North Side Historic District

North of downtown Peoria, Illinois, on the lower terrace between the river and the bluff, lies a neighborhood of 343 structures built mostly between 1840 and 1925. Small farms and large-garden houses gave way by 1870 to mansions of a new merchant and industrial class, followed by middle-class frame and masonry houses, cottages, bungalows, townhouses and apartment buildings. Architectural styles range from Federal and Greek Revival to Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne and Chateauesque. Horse-drawn and later electric streetcars encouraged settlement, and churches, a temple, schools, a women's club and the Scottish Rite Cathedral were built along its edges. Morton Square, deeded to the city in 1858, remains a neighborhood park. Residents included industrialists, bankers and the sculptor Frederick Triebel. Because growth was limited by surrounding geography and neighboring communities, many buildings escaped remodeling and still reflect the late nineteenth century. Brick sidewalks, wrought iron fences and tree-lined streets add to the historic character.