Jazz On A Sunday Afternoon

Please join us for a relaxing afternoon of COOL music in a cabaret setting.

Featuring vocalist Stephanie Aaron with Larry Harms & Company.

Sunday, November 6

1:00 - 4:30 p.m.

G.A.R. Hall, 416 Hamilton

Complementary soups and desserts.

Art, Antiques, & Collectibles in a Silent Auction.

$25 per person; tables of 4, 6, and 8 may be reserved.

For reservations please call:

309-636-7022 or 309-674-6864

A fundraiser by Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation to preserve the GAR Hall and to promote community wide historic preservation.

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Yet Another Blow To Peoria's History

Reprinted with his permission is the following letter to the PJStar editor from Daniel Callahan. Dan is a longtime resident of the Moss-Bradley neighborhood and lives directly next door to Westminister House.


The dogwood leaves are loosening themselves and drifting earthward here on Malvern Lane.The gentle descent into autumn has begun.

The mood is somber, as is the news about the regal presence of this street - Westminster House at 1508 Moss. That Prairie Style/"Early Modern Rectalinear" home has graced the neighborhood for over a century. After a four-year effort by Westminster Presbyterian Church, three trials and an about-face by the Peoria City Council on its historic preservation ordinance, it looks like Westminster House will be demolished. On Sept. 8, a local circuit judge ruled that Westminster Church is exempted from historic protection and has the right to tear the house down.

We who live nearby and countless other visitors to the neighborhood expected this house to survive. Built in 1901 by William Reeves, architect of Peoria's City Hall, this residence was sturdily constructed of the finest materials. These included red slate (no longer mined,) Roman brick (which accentuates its smooth planar surfaces), beveled glass, copper, limestone and fine woods. In this era, we've come to realize the ecological cost of abandoning such precious elements. Its materials alone would have merited adaptive re-use. This house also carries an incredible cultural pedigree as the private home of a master designer. It could have endured another century as both a testament of good design and superior construction.

Sadly, its church owners could not or would not see this. I have never witnessed such fervor, such determination to throw out something of great value. In a neighborhood experiencing a renaissance, where there has been so much renewed energy and reinvestment, it makes no sense to work so hard to destroy a place that could have been a lovely, inviting home. Or used for any number of institutional or community functions. Neither ethically nor economically is demolition justified. Even more ironic and disingenuous are the claims of "religious mission" that require it to be destroyed.

And yet, we must prepare ourselves to say goodbye to this grand sentinel of the bluff. I encourage readers to make a last visit before it's too late, while keeping in mind the confluence of events that have precluded its future, the failure to appreciate what an incredible architectural heritage we've inherited, the politics that have diminished the role of historic preservation locally, and the waste of resources and energy it will take to replace them.

Let us hope that we will renew our commitment to prevent future losses like this. A first step would be for the City Council to review the hastily approved revisions of Feb. 8. Those changes to the historic preservation ordinance have made it far too easy for a jewel like Westminster House to be discarded.


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That Phone Call From Steve Pierz

When I was a Historic Preservation Commissioner, I voted against allowing the Paulson-Pierzes to put vinyl siding on their High Street property in accordance with the Historic Preservation Ordinance at that time.

Both Pierz and his wife work at the same major employer as I do.
When I returned to my desk following that HPC meeting (the initial public hearing), I received a call from Pierz from his Mossville office. Our office phones have caller-ID, and I answered "Hello, Steve".

He began with these exact words (I wrote them down):

"You dirty scum-sucking dog."

He then chuckled and went on with a "just kidding" attitude, but it definitely was not funny to me.

I called HR after the call to ask if they kept a record of phone calls. They said they did not unless I wanted to file a harassment incident, which I declined to do at that time.

I knew the Paulson-Pierzes on a superficial social level. I had been to their house on a couple group occasions and they probably had been to mine.

However, I did not know them well enough to take such a comment as a joke.

And with his wife in a position of relative power at work (reporting directly to a vice-president) in my building, the threat and the implication were very clear to me.

Someone who would resort to threats and intimidation in an attempt to influence a case before a city commission is not someone I would trust to serve on ANY commission.

