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Old 10-15-2010, 08:43 AM
 
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We want to live in a bigger city, where we can walk to places: starbucks, restaurants...but it can't be FAR from Peoria.
I'm thinking 1/2 hour to 40 minutes away would be fine.
We have 2 small children, one who would be in transfering schools...so the school district would have to be decent.
I have only been to Chicago, once, and this was a LONG time ago...other than that, I have no idea what Illinois is all about.
Of course, we'll be down to house-hunt for a rental, but I don't want to go there blindly.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 10-15-2010, 04:09 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,259,477 times
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Default Peoria in a nutshell

An overview: What you should know about Illinois is it is the #1 and #2 soybean and corn producing state in Ameirca. It is also a large livestock producing state. So, it isn't unusual to drive many flat and boring miles through fields and farms*-- if you chose interstate routes over state routes. Il is the 6th most populated state and 2/3 of the populion is in Chicago. Illinois is a state with pockets of larger populated area 50 - 100K that are seperated by 40 - 90 miles of small towns, farms and ranches that are sprinkled with lakes, rivers, streams. ponds, forested areas, community events, pretty good foor and generally very nicel people.

Central Illinois is comprised of 5 counties of which Peoria is the largest city. The total population is more than a 400,000. To give you an idea of actual space: Driving distance to Springfield. Quad Cities, Quincy, Urbana and Champaigh is about 90 miles. It about 40 miles to Bloomington and Normal. Peoria is roughly midway between Chicago and St. Louis (150-200 miles.)

The University of Illinois is our flagship school at Champaign. ISU-Normal University is well regarded for the teaching and Actuary programs. They are both fine schools tht offer Masters and Doctorate programs. Springfield is the state capital. Q-C is for town in two states that are divided by the Mississippi River. Davenport, Iowa dominates the area.

QC, B-N, C-U, Qunicy and Sriongield are NOT included in the Central Illinois area.

About Peoria. It is the oldest settlement in the Illinois River and perhaps in the state. The name comes from five Indian tribes that inhabited the area when the first exporers arrived. They lived in the high bluff and hills that overlooked the river. Peoria was built on the backs of labor - black, white, brown, yellow and red. Some of the things you will find here is ancient history and a diverse mix of peoples, cultures and religions from which some wonderful annual events evolved.

Peoria crime is no better or no worse than any other city its size. Politics are mixed; there is a local chapter for just about every group. Peoria is a union city and as such you can find a local Union hall for most trades including musicians.

Peoria is no long tired to the shirtail of industry. It is a regional medical, business, finance, law and technology. Peoria has the only Children's Hospital that has a Level 1 teriary care unit staffed with Level 3D sub-specialty physicians; it is certified to perform heart surgery on infants. It also has 3 hospitals, 3x more doctors than the national average, a medical school that is well regarded, and a US Reseach Lab. Peoria is the only city in Illinois that has a hosptial that is affiliated with Easter Seals, Shriner's Hospitals and St. Jude's Research Hospital. . Additionally Peoria has non-traditional practioners as well as a large healh food store, and restaurants that offer vegan foods. There is also AFter Care Clinics that are open until 11pm for minor illness and injury that does no require emergency care. .

The Peoria Park District is the oldest and largest in the state with 10,000 acres. It is a 2010 Gorld Medal Winner, and the zoo is an award winner, too. If you like color you will find black swans and red pandas. Peoria also affers bowling, golf, skiing, skating, dancing, hiking, biking, jogging, Semipro Farm Teams, swimming, planetarium etc., and along with this you find a high-tech sports complex, YWCA, YMCA, etc.. There is a 6-18 LaCross team in a nearby town, too.

You won't lack for shopping with two malls and half dozen shopping centers. Grocers number eith plus several specialty shops such as Dixon't Fish Market. Dining out literally ranges from upscale country club to pizza.

