"Selections and Stories" an exhibit of architectural drawings and ephemera

“Selections and Stories”, An Exhibit of Architectural Drawings.

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation’s creation of an Architectural Archive. To celebrate this milestone, the Archives Committee will be hosting an exhibit of architectural drawings and ephemera from its collection. The exhibit will take place May 4th through June 28th at the Peoria Public Library, 107 NE Monroe, Main Library Gallery during regular library hours. The committee extends an invitation to you to join us for an opening reception on Saturday, May 11th from 2:00 to 4:00pm. Make sure to mark your calendar for this event.
The committee has selected items showcasing Peoria’s rich architectural history. The display ranges from buildings we see every day to ones we have lost to history that now only live through photographs and documents. Take some time and stop by the library during May and June to see some of our treasures.
The archive was established in 1984 with a gift of 66 boxes of building plans from Paul Strehlow of the recently closed V. Jobst & Sons, building contractors. The collection has grown to an estimated 28,000 sheets of drawings representing 2,850 projects. The emphasis of the collection ranges from the work of architects that practiced in Peoria as well as central Illinois buildings done by architects from other cities. The scope of the collection includes residential, commercial, religious, industrial and institutional projects. Works by Frederic J. Klein, L. Eugene Robinson, John Hackler and Company, Lankton, Ziegele, Terry, among others, will be represented in the exhibit.
Items in the collection include original drawings, blueprints, specifications, photos, books, architectural and trade periodicals, office records and watercolor presentation drawings. These items date from the late 19th century to the 1980s.
The archives are located at the Peoria Public Library, main branch. The collection is not open to the public, but by appointment only. Anyone with inquiries or who would like to donate items to the archive may contact Tim Hartneck at [email protected]
The Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation is a volunteer, non-profit 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to historic preservation. Visit our website at www.cilfpeoria.org to become a member.