinus comatus)Shaggy Ink Cap2011Shaggy Ink CapMothPandorus Sphinx2010MothPandorus SphinxMurray Baker Bridgec. 2006Murray Baker BridgeBob Michel Bridge, Peoria, Illinois2006Bob Michel Bridge, Peoria, IllinoisI-74 upgrade - Murray Baker Color Change2005I-74 upgrade - Murray Baker Color Change
People over time

East Peoria, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,0001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 23,402

Between 392 and 23,402 people in every census since 1890.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on East Peoria’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in East Peoria

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Roger PhegleyAmerican basketball player · b. 1956
K
Kenny RobertsonAmerican martial artist · b. 1984
H
Howard LanceAmerican businessman · b. 1955
Help out

Finish East Peoria’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
4 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewHolt Caterpillar factory in East Peoria…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Creve CoeurIts storyCMortonIts storyC+Washington3 historic placesA−Fondulac TownshipIts storyC+Peoria City Township26 historic placesA+Peoria26 historic placesA+

Questions about East Peoria’s history

What year was East Peoria founded?

The East Peoria post office opened in 1863, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

How does East Peoria rank for history?

East Peoria is more historic than 32% of U.S. towns, #534 of 768 in Illinois. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in East Peoria?

13% of East Peoria’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.4 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1968.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (24), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.