Mayor Ardis calls statements made by HP Commissioner Tim Herold "disturbing" in today's PJStar. 

I wonder why Ardis does not consider Pierz's statements to me to be equally disturbing.

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Pierz Appointment to HPC

Reprinted with permission, a letter to Mayor and Council from CILF VP Margaret Cousin:


Dear Mayor Ardis and City Council Members,


Last summer I was appointed to the Library Board of Trustees. I didn't seek this appointment, but I was proud and pleased to accept it, understanding the privileged opportunity it afforded me to serve Peoria in a capacity where I could put my interest in education and literacy to good use. The past twelve months have given me a chance to see firsthand the way in which a group of dedicated and purposeful citizens from greatly varied backgrounds and life experience can work together successfully to meet defined, legitimate goals that further the community good. Lively but respectful debate has been our constant companion during our meetings and not all issues have been resolved with unanimous votes, but we have been strongly united always with an unwavering sense of purpose and a common cause - to meet our mandate to serve the library system's patrons and employees well. In so doing, we have also served our city well.

This is what lies at the heart of every City-appointed board and commission: the ability to properly carry out its mission statement and accomplish its specific function. The Historic Preservation Commission has its own particular set of objectives, distinctly different from that of the Peoria Public Library's board, yet its potential for optimal operation depends on the presence of exactly the same qualities in its members. Industry, integrity, respect for fellow commissioners' opinions, and a willingness to compromise are just a few, but there is also an overriding fundamental ingredient. Simply put, it is an understanding of and commitment to that board or commission's charter and a genuine desire to carry it out. This is absolutely crucial to creating a true sense of cohesion and motivation within the group. The Library Board of Trustees is lucky. We have this. The HPC deserves it, too.

It is not counterproductive to seat the HPC with commissioners who believe in historic preservation. On the contrary, it maximizes the commission's chances to successfully carry out its prescribed task, which is to make sound decisions based on the historic preservation ordinance as a recognized part of Peoria's governing law. A similar level of adherence among these seven folks to the intrinsic value of this responsibility creates the sort of unity of purpose which makes for measured, reasonable, and appropriate judgments. It does not mean all applications and recommendations are met with automatic, arbitrary, and zealous nods of approval. It does not mean there is never room for disagreement on the degree of applicability of the ordinance's rules. The commissioners are not robots who blindly and swiftly consider and then rubber stamp everything that comes before them with a mantra of "preservation for preservation's sake." They are volunteers who wish to serve Peoria by sharing their time, their knowledge, their focus, and their passion for the merits of our past.

How do I know? Because for two and a half years, I have sat in the audience month in and month out, first as a concerned citizen and then as a member of CILF. I have watched the commissioners work hard to make decisions that were fair, not frivolous, mindful of the needs of the owners before them and mindful, too, of their obligation to fulfill the role they were chosen for - to protect and preserve Peoria's historic resources. I have seen them thrilled to help a house get a facelift, a new roof, or an elegant wrought iron fence . I have also seen them struggle to accept compromise or defeat when a structure has fallen prey to the ravages of time, lack of interest, or just plain bad luck. It has been an honor to witness.

I urge you to respect the nature of the HPC when selecting nominees to fill its vacancies. Do not deliberately hobble it by filling positions with appointees who are not committed to historic preservation in an attempt to temper and perhaps weaken its choices. This is neither efficient nor logical. You would never consider endorsing a candidate for the Library Board of Trustees who flagrantly and publicly burned books just to create a balanced profile and test the resolve of others in the group. Where, then, is the wisdom of considering an individual for the Historic Preservation Commission who chose willingly to live in a historic district, dismissed its regulations, and sought a litigious solution for redress of his grievances when asked to comply with the very things his neighbors value and respect? This is the type of management decision at a council level whose lack of basic common sense we cannot afford. It demoralizes those who truly wish to make a difference through their participation on this particular commission, and it is a real disservice philosophically to all those people whose hours without pay make it possible for much of our city's work to get done. Strategically speaking, it just isn't smart.

Respectfully submitted,

Margaret E. Cousin
Vice-President, Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation


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Continued Assault on Historic Preservation

Gosh, I guess it wasn't quite enough for Eric Turner and his City Council henchmen to destroy the Historic Preservation Ordinance by making owner's consent a requirement for landmarking.

