Peoria

La Salle established Fort Creve Coeur in the region in 1680. Later the spot became a French trading post. The area was known as Fort Clark after 1813 and six years later, the first permanent American settlement was established there. Peoria was incorporated as a city in 1845. It is one of the oldest settlements in Illinois.

Peoria is a busy port of entry, it is a regional trade and transportation point, where grain, livestock and coal from the area are marketed, processed and shipped. The city has large distilleries, a brewery and factories that produce numerous heavy and light industrial goods. Although it is an industrial city, Peoria is also known for its scenic beauty and its many recreational activities associated with Lakeview Park, which also contains a planetarium, community theater and an arts and sciences center.

Peoria is the seat of Bradley University and a U.S. Department of Agriculture research laboratory. Nearby are a state park and Metamora courthouse, which dates from 1845 and is now a state memorial.

There are several hotels and restaurants in Peoria. The city is in central Illinois, on Lake Peoria and the Illinois River, 100 km north from Springfield and 1090 km west from Washington D.C.