Peoria dates to 1680, and 20% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 97% of U.S. towns · #19 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it
26 places in town are on the National Register, among them seven historic districts with 323 buildings between them. Below: 19 old photos and papers, maps from 1891 on, and the census since 1840.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1823.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Peoria’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Peoria is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #19 of 768 in Illinois. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Peoria’s overall grade.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Peoria ranks #35 on History.
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 Peoria’s 34.5 sits above most of its state (90% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 387 historic buildings outnumber those of 96% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1680.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share (±1.6 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikidata (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 Peoria’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Peoria was the earliest permanent European settlement in what is now Illinois; French explorers first established a presence along the Illinois River in the late 17th century, with the community later evolving into the modern city. The lands that eventually would become Peoria were first settled by Europeans in 1680, when French explorers René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle and Henri de Tonti constructed Fort Crevecoeur. This fort burned to the ground, and in 1813, Fort Clark, Illinois was built. When the County of Peoria was organized in 1825, Fort Clark was officially named Peoria.
Passages that mention Peoria, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Drown's record, and historical view of Peoria1850 · page 81Read the page →
Read the text
«ven the French settlers had all left and mingled with those of other settletaents, so that all former occupancy by the wliites was broken up and obliterated, and now a new era would commence in the settlement of Peoria ; and accordingly I commence to date the foimdiiig and settlement of the city of Peoria from the 19th day of April, in tlie 19tliyearof the 19th century, and here V follows my history of the founding of Peoria.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The second section of this law provides that " The said board of school inspectors shall consist of the mayor of the City of Peoria, and two members from each ward (the election districts in the township of Peoria to be deemed, for school purposes, portions of the wards at which the voting for said districts is now or may hereafter be done), who shall be residents of their respective wards, and who shall hold their offices, respectively, for
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Peoria, 1680 to 1940
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
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.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Peoria. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1905Peoria 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 Peoria.
Every building
Peoria, building by building, 1891–1902
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
In 1680, according to Wikidata. Peoria’s post office opened in 1823, and the census of 1840 counted 1,467 people here.
How does Peoria rank for history?
Peoria is more historic than 97% of U.S. towns, #19 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.
What is on the National Register in Peoria?
26 listings: 18 buildings, among them the Peoria City Hall (listed 1973, the first), 7 historic districts with 323 contributing buildings, and 1 object. 387 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Peoria?
20% of Peoria’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.6 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1966.
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 (17), the Library of Congress (2), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (26), 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), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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c. 1913
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c. 1930
c. 1930
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c. 1930