I guess it wasn't quite enough for Barbara Van Auken and her City council henchmen to introduce "de-listing" a landmark, that led to the destruction of the Roanoke Apartments and now threatens scores of other structures.

Now comes Chuck Weaver and his City Council henchmen who want to appoint Steve Pierz to the Historic Preservation Commission.

You may recall that Mr. Pierz and his wife sued the city as well as the sitting Historic Preservation Commissioners in 2008, when the commission ruled against their request to vinyl side a historic house next to their own on High Street.

In the end, the city caved in, and the Pierz-Paulsens were allowed to destroy the character of the home with vinyl siding.

It sits in its present state as a testimony to their contempt for true preservation.

Mr. Weaver (and Mr. Ardis) now want to seat Mr. Pierz on a commission that should be promoting and working for Preservation, not subverting it.

And they want to seat him alongside several people that he previously sued and a few of whom have already expressed their outrage at the idea of his appointment.

During the campaign, Mr. Weaver danced around Historic Preservation issues saying he needed six months to consider all the issues.

Well, it didn't take nearly that much time for him to show his true colors.

I publicly call on Mr. Pierz to withdraw his name from consideration.
C'mon, Steve, do the right thing!




In the interest of full disclosure, I was one of those commissioners that the Pierz-Paulsens sued.
There is also a bit more to the story as well involving a phone call to my work phone from Mr. Pierz's work phone when their case was active.

...but I won't go into that right now.


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Civil War Ghosts & Legends

Prairie Folklore Theatre is hosting a special performance of "Civil War Ghosts and Legends" to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first shots fired on Fort Sumter.

This is an original musical program featuring Barry Cloyd and Brian "Fox" Ellis.

True stories and legends are woven with traditional songs and poetry from this most un-Civil War.

Join us as we travel back in time to the bloody battlefields, prison camps and haunted graveyards of America’s deadliest conflict.

Horror stories by Ambrose Bierce and songs by Stephen Foster bring to life this chapter in history.

The show features storyteller and historian Brian “Fox” Ellis with folksinger, and songwriter, Barry Cloyd.
In the persona of Mathias Stritt, Fox puts the grand arc of the war into perspective.
Cloyd portrays Joseph Henry Munroe, the Drummer Boy of Shiloh who, later in life, taught music at Peoria High and shares his love for the songs of the era.

Together, these two old ghosts, Stritt and Munroe, weave true stories with original music; their first hand knowledge of the war with traditional folk tunes.

The single performance will be April 12th, at 7:00pm at the GAR Hall at the corner of Madison and Hamilton in Downtown Peoria.

Tickets are only $10 for adult s and $5 for children. Please call 309-689-8000 for reservations.


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City Council Endorsements

As I have stated in a previous post, Historic Preservation has been politicized as never before by current representatives on the Peoria City Council. This has forced preservationists to step up to the political plate in the current election.

The vast majority of our city's structural treasures exist in the first three council districts, which encompass the oldest areas of the city.

I believe that the most committed citizen preservationists live in the second district, and traditionally the second district councilperson has been the leader in representing this ideal.

There has also been some history of preservation leadership in the third district seat (particularly under Bob Manning's tenure). A commitment to Historic Preservation by the first district representative has always been lacking, although, fortunately, there exists in the near north neighborhoods, a committed group of citizen activists .

In the second district, Barbara Van Auken has been largely responsible for the politicization of the issue and she long ago abandoned representation of her constituents on this issue. Her actions in destroying the Roanoke apartments led to the eventual evisceration of the Peoria's Historic Preservation ordinance.

Tim Riggenbach, in the third district exhibits little commitment to, or understanding of the broad advantages of Historic Preservation.

First district representative Clyde Gulley also shows little interest or respect of the city's rich history.

With this 'dereliction of duty' by the representatives in the first three council districts, leadership on preservation issues from the at-large councilmen has become increasingly important. Of the current five at-large reps, the first three districts can claim only one as an actual resident (Gary Sandberg in the second district).

The recent actions taken in regards the Historic Preservation Ordinance give great importance to this at-large election.

