Those interested in Peoria’s history do not have to spend countless hours in the library doing research to uncover stories.

Rather, they can take one of four historic trolley tours sponsored by CityLink and the Peoria Historical Society.

The trolley tours kicked off Thursday and run through Nov. 1. Trolley-goers can choose from: the River City Historical Tour, the All-American City Historical Tour, the Old Peoria and the Judge tour or the Springdale Cemetery/Grandview Drive tour.

Four East Peorians volunteer to share Peoria’s history with those who ride the trolleys.
Maggie Steenrod has been a tour guide for four years.

“I was very, very interested in Peoria’s history. I’m a native Peorian. I think one should know about their town. For a long time, I’ve been writing. I write Peoria history for the News & Views. It’s just sort of a natural thing to come from the trolleys to writing,” Steenrod said.

Steenrod would only say this about her age: “I stay very, very busy so I won’t rust.” She is active with Lakeview Museum and the Central Illinois Chapter Peoria Red Cross. In the ’70s, Steenrod wrote about Peoria history in the Penny Press.

“So, it was sort of a natural progression to do all of this,” she said. “I like doing it and certainly a lot of my riders on the trolley ask me questions for which I do not have the answers. I look up the answers and that becomes a column.”

Of the four tours, Steenrod does three — the River City, All-American and Springdale tours. Of those, she said Springdale is her favorite tour.

“There are so many stories in Springdale Cemetery of people who have been leaders in Peoria and some of them had tragedy. It’s just so rich in history. If you’re going to tell the story of the town, know about the leaders that were before us,” Steenrod said.

For instance, Steenrod said woman carried dirt in baskets long ago to make Soldier’s Hill at the cemetery.

“This is better than any soap opera you can read or watch,” she said, quickly adding, “I think it should be known there are two medal of honor winners (from the Civil War) who are buried out there.”

There are so many stories that Steenrod could not narrow it down to a favorite.

“It’s hard to say. So many of these people came to Peoria with nothing and made something of themselves and became very prominent citizens,” she said of those buried in Springdale.

Perhaps Steenrod feels a connection to those prominent names at the cemetery.
 
Steenrod’s maiden name is McClugage. The McClugage Bridge was named after Dave McClugage, a cousin of Steenrod’s father, Glenn.

“I was a McClugage so I have a long history. I grew up always knowing these stories. I just want to share them,” she said.

Steenrod gave her first tour of the season Saturday morning. Eight people took the tour. Half were from Peoria, and half were from Switzerland. Those from Switzerland were visiting a cousin in Peoria.

Tour-goer Barbara Sulaski of Peoria said, “I thought adding the cemetery to the Grandview tour was the best of both worlds. We got so much history. (The tour guide’s) very knowledgeable.”

Another tour guide who likes to share her knowledge is Linda Aylward.

Aylward works at the Peoria Public Library, and since 1997, she has been assigned to the local history area. Her bachelor’s degree is in history, so it should come as no surprise that she volunteers her time to the historical trolley tours.

Like Steenrod, Aylward’s favorite tour is Springdale Cemetery. She became involved with the cemetery in 2003 with the annual historical walks there put on by the Prairie Folklore Theater. The walks in the first two weeks of October tell the stories through character dramatization at the grave of the person.

Those who get Aylward as a guide will learn a bit more than the script the guides recite.

“Besides covering the basics that are in the script, I like to tell a lot of the stories I’ve uncovered through research,” Aylward said. “I tend to improvise. I let them know the latest story I’ve uncovered there.”

At the library, Aylward has a scrapbook about Springdale Cemetery the public can view. A lot of her information in the scrapbook comes from library patrons.

“I keep my eyes and ears open, and when I see something about Springdale, I add it to the scrapbook,” she said.

Like Steenrod, Aylward does not have one favorite story.

She told about the first burial at Springdale — a reinterment of a child named Ben Frank Powell, the son of a prominent local judge, in 1857. Originally, Powell was buried in Old City Cemetery and later relocated to the new Springdale Cemetery.

But, not all the stories Aylward tells are from long ago. Two years ago, Aylward added a new story to her speech. It is about a former Peorian named Charles Chan.

Chan worked for Canter Fitzgerald, a firm that had offices on the 105th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center in New York. Chan lost his life in 9-11. A memorial to Chan is located at Springdale Cemetery.

“It’s a beautiful memorial that has the two towers etched in front of it and the Statue of Liberty. It’s gorgeous,” Aylward said.

Like the eclectic stories of the people who lived on Grandview Drive or are buried at Springdale, so is the mix of those who take the trolley tours, which seats 19.

“There’s a good mix. Sometimes you get families. Sometimes you get clubs and organizations like the Red Hat ladies,” Aylward said. “Often, people who take the tour have an interest, and they may have relatives who are buried there. Sometimes you pick up really interesting stories from the people on the tour with you.”

