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Local History Resources

The library's local history collection, located next to the Reference Desk, contains documents relating to the history of Bartonville, Limestone Township, Peoria County, and some of the surrounding area. Platt maps, books, photographs, newspaper archives, village ordinances, cemetary maps, mining directories and maps, and other miscellaneous documents are available to browse and make copies, but these materials are not available to check out. Please ask a librarian for assistance if you'd like to look through the collection or for assistance finding specific items. 

Materials include:

  • Bartonville News – Microfilm 1957-1974
  • Limestone Independent News – Microfilm 1973-2013
  • Glasford Gazette – Microfilm 1899-2013
  • Limestone High School Yearbooks – 1954-1958, 1961-1982, 1984-1991, 1993-2018. 
  • Illini Bluffs High School Yearbooks – 1990-1991, 1993-2008, 2010-2014.
  • Bartonville Grade School Yearbooks – 1966-1968.
  • Oak Grove School Yearbooks – 1967-1968.
  • Township Cemetery Directories
  • Illinois State Library Microfilm – Sent to APL for viewing
  • Peoria State Hospital Collection (see list below)

 

Peoria State Hospital Resources:

Stories from the Bowen Building: A Podcast on the Peoria State Hospital

Peoria State Hospital Museum

 

Full Text Documents Available Online:

The Autobiography of George A. Zeller, MD.pdf

Peoria State Hosp and Dr. Geo Zeller.pdf

Application for Listing Peoria State Hospital as a Historic District.pdf

 

List of Other Materials Available at APL:

Newspaper Clippings.pdf

Artifacts and Framed Art.pdf

May Kennedy.pdfNewsletters.pdf

Books and reports.pdf

General Documents.pdfPhotographs.pdf

 

Other Links:

Bartonville History

Bartonville GIS 

Geneology Resources (Ancestry Library Edition)

Peoria Historical Society

Peoria County Bicentennial 2025

Peoria County GIS

Peoria County Land Records