The good news is this: The slate of ten candidates vying for the five at-large seats is one of the best slates in recent memory. It seems that a lot of good people are stepping up to serve.

As a "capital HP" Historic Preservationist, I am comfortable in endorsing four of these people.

First and foremost is Gary Sandberg. While Gary can come across as combative and confrontational, he is and always has been a dependable friend of Historic Preservation. As an architect and historian, he realizes the true value in preserving the unique identity of the city through her important structures. In speaking with others, the most frequent criticism I hear is this: "I know what Gary is against, but what is he FOR?" Well, I can emphatically answer: He is FOR Historic Preservation!
Councilman Sandberg MUST be retained.

The other three (in no particular order) are as follows:

Beth Akeson is a self-defined preservationist. As an alumna of the Heart of Peoria Commission, she has developed a true understanding of what it takes to make heritage neighborhoods viable and desirable. Her commitment to Historic Preservation is unquestioned.

CJ Summers served alongside Beth on the Heart of Peoria Commission, and the experience also left him with the same respect for true New Urbanism. As a resident of the Uplands, he understands what it takes to build and maintain a neighborhood, and the role that Historic Preservation plays in that equation.

Chuck Grayeb has given his personal pledge to restoring the Historic Preservation Ordinance and to seeing that true preservationists are appointed to the HPC. While there are some within the preservationist community who question Chuck's true dedication to the issue, I remind them of his role in the preservation and restoration of Historic Springdale Cemetery. Also, of the ten candidates, he is the ONLY one who actually lives in an Historic District. His home on High Street is beautifully maintained and reflects his respect for its history. Additionally, he owns rental buildings on the northside that also are well maintained with respect to their period architecture.

Please consider lending your support and your votes to these candidates.

To have ALL FOUR of these sent to the council would be an Historic Preservationist's dream!

What then about the other six candidates?
Briefly, here is my evaluation:

Andre Williams comes across as a good and likable man. He is intelligent and well-spoken. I am not sure that he has a good understanding of preservation issues yet, but I would not at all be disappointed with his election. Regardless of the outcome of this election, I hope he will continue and expand his public service profile.

Chuck Weaver also is a likable man. However, his comment of taking six months to evaluate the Historic Preservation Ordinance is off-putting. How many buildings can be bulldozed in the time it takes him to DECIDE if he wants to support preservation or not. Also, I have never seen the labels "preservationist" and "developer" reside comfortably in the same body.

George Azouri is a nice kid. He is, to put it nicely as possible, simply out of his league. While I admire his desire to serve, he exhibits little understanding not only of preservation, but other major issues as well. The city is at too critical a juncture to entrust important decisions to one so green.

Ryan Spain has a record that speaks for itself. He has voted against designation of worthy and obviously historic buildings like the Spurck House (Family House) and the Duroc Building (Amvets). He also supported the destruction of the Roanoke Apartments. He has been no friend of Historic Preservation.

A not-so-nice-guy, Jim Stowell has exhibited a meanness in online posts and on the 150 BOE that is not needed at the horseshoe. He has supported ownership veto power for historic designation, and has no other qualities to recommend his election.

Last and certainly least is Eric Turner. His recent decimation of the ordinance was not only devastating to Historic Preservation, but a classic example of bad legislating. Writing an ordinance on the fly as he did is simply sloppy and opens a whole can of worms that is already bearing fruit in a lawsuit from Westminster Church. His bad decision will end up costing the city a bunch in litigation fees. Mr. Turner has a history of knee-jerk responses and flip-flopping, with little vision to larger issues. Enough is simply enough.
Councilman Turner MUST be defeated.

Whether or not you agree with these personal evaluations and recommendations, please do your civic duty and get out and vote on April 5th!
The future (and history!) of your city depends on it.


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Peoria's Song

What follows is a 'guest editorial' from Margaret Cousin, the current Vice-President of Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation. 
It is the complete version of an edited op-ed piece published in the PJStar.

                         Peoria's Song



I talk a lot about buildings that sing. Their loveliness creates a special kind of music that stirs a powerful response in me. Most often it’s old buildings that do this. Perhaps this is because they have those special ingredients of historic importance and architectural uniqueness that evoke an awareness of and perspective on our past.

