Tour - Tazewell County Courthouse Square History Walk

Tazewell County Courthouse Square History Walk

Pekin, Illinois 61554, United States

Created By: Pekin Public Library

Tour Information

The Pekin Public Library, with the help of the Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society, has prepared this itinerary of a self-guided historical tour of the Tazewell County Courthouse Square in downtown Pekin, comparing today’s downtown with a look back to 100 years ago or more.

This self-guided tour takes approximately 25 or 30 minutes to complete, depending on one's pace and one's interest in each of the buildings and points of interest.

The itinerary extends along the four blocks surrounding the courthouse, starting at the courthouse and McKenzie Building, then beginning a square at the intersection of Court and Fourth streets, heading west down to Capitol Street, then south to Elizabeth Street, east to Fourth, and then north back to the intersection of Court and Fourth.

Tour Map

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What You'll See on the Tour

Tazewell County Courthouse

Pekin, Ill., has been the county seat of Tazewell County since 1849. The original county seat was Mackinaw, where a log cabin was built in 1827 to serve as a courthouse. The Mackinaw courthouse was built by Amasa Stout at a cost of $125. In... Read more

McKenzie Building, 11 S. Fourth St.

The McKenzie Building is the location of several offices of county government, include the Tazewell County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds, the Tazewell County Coroner, and the Tazewell County Assessor. The building was originally constructed a... Read more

363 Court Street

Then: Herget National Bank Now: Yesterday's Bar and Grill

359 Court Street

Then: N. Reuling Co. Dry Goods Now: Pekin Performing Arts/Classical Dance Academy

357 Court Street

Then: Mrs. M. T. Miller, grocer; Dr. C. G. Muehlmann; and Jesse Black Jr, attorney Now: Hawaiian Sun Tanning

353-355 Court Street

Then: The Model Clothing; John Walter, jeweler; Pekin Music House; C. F. Holland Insurance; Dr. R. C. Horner, dentist; Prudential Insurance; Robert Van Deusen, surveyor; W. J. Reardon, attorney; Dr. R. L. Halsted, optometrist; C. C. Hatcher... Read more

347 Court Street - The Steinmetz Building

Then: P. Steinmetz & Sons Co. Clothing; M. R. Huffman Piano Studio; Albert Van Horne, dentist; G. L. Junker Insurance; G. A. Himmel Real Estate; J. C. Hamilton Real Estate; C. L. Brereton, tailor; O. A. Smith, lawyer; G. A. Lucas Insura... Read more

345 Court Street

Then: Illinois Restaurant (later Will Harms Office Supplies) Now: Vacant (formerly Treasures and More)

343 Court Street

Then: A. C. Johannes, confectioner Now: DUI Countermeasures

341 Court Street

Then: Louis Hofff Books; Dr. G. C. Cleveland, dentist; Illinois Bell Telephone Company Now: Vacant

337 Court Street

Then: Pekin Hardware Co. (later Christ Centered Store) Now: 337 Court Street Law Offices In Dec. 1898, Phillip M. Hoffman and Ernest R. Peyton bought Henry Roos' hardware business, which then became the Pekin Hardware Co. The business later... Read more

335 Court Street

Then: C. E. Kraeger Drugs, S. S. Kresge Co. Now: Vacant (and merged with the adjacent Farmers National Bank Building)

333 Court Street - Farmers National Bank Building

Then: Farmers National Bank Building Now: Vacant (formerly U.S. Army Recruiters Office)

331 Court Street

Then: Piggly-Wiggly Grocer (site was also where the Union League was founded during the Civil War) Now: Pekin National Bank (with Union League historical marker) The Union League was founded in Pekin on June 25, 1862 above the doctor's offi... Read more

338-340 Court Street - The Schipper & Block Building

Then: Schipper and Block Co. Dry Goods Now: Vacant (formerly Illinois Department of Children and Family Services) The beloved Schipper and Block building formerly housed a department store. The original Schipper & Block building at the... Read more

15 S. Capitol Street - The Arcade Building

Then: Ehrlicher Bros. Co.; Allen Nixon, barber; Rahn & Russell, attorneys; various attorney and insurance agent offices; J. H. Stumm, Justice of the Peace; C. R. Towne Real Estate; Dr. C. F. Grimmer, physician; Dr. W. A. Thrush, dentist... Read more

101 S. Capitol Street

Then: Pekin Theater (formerly site of the Turner Opera House) Now: Tazewell County Justice Center (County Sheriff's Office and Jail) The Turner Opera House was built in 1890, and had a capacity of 700 people. The house included a gymnasium ... Read more

334 Elizabeth Street - The Old Post Office Building

Now – Tazewell County Adult and Juvenile Probation Then – Pekin Post Office, built at the former site of the Benjamin S. Prettyman homestead. Prettyman was a pioneer settler who served as Pekin mayor and held other local government offi... Read more

340 Elizabeth St. - The Masonic Temple

Now - Masonic Temple Then – Empty lot between Old Post Office and Marshall Block Originally this was part of the property of the Benjamin S. Prettyman homestead during the 1800s. Prettyman's son William built a new house on the site in th... Read more