Peoria entertainment range from Jazz to performaing arts, regional state fair,parades, operal, ballet, symphony, free Saturday Nigth family movies at Glen Oak Park, races, car show, TT Finals, one of the oldest and largest juried Art Fairs in the state and more. If you want to drive less than 20 miles you'll find a Waterpark and farm for kids, one of the largest night Christamas Parades and displays in America, The Marigod Festival and Spoon River Drive. If you want to drive a little farther you will find the largest inland Wetlands and refuge area outside of Florida .. 13,000 acres. If you like to sail you also find a yacht club that is more than 100 years old. There are many thing to find and explore in central Illinois and throughout the stata.

Peoria schools leave a bit to be desired. What I do not like are young children being bussed to a new school every couple of years. However there is Montessori, gifted school. a school for th eautistic, church schools and home school. Having said this, there are several communities that are near Peoria that more rural and smaller that offer a good K-12 education.

The Village of Peoria Heights is the nearest as it is surrounded on three sides by the City if Peoria.
If you live on the bluff you are no more than 20 minutes from anything in Peoria. A hopital and most shopping is no more than 4 stop lights from Prospect Avenue. Other good school systems include Washington, Village of Morton, Dunlap and Eureka - the home of Ronal Reagan's Alma Mater Eureka College. PH and Morton are very close in size. When you get into Peoria Heights, you will some nice boutique shops and Grandview Drive - the scenic scape Pres. Roosevelt called the "World's Most Beautiful Drive."

Peoria doesa not have suburbs as much as it has sub-divisions. If you do not want your children on a bus, do not live in Peoria proper.

This real estate agent can help you with rentals in Eureka, Morton and Washington.
Washington, IL real estate and Metamora homes - Mindy Taylor, Realtor

This realtoc can help you with Peoria Heights: Peoria Homes for Sale, Property Search in Peoria - Home Page . This broker lived here and went to school here.
Here another link to Peoria Heights. Peoria Heights Chamber of Commerce

Peoria weather is 4 seasons. It can be bitterly cold or steaming hot. There are torndoes; the best advise is to have a residence with a basement. The good news the storms are nothing like the hurricanes that hit Florida.

The one thing I did not mention is there is no Trader Joe's. There are several in Chicago, but the
store that I think is the easiest to access and fastest exit back home is in St. Louis.


Welcome to your new home!.
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Old 10-15-2010, 05:22 PM
 
Location: Hawaii-Puna District
3,752 posts, read 11,509,944 times
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Look into far North Peoria, but within Dunlap Schools. It is the best of both worlds you are looking for.
Your real estate agent can clue you in.
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Old 10-15-2010, 07:15 PM
 
85 posts, read 416,575 times
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Everything you need to know about Peoria: //www.city-data.com/forum/illin...mething-3.html
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Old 10-16-2010, 01:56 AM
 
Location: Hawaii-Puna District
3,752 posts, read 11,509,944 times
Reputation: 2488
I don't believe that Soon2BTXN will be happy anywhere they live.

Happiness to me doesn't revolve around a store like Trader Joe's or WholeFoods or similar or any "shopping experiences".

I started several businesses in Peoria and had no issues. Sold them all for a nice profit.
They also express disappointment that no IHOP's are open 24x7. I hope they never move to Hawaii. Life here shuts down at 7pm. Life in the slow lane is really nice.
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Old 10-16-2010, 07:14 AM
 
Location: Maryland
4,675 posts, read 7,401,948 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by linicx View Post
Il is the 6th most populated state and 2/3 of the populion is in Chicago.

Central Illinois is comprised of 5 counties of which Peoria is the largest city. The total population is more than a 400,000.

QC, B-N, C-U, Qunicy and Sriongield are NOT included in the Central Illinois area.
Linicx, I know this is nit-picking, but none of these are true.

1) Illinois is the 5th most populated state (List of U.S. states and territories by population - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) and has been since 1990.

2) Central IL is WAY bigger than 5 counties (Central Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), and even if you subdivide it, Bloomington-Normal, Quincy, Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign-Urbana are all quintessential central IL cities.

3) Peoria is neither the largest city by population (that's Springfield now) nor the largest county by population (that's Sangamon) in central IL. In fact, Peoria isn't even the largest metro area in the state outside of Chicago--it's the metro East outside of St. Louis.