We all cherish family heirlooms and consider ourselves fortunate if they pass down to us. They are the remaining tangible evidence of people whose stories we know, who contributed to our own evolution of identity and character. Who among us would go into the attic of a beloved relative and throw treasures away without serious, measured regard for their intrinsic value and the consequences of their loss? Our city is no different. It is our larger family. It is our greater history. It has a legacy of its own.

During several glorious autumn weekends in 2009, I made the photo album and spreadsheet that identify some of the structures in Peoria with local designation potential. They represent a portion of our extant historic stock, an astounding percent having already been destroyed. As a CLG (Certified Local Government), Peoria is required to maintain an effective historic preservation program for the identification and protection of historic resources. Not only should such a survey have been done at some point in the last 20 years to fulfill our standing with the State of Illinois, but the survey process should be ongoing. This “list” wasn’t meant to target or threaten, although it was perceived as such and was, ironically enough, produced at the request of the City Council. It was meant to identify the most significant and meaningful of our structures. These examples, sprinkled throughout our core city and gracing our streetscapes, are the singular visual and cultural inheritance of our forefathers. They are the heirlooms in our attic.

The project stirred up such consternation that it helped trigger the events which resulted in the City Council’s February 8, 2011 vote to monumentally alter our historic preservation ordinance. The Council voluntarily relinquished its role in the necessary, active process of historic preservation, a process aimed at protecting our cultural heritage. Preservation accomplishes a very pertinent and vital goal, that of promoting tourism, assuring stable neighborhoods and enhanced property values via strong historic districts, and cultivating sustained economic activity in Peoria’s center. The decision to abdicate participation in anything other than mandatory owner consent landmark cases, which are by their nature benign rather than challenging, opened the door for demolition at will. Of any or all of our most noteworthy vintage elements, possibly too old-fashioned, too worn out, too costly to be viewed as viable by their present custodians. With such an ordinance in place, Easton Mansion would not have risen from its ashes like a phoenix under the loving care of Jane Converse, nor would the beautifully restored and successful adaptive reuse of the Musicians Hall, Busey Bank, grace Kumpf Boulevard.

By making no provision for any other entity to fill the footprints it has vacated, the Council also left a critical vacuum with no representative of the community’s interests able to act on behalf of those interests. Compounding this with the directive that put the “onus” for owner education on preservationists turned what had been a collaborative effort into a lonely endeavor moving forward. “Unpleasant burden” is the literal definition of that word, and it is discouraging to think of our designation efforts and achievements in those terms.

We will be as good as the best of our decisions or as mediocre as the worst. We will sink, or we will soar. Shall we be a city whose claim to fame is what we used to have? Sad, nostalgic mentions on one of the Peoria Historical Society’s delightful and educational trolley tours? I want my Peoria skyline to include inspiring profiles from the past as well as contemporary testaments to the future. I want my elected officials to aspire to take part in that process through a restored ordinance. Not just celebrating the landmark after someone else has persuaded and researched and presented it, but in concerted partnership to promote and preserve the surviving, remarkable historic resources we cannot afford to lose. Therein lies the true vision, the true victory. For the City Council, for preservationists, and for Peoria.



Margaret E. Cousin, Vice-President, Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation



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The Latest Assault on Historic Preservation

Just a few short weeks ago, the Peoria City Council gutted the Historic Preservation Ordinance by "de-listing" a designated landmark, the Roanoke Apartments.

The building's owner, Trinity Lutheran Church ,wasted no time in its demolition.
Now all that remains of that beautiful Prairie-style structure are photos and a flat plot of dirt where the building proudly stood for a century.

Now, adding insult to injury, the council continues their assault on the Historic Preservation Ordinance. This Tuesday, they will vote on increases in fees by amounts that have never before been seen.

Although they are arguing that the fee increases are needed to offset the cost of enforcement, they seem more designed to stifle preservation and make landmarking more difficult and less desirable for the owners of historic structures.

For many years, a Certificate of Appropriateness has cost the home-owner $25. This certificate is required for anyone who wants to perform an exterior update to an historic structure in accordance with the law.

Granted the $25 fee seems low, so what is a reasonable increase?
Perhaps a hike to $35 or $40?
Even a doubling of the fee to $50, while steep, could be argued as necessary.

