Peoria County is celebrating 200 years of existence this month, and county leaders are marking the occasion with a widespread public art installation.
Edward Barry, vice president of the Peoria Historical Society, said the county's borders looked very different when it was founded in 1825.
“Peoria was the size of the Netherlands, clocking in at over 16,000 square miles,” Barry said at a kickoff event Monday at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. “Including the present day counties of Putnam, Knox, Henry, Tazewell, Mason, Logan, McLean, Woodford, and Marshall”
Now, Peoria is 629 square miles. That's 4% of its original geographic size, but with a population 150 times larger than in 1825. Barry does acknowledge the population statistic may be slightly inaccurate, as population counts in the 1800s didn’t include the many Native Americans living on the land, including the county's namesake tribe.
Barry shared just a few notable events and people in Peoria County’s 200 years: Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln debating slavery on the steps of the county courthouse, the founding of national historic landmark Jubilee College in Brimfield, the prominence of Peoria as a stop on the Underground Railroad and Lydia Moss Bradley founding the university bearing her name.
“I’d love to spend a lot of time talking about Joseph Petarde, Nita Sunderland, Preston Jackson, Dan Fogelberg, Betty Friedan, Richard Pryor, Susan G. Komen, Jerry Hadley, the list, as you all know, is very, very long.” said Barry.

Peoria County leaders are celebrating the long history and notable individuals of the region with a county-wide art installation. The county unveiled two bison sculptures, painted by artists Megan Couri and Linda Webb.
Couri’s is a bright, vibrant tie-dye design, with other animals woven into the bison’s fur.
“Bison have a relationship with humans and different cultures, so those are hidden in the details as well,” said Couri. “And bison are communicative with animals, so I have the other animals in there as well.”
Webb said her design, a geometric patchwork of colors and motifs, was inspired by the archaeological sites along the Illinois riverfront.
“Each section of the bison is meant to represent pottery shards, showing how people have used clay for the last 200-plus years,” said Webb, adding there are 20 different animals hidden within the bison’s design.

One of the bison will be housed at the Peoria County Courthouse, while the other will tour the state. Peoria County Board member Rob Renau said the county is looking for partners to “adopt” and paint 20 bison to place throughout the area.
“The bison itself, which comes primed, is $2,5000,” said Renau. “We take care of transport, if you need help transporting it, and we’ll also clear coat it at no cost.”
Renau said businesses, organizations and interested individuals can reach out to communications director Gretchen Pearsall at the county to get the process started. The only requirement is the bison must be placed somewhere it’s available for public viewing.
He expects most of the bison to be in place by April. The county also is prepared to order 20 more statues if the first herd moves quickly.
Pearsall said the county will have additional events celebrating the bicentennial throughout the year, concluding with a block party in October.