What Peoria is known for

Grandview Drive is one of the recommended things to do within the Peoria Region. Grandview Drive takes visitors on a two-and-a-half-mile road, offering scenic views of the Illinois River, the valley, and historic homes. President Theodore Roosevelt made the drive in 1910 and called it the "World's Most Beautiful Drive."[3] 

The Caterpillar Visitors Center is located within the region and is an interesting stop to make. Peoria was the original headquarters for Caterpillar Inc. for 110 years and played a significant role in Peoria's growth and economy.[2] The Caterpillar Visitors Center has eight exhibit galleries and four theaters, with so much to entertain and engage visitors. There are interactive exhibits where visitors can be engineers themselves and design different machines.[4] The Peoria Playhouse is a children's museum with various exhibits and educational experiences for children. Some of the exhibits at the museum include Fossils Rock, Motion Commotion, and Family Farm. There are plenty of options for children of all personalities and of all ages.[5] 

Champaign is one of the larger cities located within the region and the home to the Krannert Art Museum. The Krannert Art Museum displays artwork from around the world. Visitors can experience the artwork free of charge, making it a good activity for tourists.[6] Peoria, Illinois, sees the most tourists during June, July, and August, primarily due to the warm weather. Tourism is typically the slowest throughout November. November is a cold month but also brings lower rates on hotels and other accommodations.[7] 

Businesses that the Peoria Region is famous for include Archer Daniels Midland and Caterpillar. Archer Daniels Midland processes grains and seeds into food products and stores agricultural commodities.[8] Caterpillar Inc. is a company that designs and develops a wide range of machinery. Today, the CAT is the world's largest construction equipment manufacturer.

Geography

The Peoria Region is located in the center of Illinois. Cities within the region include Bloomington, Champaign, London Mills, Dwight, Gibson City, and Decatur. The Illinois River runs vertically through the region, passing through Peoria. Geographic features within the region include Jubilee College State Park, Sand Ridge State Forest, Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge, Rice Lake State Fish, and Wildlife Area. The Peoria Region has warm and humid summers and cold winters. May through September are the hottest months of the year, with an average temperature of 75 degrees. November through March are the coldest months of the year, with an average temperature of 44 degrees. March through September are the wetter months, with a 26% chance of a wet day. September through March is the dry season, with a 14% chance of a wet day. The best time to visit the region according to the weather would be from mid-June to mid-September.[1] 

Illinois has a wide variety of animals that are native to the area, including cougars, white-tailed deer, bobcats, striped skunks, and more.[10] Native plants to Illinois include the Butterfly Weed, Pale Purple Coneflower, Dense Blazing Star, and the Wild Quinine.[11] Peoria serves as a major trading and shipping center due to the Illinois River. The area produces corn, soybeans, and livestock.[12] Other common agricultural goods that are grown in Illinois include wheat, oats, hay, and various fruites and vegetables. Illinois makes around 19 billion dollars every year from the agricultural production within the state. Corn makes up for 54% of the agricultural products.[14]

History

The Peoria Region is named after the city known to be the oldest European settlement in Illinois. The town was originally called Fort Clark but was later changed to Peoria in 1825, named after the Peoria Indian tribe. European settlers were the first to come through the area in 1680 as they followed the Illinois River. John Hamlin and John Sharp started the first major industry in 1830, a flour mill. Throughout the 1830s, many more industries started up, including carriage factories, warehouses, and glucose factories. Peoria was the world leader for distilleries; with 22 distilleries, they produced the highest revenue tax on alcohol in the United States. Peoria was the original headquarters for Caterpillar Inc., which is the world's largest construction equipment manufacturer. After 110 years, the headquarters moved to Deerfield, Illinois, in 2017. As of 2010, there was a population of 115,021, with 62.4% White, 26.9% Black or African American, .3% Native American, 4.6% Asian, 3.6% mixed races, and 4.9% Hispanic or Latino.[2]