Peoria Newspaper Bungles Transportation History

Sunday's Peoria Journal Star published a story on Peoria's transportation history, Peoria’s transportation history second to none, but managed to bungle [at least] four things. 

The railroad became a big part of that hustle and bustle. A total track mileage of 70,000 miles for the 15 railroad companies were located here. At one time, there were 128 passenger trains per day that whistled through Peoria. 

Um, no...local rail mileage totaled far less than 70,000 miles. Without even consulting the Official Railway Guide, I can tell you that this figure was likely the total mileage for the sum of the 15 railroads. I'd guess this was what the writer intended to convey, but he employed poor wording.

A sparkling new Union Station was built in 1882 at the foot of State Street. In 1900, a new type of inter-city rail travel began when the Peoria and Pekin Traction opened electric line service between the cities. In 1928, the line was acquired by the Illinois Terminal System.

The Peoria & Pekin Traction was incorporated in 1897 but was renamed Peoria & Pekin Terminal by the time it began operations in 1900. The interurban entered receivership in 1906 and was acquired by the Peoria Railway Terminal (PRT) in 1907, a joint Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and Chicago & Alton railroad property. In 1922, half-owner Chicago & Alton entered receivership and along with automobile competition, dragged the PRT into receivership in 1924. Passenger service ended on August 31 that year. PRT trackage running on S. Washington Street was operated by Illinois Traction System for a year ending in 1925 when the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad assumed operations. The CB&Q's parallel Alley Tracks were connected to each other and spurs were built to serve PRT industries. With CB&Q's construction complete, PRT street trackage was abandoned. The remaining PRT trackage, running from Western Avenue in Peoria to Pekin, was acquired by Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific subsidiary Peoria Terminal Company in 1927.

But transportation was about to take flight. In 1925, Peoria was included on the original Chicago-to-St. Louis air mail route. And one of the pilots was none other than Charles Lindbergh, who two years later became world famous when he piloted solo the first nonstop trans-Atlantic flight.

The Chicago-St. Louis air mail route began April 15, 1926.

The original Peoria airport was a small strip on Big Hollow Road. But in 1932, a large, new location opened at the site of the present General Wayne A. Downing International Airport.

The original Peoria stop for the air mail service was at Kellar Field. A plaque was installed on E. High Point Road in May 1964 to mark the location. The airfield off Big Hollow Road opened December 20, 1926. 

- David P. Jordan