1950 Map of Peoria West

About this map

Peoria and its western suburbs show a landscape of rapid expansion and industrial integration in the mid-20th century. The intricate rail network including the Chicago and North Western and Chicago Burlington and Quincy lines underscores the region's role as a major Midwestern transportation hub. Large institutional footprints such as the Peoria State Hospital and its associated State Hospital Farm near Bartonville dominate the southern portion of the map, while the Peoria Municipal Airport signals the era's shift toward aviation. Along the Illinois River, the Peoria Lock and Dam facilitates heavy commercial traffic. Between the growing residential blocks of West Peoria and Bellevue, rural remnants persist in the form of numerous country schools like Howarth Sch and Walters Sch, alongside evidence of resource extraction at the local Strip Mine.