1. Richard Pryor was born in Peoria, and locals are proud. There’s even a rap song that boasts it.
2. Under no circumstances may anyone in Peoria have a basketball hoop installed in their driveway. Sorry, future Michael Jordan.
3. The sassafras tree in the Cole Circle area of Springdale Cemetery is associated with wiccan and satanic rituals. Who knew something so spooky could be found in mild-mannered Peoria?
4. The janitor from "Scrubs," Neil Flynn, is a graduate of Bradley University.
5. The phrase “Will it play in Peoria?” plays in Peoria. It comes from a popular novelist from the late 1800’s, Horatio Alger, Jr, whose characters declared, “We shall be playing in Peoria” repeatedly.
6. Bradley University’s mascot must be one of the few that’s named after an explosion: Kaboom!
7. Betty Friedan, author of "The Feminine Mystique" and Peoria native, is credited with launching second-wave feminism with her seminal book.
8. We all know the origin story of penicillin—it was found on a moldy orange. Well, guess where that orange was purchased from? That’s right, a grocery store in Peoria. Talk about humble beginnings!
9. On top of that, Peoria has made consistent strides in developing penicillin for mass usage.
10. The student cheering section at Bradley University’s games are called the Molinarmy.
11. Theodore Roosevelt called Grand View Drive “the most beautiful drive in the world.” And this guy went to, like, Africa.
12. The spot is so popular that local radio station WMBD took their call letters from that phrase: “World’s Most Beautiful Drive.” It’s also the oldest radio station in the city.
13. Peoria is the oldest community in Illinois.
14. Plus, it’s the biggest city on the Illinois River.
15. Abraham Lincoln, noted abolitionist and our tallest President, first proclaimed his stance against slavery in a speech in Peoria.
16. Famously crass comedian, Sam Kinison, may not have been technically born in Peoria, but isn’t moving there at three months of age enough to call it his hometown?
17. Abraham Lincoln, continuing to earn a stellar reputation in American history, helped the divorcee of local store owner pursue her claim for alimony. The case was well-known at the time, known as the Aquilla Wren case after the defendant.
18. Local legend Willie York, known by his eclectic clothes and face paint, has a monthly calendar issued by Ron McFall, a local businessman.
19. Nearby Pekin is named after our old name for China’s capital. This high school team also carried an offensive mascot, the Pekin Chinks, until the 1980s, when everyone got their act together and decided to change the name to the Dragons.
20. Peoria is consistently ranked as an All-American City.
21. The Peoria Rivermen, the town’s celebrated hockey team, used to be called…… the Prancers. Yep. There it is.
22. Peoria is the world headquarters of Caterpillar, Inc.
23. Etiquette expert Marjabelle Young Stewart consistently ranks Peoria as one of the Best Mannered Cities in America.
24. Jim Thome holds the record for seventh-most home runs in his career, and calls Peoria his hometown.
25. Even for all it’s mild-mannered and conservative background, Peoria’s “world famous” landmark of over 40 years is World Famous Big Al’s: a strip club.
26. Don’t mistake Peoria for a boring backwater—National Geographic has ranked it as one of the Next Great Adventure Towns for its considerable mountain biking trails.
27. CNN Money thinks Peoria is a sure bet for new companies to launch their small businesses.
28. The Milken Institute’s Best Performing Metropolitan Areas study from 2008 ranked Peoria as the leading Illinois metropolis—ahead of Chicago.
29. The guy that helped Shirley Temple’s bubblegum-sweet career, writing well-known ballads as “On The Good Ship Lollipop,” was born in Peoria.
30. The Chiefs stadium is called Dozer Park after the venue was purchased by Caterpillar.
31. Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy got his managing start with the Peoria Chiefs.
32. A statue of noted Peoria resident and the most popular orator of his time (according to, you know, Walt Whitman) stands in the city. He is credited with preaching agnosticism and railed against religion, saying amazing blasphemous things such as, “Religion can never reform mankind, because religion is slavery.” Boom. What.
33. The Heart of Illinois Fair is Peoria’s annual celebration of rock concerts, 4H and tractor pulls.
34. Many Peorians consider famous Mayor Maloof’s tenure during the late ’80s to be the cause for much of their city’s current success.
35. Caterpillar sponsors and started the first iteration of oldest Amateur Softball Association team, the Pekin Lettes, and many of the team members still visit the factory where they used to work.
36. Richard’s Pub stops serving alcohol at 4am, but the kitchen stays open until the bar starts up again at 6am. It’s a pre-game/post-game/mid-game/fun game!
37. The Peoria, the tribe the city takes its name from, named themselves after a word meaning “a dream with the help of a Manitou”, or one of the spirit beings guiding the tribe.
38. The Steamboat Classic is the world’s longest 6k! Take that, 5ks!
39. Peoria is 165 miles out of Chicago—and any native who tells folks where they’re from will be able to answer that question immediately.
40. Speaking of distances every Peorian knows, the city is 168 miles away from St. Louis. See? They are pretty much equidistant!
41. The Peoria Park District is the largest in the entire state of Illinois.
42. The spectacular homes along Grand View Drive are considered to be in their own historic district.
43. Nearby Canton is the birthplace of Charles Duryea. What, that name means nothing to you? How about one half of the team that invented the first gasoline-powered car? Yeah, pretty influential.
What’s your favorite fun fact about Peoria? Tell us in the comments below!