Just trying not to perpetuate incorrect information...
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Old 10-16-2010, 09:52 AM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,259,477 times
Reputation: 6426
Quote:
Originally Posted by mdand3boys View Post
I

Happiness to me doesn't revolve around a store like Trader Joe's or WholeFoods or similar or any "shopping experiences".
There is no Trader Joe's in Texas. TJ's ia a California retalier that has many stores on both coasts plus Chicago. Atlanta, St. Louis and other cities. To those, like myself, who need TJ's products we want to know where to find the stores.
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Old 10-16-2010, 10:32 AM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,259,477 times
Reputation: 6426
Default You're correct

Corrections are a good thing. Thanks!

1- Okay, so let's forgive the typo.

2/3- Central Illliois begins on the Mississippi River and ends on the Indiana Border. It is probably 250 or more miles at the widest point. Now depending upon the veracity of any fact, and who is recording it, the Peoria area is the 3rd most populated area in the state behind Chicago and St. Louis. I don't know if a population shift will change this or not. Peoria is the oldest settlement on the Illinois River and perhaps the oldest settlement in the state.

The "Heart of Illinois" is a phrase coined by a local Peoria TV station many years ago --- long before the US Bureau of Labor called Peoria an anchor city in a Metropolitan Statistical Area. At that time HOI was the small broadcast area the TV station reached. The name Heart of Illinois stuck like glue, thus Peoria is the largest city in the HOI. Then, the HOI area did not include Bloomington or Springifeld, or Galesburg or Qunincy. As far as I know the boundary has never changed.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Maintainschaos View Post
Linicx, I know this is nit-picking, but none of these are true.

1) Illinois is the 5th most populated state (List of U.S. states and territories by population - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) and has been since 1990.

2) Central IL is WAY bigger than 5 counties (Central Illinois - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), and even if you subdivide it, Bloomington-Normal, Quincy, Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign-Urbana are all quintessential central IL cities.

3) Peoria is neither the largest city by population (that's Springfield now) nor the largest county by population (that's Sangamon) in central IL. In fact, Peoria isn't even the largest metro area in the state outside of Chicago--it's the metro East outside of St. Louis.

Just trying not to perpetuate incorrect information...

Last edited by linicx; 10-16-2010 at 11:06 AM..
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Old 10-16-2010, 11:19 AM
 
Location: Maryland
4,675 posts, read 7,401,948 times
Reputation: 5363
Quote:
Originally Posted by linicx View Post
The "Heart of Illinois" is a phrase coined by a local Peoria TV station many years ago --- long before the US Bureau of Labor called Peoria an anchor city in a Metropolitan Statistical Area. At that time HOI was the small broadcast area the TV station reached. The name Heart of Illinois stuck like glue, thus Peoria is the largest city in the HOI. Then, the HOI area did not include Bloomington or Springifeld, or Galesburg or Qunincy. As far as I know the boundary has never changed.
Sure, that's fine...but the "Heart of Illinois" as a term for a local area (coined, as you pointed out, by someone in Peoria) is very different than what defines the actual "central Illinois" area. My general thinking is, that if you were to ask anybody which areas are considered "central Illinois" they will name five metro areas: Peoria, Springfield, Champaign/Urbana, Bloomington/Normal, and Decatur. I think the census bureau agrees, too. In any event, I think the point is that while Peoria may think of itself locally as the "Heart of Illinois," there are more cities in central Illinois than just Peoria.
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Old 10-16-2010, 12:28 PM
 
Location: Not where you ever lived
11,535 posts, read 30,259,477 times
Reputation: 6426
Didn't I just say this?

Central Illliois begins on the Mississippi River and ends on the Indiana Border. It is probably 250 or more miles at the widest point.

Now, as far as I know - and I don't it to be a fact - I believe the Northernmost bounadry in Central Illinois is the Northern borders of Stark and Marshal Counties (Will County is not in Central Illinois), and the Southernmost boundary is is probably the southern border of Menard or possigbly Sangamon County I don't know if IDOT has a definative answer.

I don't know if it makes much difference. I was always told that Peoria, Springfield, Bloomington and Champaign were the largest populated areas between Chicago and St. Louis. They all certainlu offer events, food, shopping and difference scenic views and experiences.
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