But, no.

Henry Holling and his council henchmen have decided to raise the fee to $250.
That's right, a ten-fold increase.
That is a fee increase of ONE THOUSAND PERCENT!

When is the last time you have seen any governmental fee (at any level) increased by ONE THOUSAND PERCENT?

This means that any homeowner who wants to change the position of a downspout or add an attached flower box will need to pay $250 simply to ASK FOR PERMISSION.
(The request may well be denied with no refund or rebate of this fee).

Additionally, city staff is recommending the same ONE THOUSAND PERCENT increase in the fee for an individual landmark application.  Currently, the fee is $50.  Under the staff recommended changes, the fee would rise to $505  (the Historic Preservation Commission has recommended an increase to $105).

These fees seem less designed to increase revenue, but rather to discourage landmarking and preservation by owners.  It discourages owners to landmark by having to pay $505 for consideration and knowing that any future external project is automatically increased by $250. 
It also encourages current owners of historic homes to circumvent the law and perform updates without HPC approval.

It is hard to believe that this is even a serious consideration, and yet there it is in black and white on the council agenda.

CJ Summers, the premiere local blogger, and current candidate for City Council is usually quick to expose these types of outrages and foolishness from the city "leaders".

I had hoped that, as a former member of the Heart of Peoria Commission and a self-professed "new urbanist", he would emerge as a candidate that historic preservationists could rally behind.

However, his silence thus far on this issue has been deafening.

=UPDATE:  CJ informs me that he was unaware this would be on Tuesday's agenda =

On Friday, I spoke to candidate Chuck Grayeb who was unaware of the issue, but promised to review it. He seemed genuinely shocked at the amount of the proposed increases.

The vote, however, is scheduled for this Tuesday, and I hope that the current council will at least have the decency to defer till a new council is seated.

I also have not found any public statement on this outrage from Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation or from Peoria Historical Society.
Where are the voices for preservation when needed?

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The Death of Historic Preservation in Peoria

Historic Preservation in Peoria was officially euthanized last Tuesday when nine shortsighted politicians voted to "delist" a designated Historic Landmark. 

Led by Second District councilwoman Barbara Van Auken, these so-called civic leaders gave the green light for the demolition of the Roanoke Apartments.

The Roanoke is a beautiful example of the Prairie School influences on early 20th century construction.  With yesterday's buzzwords of "New Urbanism" all but forgotten by this current council, this building is a wonderful example of urbanism when it was truly new - luxury apartments convenient to the city center. 

Portrayed by a Journal Star hack as "blighted", the building is in remarkably great condition, with its beautiful marble foyer, mission style woodwork and doors, and many original fixtures intact.  Despite efforts by the building's owners at "demolition by neglect" (leaving windows open. etc.), the structure easily could have been restored to its original glory.

By "delisting" a Landmark, the council has, for all practical purposes, completely gutted the Historic Preservation Ordinance. 
Since the adoption of the ordinance over thirty five years ago, it always has been assumed that Landmark status was forever. 

If it can be undone by the whim of any future council, then what meaning does Landmark status have?
 
The answer now is "ABSOLUTELY NONE."

Ms. Van Auken, who was responsible for this atrocity, has evolved into the consummate politician.  She long ago gave up any pretense of actually representing the wishes and values of her Second District constituents.
Instead, she has become a classic 'quid pro quo' politician.
She has managed to politicize the Historic Preservation process like no one else before her.  Over the past few years she has packed the city's Historic Preservation Commission with her drinking buddies and toadies.  Indeed, the current HPC president is her own campaign manager. 
(And in this process, more historic structures have been lost under this commission than any other in recent memory!)

In her current crusade to repay political favors and campaign contributions (Brian Meginness, et al)  by demolishing the Roanoke Apartments and gutting the ordinance in the process, Van Auken even made willing pawns of the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation.
Along with her buddy, Henry Holling, she arranged "secret" meetings between the CILF leadership and Trinity so that she could go to her colleagues (and the PJStar) and say that all parties were involved in the "solution". 
And thus another of Van Auken's casualties is the credibility of the CILF and its officers in particular.

