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Peoria Forums - History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
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History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Historian
Aug 26, 2007 - 12:46 pm
I spent 30 winters researching the history of Peoria, Illinois. As a result i published 7 books about US and they are all in local libraries. (Not for Sale) I interviwed very close to 100 old time Peorians and my knowledge of our town goes from 1845 through 1950. After ayear off for eye surgery I am anxious to talk about my favorite subject...Peoria. I have taught senior classes at Bradley and have made hundreds of personal appearances. I am strictly non-profit and my record shows that I have given thousands of dollars to local eleemosynary org. Need a speaker?


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Kevster
Aug 26, 2007 - 12:53 pm
Welcome Norm! I have heard you on Di'Orios show and "The Red Nose Gang," and have always enjoyed listening to your insight into Peoria, and have even read many of your books. You are a Peoria jewel, and we appreciate you. I hope many people engage you in some awesome conversation here. Welcome !


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: PeoriaIllinoisan   *Peoria.com Moderator
Aug 26, 2007 - 12:57 pm
Need a speaker? No, but I'm going to think long and hard for an excuse. Maybe you know what this thing is, since no-one else seems to know: http://namethispeorialandmark.blogpeoria.com/2007/08/01/164/


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Historian
Aug 26, 2007 - 01:15 pm
Sorry...I am a Peoria People historian..,mainly on crime...murder mayhem an such. This thing looks like it was built by the very old Water Company...if you can get into the Water Company's museum it might show up. I will keep this image in mind...and might still have the answer. What a wonderful place to toss a body. Wonder if anyone has ever gone into it to explore? Is HOFFA in there?


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: UzTa-B
Aug 26, 2007 - 01:21 pm
I could mention you to the Peoria County Bar Assoc. and see if we could figure something out! Sounds like a VERY interesting topic for lawyers! I'm on the entertainment and publishing committees so I will see if there is any interest. (Old Peoria crime -- fantastic!)

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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: UzTa-B
Aug 26, 2007 - 01:24 pm
BTW - could you personal message me with your speaking engagement rates?

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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Kevster
Aug 26, 2007 - 01:53 pm
Everyone in Peoria County Bar knows Norm, unless of course they didn't grow up here, or moved here in the recent past. When you drop his name to them, their response will most likely be "get him". Have you read his book "Officer Down" ( a book that explains how all of our amazing PPD officers died in the line of duty? Or have you read any of his other books? Try putting one down. Good Luck!


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Historian
Aug 26, 2007 - 01:56 pm
I feel like I am part of the bar...since I was a private investigator and a para-legal and worked for a plaintiff's lawyer for 18 years. I would bet u a coke that any lawyer in town that has been in practice since 1963 knows me...we were all one happy family. We also did commercials for politicans...including judges. My subjects run the entire range of Peoria history from Indians to Prohibition.Murder...mayhem...prostitution...madames..crime I speak only to entertain even tho my talks are factual...i keep it short 35-30 minutes. No charge altho sometimes i do get fed.


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: reno
Aug 26, 2007 - 02:06 pm
Say, you wouldn't be the same guy who dressed up like Sherlock Holmes at the Lakeview Museum, would you?

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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Kevster
Aug 26, 2007 - 02:36 pm
Speaking of murders, I understand that during Prohibition in Chicago, hundreds of men were killed. What went on in Peoria during that period of time? Were there actually murders in Peoria related to prohibition laws? Man I dn't even know the years of prohibition but I do know it was an interesting time.


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Historian
Aug 26, 2007 - 02:44 pm
nO i WAS NOT THAT GUY..HE WAS A WONDERFUL ACTOR AND HE DID A GREAT JOB. i WAS A HOST AT THAT SHOWING AT THE LAKEVIEW MUSEUM. fUNNY U SHOULD MENTION SHERLOCK I WAS THE UNITED STATES CLUE CHAMPION AND WAS PICTURED FROM NEW yORK IN A HOLMES OUTIFT. i WAS READY TO WEAR IT ON THE CONAN O'bRIEN SHOW BUT WAS NOT CALLED. nk


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Davey Jones
Aug 26, 2007 - 02:53 pm
Kev, I think there was a gangland style shooting down at a bar on Farmington road by Bradley Park. I remember my grandma telling me about it. Al Capones guys.


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: PeoriaIllinoisan   *Peoria.com Moderator
Aug 26, 2007 - 02:53 pm
Has anyone been down there to explore? Yup. http://peoriaillinoisan.blogpeoria.com/2007/08/12/how-to-find-peoria-landmark-164-in-7-easy-steps/ It's mostly filled in with sand and has signs of being used as a firepit. Bunch of beer cans lying around too. It's only visible by boat unless you're an adventurous sort. I've got a bunch of pictures if you're interested in seeing more. My traveling companion said if he ever turns into a hobo, that's where he's going to live. Hope you don't mind me picking your brain- Out in the country near Dunlap is a round barn that a commenter called the "Palisades Ballroom". Another person told me that it had connections to organized crime (right up your alley) which could make sense considering it is directly across the road from land owned by the Transportation Club, a consortium of local trucking firms. Here's the link: http://namethispeorialandmark.blogpeoria.com/2007/05/07/160/


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Historian
Aug 26, 2007 - 02:57 pm
Kev: Prohibition is one of my favorite Peoria subjects becasue here in town between 1920 and 1933 Peoria was the most exciting town to be in..believe me.In my lectures I talk about a lot of things that I certainly will not mention in this forum. In Chicago during that period 701 men were slaughtered on the streets of Cook County alone. Al Capone was just one of the kingpins there but he got most of the publicity. Here in Peoria we had 79 murders...three...or more like 2 were actually connected with "Bootlegging" We had over 2 million gallons of booze stored here in Peoria and many attempts were made to get it. Three men died the other murders were just typical of Peoria at the time. But the booze flowed and Peoria was the place to be.Gambling flourished and downtown Peoria was WILD<


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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: reno
Aug 26, 2007 - 03:14 pm
When and where do you usually host lectures? Are the lectures public? I am very interested in attending.

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Re: History of Peoria: Murder and Mayhem?
By: Historian
Aug 26, 2007 - 03:32 pm
Sorry but I laugh at organized crime. In early Peoria i know the police records of every killer and so-called bad guy in Peoria, Illinois. It was easy the records were there to read and i included a lot of that in my books. We had a host of punks..bandits..drunks..you name it. We had small gangs of car thieves and once in awhile a bank robber would visit us. Organized crime is laughable. The palasades was one of a hundred bars located in the county..some had gambling others did not. Stills were alive in the city ahd county and we had at one time 9 deputies to patrol. (629 sg mile...I do NOT recall reading about any episodes at that particular spot..but it surely dould have been a hot spot.


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