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19. Peoria City Hall
419 Fulton Street
Peoria City Hall was finished in
1899 and was hailed as the finest city
hall in the nation for a small city. It is
wrapped on all four sides with Lake
Superior red sandstone. The Flemish
Renaissance design was purposely
done by architects Reeves and Baillie to
pay tribute to the German immigrants
of the 1850s who organized a strong
core of city services such as the police
and fire departments.
Efforts have recently been made to
restore City Hall to its original
grandeur. The exquisitely detailed
cast iron accents, marble walls and
beveled cut-glass windows have
been refurbished. The artworks on
all four floors tell the stories of the
Native American, French and pioneer
American cultures that have inhabited
Peoria’s shores. It ranks as the best of
all of Peoria’s historic buildings and is
a welcome place to explore.
Surrounding Peoria City Hall is …
20. Peoria Civic Center
201 S.W. Jefferson Street
The Peoria Civic Center opened in
1982 and has been the heart of Peoria’s
cultural experiences ever since. City
leaders hired the most respected
architect in the nation, Philip Johnson,
to design an arena, exhibit hall, and
theater. Johnson said he envisioned
the three facilities connected by “a
necklace of jewels.” The glass arcades
would define post-modern architecture
and become his international signature.
A collection of modern sculptures
and paintings are scattered on the
property. Most of Peoria’s most
prominent living artists — Nita
Sunderland, Preston Jackson, Fisher
Stolz, Harold Gregor and Lonnie
Stewart — are showcased.
Walk across Jefferson Street at Fulton
Street to…
Continued on page 8
Walking Tour
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thePeorian.com
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