The only surprise in this debacle was that the council vote was 9 to 1. 
I thought that perhaps there might have been a couple others who would support principle over politics.  But only Councilman Sandberg had the balls to stand up for Peoria's history and for the Historic Preservation Ordinance.

So where do the true preservationists go from here?

With the process now completely politicized, we have no choice but to join the political fray.  Van Auken is clearly a politician for sale, and preservationists definitely were outbid on this one. 

ALL the district council reps will need to be replaced in 2013, particularly those in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd where most of the city's historic properties are located. 

The 4th district person lost his credibility when he tried to force a major city contract to his brother-in-law, and his action here seals that fate.

The mayor and the 5th district representative may well be in jail by then.

Of immediate concern, however, is the at-large contest coming up in the spring. 
Cumulative voting makes it difficult to target any one incumbent, but at this point I am urging folks to vote for anyone BUT Turner and Spain.

As for the other candidates, I am one preservationist ready to put my money where my mouth is.  Sandberg is a given, but who among the other candidates will commit to a firm preservationist agenda? 
Summers?  Akeson?

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Now THAT'S Historic Preservation!

I recently returned from ten days in Greece.  Most of that time was spent in Athens, with a one day tour of three of the nearest islands - Hydra, Poros, and Aegina.

Athens is a city overflowing with history.  It is home to many museums and I do believe I visited them all.  Chief among these is the brand new (2009) Acropolis Museum, situated a few blocks from my hotel at the foot of the Acropolis.  This amazing building was built directly over active excavations of early Christian sites.  The first level effectively uses glass floors so you can see directly down into these sites.

While in Athens, I saw pottery that was 8,000 years old.  How incredible to look at these pots (intact and reconstructed) and think that they were molded by human hands, fired, and decorated with intricate designs for utilitarian and religious purposes a full 6,000 years before the birth of Christ!
I was struck by the similarity of the geometric designs of these vessels to those of Native American pottery.  It seemed to underscore a common humanity that originated there in the cradle of Western Civilization.

I also visited buildings and structures that were a couple thousand years old.  This made me think of the difficulty encountered by preservationists here in Peoria as we try to save structures that are only a hundred years old.
Thank goodness the Athenians had the forethought and respect for their culture to save these structures, that are visited by throngs of tourists daily. 
I am not saying that people will travel from around the world to visit a restored Madison Theater, but what a shame that our city leaders have such limited vision that they are unwilling to fight for those symbols of Peoria's identity and rich cultural history.

Another of the museums in Athens is dedicated to the Battle of Marathon and the birth of democracy.  As an American, it was humbling to stand in the land where democracy was "invented", and realize how different the world would be if that single battle had gone differently.  If the Persians had been victorious, the entire Western world would be different and America as we know it would not exist.
It was a reminder not only of what we take so easily for granted, but of the fragility of all political and social structures.

It was a most exciting and expanding vacation.  You can see my poor attempts at photography on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000416750539&v=photos

Places That Matter in Peoria, Illinois

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is the nation's premiere organization dedicated to the preservation of America's structural treasures.

Headquartered in Washington D.C., this group has been fighting for our country's significant homes and buildings since it was established by U.S. Congressional charter in 1949.

What an honor it is then, that the National Trust is currently featuring Peoria as part of its "This Place Matters" feature on the NTHP website.

The slide show of significant structures was provided by the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation.

This national exposure for our local treasures is surely a good thing. Perhaps it will garner some tourism from history buffs who will want to come see our historic city in person.

After all, this slide show is only a fraction of what Peoria has to offer!

Visit the National Trust site here.

Places That Matter in Peoria

Peoria is a city with a long and rich history.

For many years, The Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation has worked hard to celebrate and preserve the structures that exemplify this history.

The CILF has posted their current list of "Peoria Historic Properties" on their Facebook Page. There are some truly wonderful buildings and awesome photography here. Please take a few minutes to visit the site and be sure to FAN the CILF!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=156478&id=216454314536

As it was stated when the Peoria City Council voted to receive and file this list, it is a work in progress.
And since the document is fluid, please let us know what structures you think should be included that are currently missing from the list.

What are the places in Peoria that really MATTER to you?