The French were the first Europeans to explore the area that would become Peoria in 1673, where just a few short years later, they would establish the first European settlement in Illinois.

With over 24 breweries and 73 distilleries between 1837 and 1919, Peoria became known as  the “Whiskey Capital of the World”. With its proximity to the river and easy access to grains, Peoria saw a boom in the industry and a concentration of brewers and distillers in downtown Peoria known as “Distillery Row”.

With the onset of Prohibition, the region began to shift gears to take on new challenges and innovate in new industries. Today, that spirit lives in the form of Distillery Labs, an innovation hub launched in 2020 and set to open as a physical space in 2021.

Though the origin date of this famous phrase has been debated, it was Groucho Marx who made it famous. It refers to the Vaudeville Era (1880s – 1930s) whenPeoria was a main stop for these acts and performances. Once it became big in the area, theatrical companies knew it would blossom throughout the nation. If it failed, scripts and casts were often changed.

Peoria’s location and demographics has allowed it to be the perfect test market for many products and ideas that soon would be come big worldwide.

In 1878, the doors of St. Francis Hospital opened in Peoria. This was the beginning of what would become an epicenter of healthcare in Greater Peoria and in the state of Illinois. OSF Healthcare, along with UnityPoint and the University of Illinois College of Medicine,  have established our region as one of the nation’s top healthcare innovators and an international draw for medical professionals from all over the world.

In 1909, Benjamin Holt purchased an existing plant in East Peoria and began building Caterpillar into the world’s leading heavy machinery manufacturer and a household name in construction and mining equipment. Caterpillar now has facilities all over the world.