To promote her favorite tour, Aylward said, “I just think it’s a great tour, and if people are interested in history, it’s jam-packed with local information.”

Marilyn and John Leyland are also involved with the tours.

Marilyn, president of the Peoria Historical Society, is a certified guide for all the tours.
She explained that volunteers become certified by riding with other experienced trolley tour guides like Norma Mall, Gloria LaHood and Dorothy Sinclair.

“They are senior members who’ve done it a lot, who were involved with writing the script and who are veterans,” she said.

Trainers issue a manual to new recruits that includes background on the tour and on being a guide.

“You study that and travel the tour with experienced guides and then do the tour with one of the certifiers,” Marilyn said, adding that new tour guides are always welcome.

Currently, there are about 20 tour guides, she said.

“It’s a volunteer commitment. It is continuous learning, and it is an opportunity to share with other people. When you retire, you miss talking to people,” Leyland said.

To volunteer as a tour guide, call Alice Brophy at 674-1921.

Leyland’s favorite tour is also Springdale.

“It has hills and hallows and river views and sculpture and mausoleums, and you see the names of Peoria leaders through the years. The names were the ones on the stores you shopped in ... It’s all the street names and school names — Lydia Bradley, Mayor Woodruff is buried there, John Flanagan, the Blocks of Block and Kuhl, the Schradskis and the Szolds and the Buehlers.”

Leyland said she has had people on her tours from Montana, Texas, England, Russia, Australia and other places.

“A lot of times people are visiting friends and this is the way they show them Peoria,” Leyland said.

Others, she said, are interested in Peoria’s Civil War and railroad history. Some ask how to pronounce town names like Chillicothe.

Leyland also talked about the “Naughty to Nice” All-American tour.

She said prior to World War II, Peoria was a “wide open town” that was off limits for soldiers due to prostitution.

The tour takes riders to a spot on McClure where a kingpin’s wife was killed by a bullet meant for him. They also get to see the spot where gangster Bernie Shelton was shot and killed outside a tavern on Farmington Road.

For more information about any of the tours, call 674-1921, or visit www.peoriahistoricalsociety.org.

River City Historical Tour
10:30 a.m. Thursdays through Nov. 1 and 1 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 1
Beginning at Grandview Drive, the tour progresses through the Averyville area to downtown Peoria, Southtown, High Street, Moss Avenue, circulating again to downtown, Glen Oak Avenue and ending back in Peoria Heights.
Leaves from Harp & Thistle, 4605 N. Prospect Road, Peoria Heights (street parking is available near Harp & Thistle).
Cost: $7, purchase ticket at Harp & Thistle, plus $1 paid to the trolley driver (65 and older ride free with proof of age)
 Reservations are recommended. For tickets, call 688-5668.

All-America City Historical Tour
10:30 a.m. Fridays July 11 through Aug. 29
Follow Peoria’s history from the naughty — the 20s — the gambling, the gangsters — to the nice — Peoria’s three All-American City awards.
Leaves from Kelleher’s Irish Pub, Water near State Street, Peoria. (Parking is available across the street from Kelleher’s).
Cost: $7, purchase ticket at Kelleher’s Irish Pub, plus $1 paid to trolley driver (65 and older ride free with proof of age)
Reservations are recommended. Call 673-6000. 

The Old Peoria and the Judge Tour
10:30 a.m. Fridays through June 27, Sept. 5-26, Oct. 3-31
Tour Peoria’s oldest home — Flanagan House — and learn about the history of Peoria’s valley area.
Travel through the earliest sections of downtown and on to Peoria’s Northside. Discover facts about Peoria’s founding father, Frenchman explorer Henri de Tonti. See a sculptor’s bungalow and hear the story of Peoria’s Joe Kennedy. End the ride with a guided tour of the 1837 Flanagan House Museum.
Leaves from Kelleher’s Irish Pub, Water near State Street
Cost: $11, purchase ticket at Kelleher’s Irish Pub, plus $1 paid to trolley driver (65 and older ride free with proof of age)
Reservations are recommended. Call 673-6000.   

Springdale Cemetery/Grandview Drive Tour
10:30 a.m. Saturdays June through Nov. 1
Visit Peoria’s premier scenic drive that winds its way above the Illinois River valley. See the elegant homes of today’s and yesterday’s prosperous merchants, landowners and professionals. Then see Springdale Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in the state chartered in 1855.
Leaves from Harp & Thistle, 4605 N. Prospect Road, Peoria Heights (street parking is available near Harp & Thistle).
Cost: $7, purchase at Harp & Thistle, plus $1 paid to trolley driver (65 and older ride free with proof of age)
Reservations are recommended. Call 688-5668.