Seeing the Sears block demolished is a dream come true for many, and it is exciting that we’ll be getting a Peoria history museum. But at the same time, it feels a bit like the graveside service for downtown retail in Peoria. Downtown shopping became ill and infirm in the 1970s and ’80s and finally died in 1998 when Sears moved to Northwoods; now we’re just burying the body.

I applaud the city’s efforts to lure tourists through the upgraded riverfront and this new museum. But downtown isn’t going to be really vital until you get large retail stores down there again. It’s the one huge piece of downtown revitalization that’s missing, and every consultant Peoria has hired has said the same thing.

But instead, the city gives incentives for large retailers to locate on the fringe of town while it works overtime to put money-losers like the Riverplex and Gateway Building downtown. When is someone — anyone — going to start working on a plan to draw new retail to downtown?

The Heart of Peoria Commission seems like a logical group to take on this issue, but I’m afraid they’d spend a whole year just “appreciating the complexity of the task.”

But seriously, why is nothing being done about this? Has Peoria just given up?

I thought it was cool that WHOI took the time to look at the history of the Sears block. I didn’t see any other stations do this. Here’ s the report as it appears on their website:

Sears Block Secrets
Oct. 7, 2005 – Peoria
by Brock Spencer

Nearly 200-years of Peoria history can be found on the spot where the Sears block now stands, and come Monday demolition crews will begin digging-up the old to make room for a whole new era. A look into the history books reveals that the Sears block has some secrets to share.

It was a time when farming was a way of life for American settlers. But even before the Sears block was a thought, historians say it was a treasured place in time.

Dr. Peter Couri with the Peoria Historical Society said, “When the first American settlers came in 1819 they settled right here. We know the Fulton Family and the Eaton Family where farming right on this spot.”

Around this family farm grew the city we now call Peoria.

Then as the 1850’s hit, the area became a hot spot for more businesses.

Couri said, “You had a hotel next to a carriage shop, you would have a pottery next to a fine china shop, and just businesses galore.”

One of the most famous businesses that existed on this block was actually run by Wyatt Earp and his brother in the 1870’s.

“It was actually a house of prostitution and they were arrested in the 1870’s and kicked out of Peoria to start their illustrious career in the Wild West,” said Couri.

Over the next 90 years, buildings remained similar in architecture.

That’s until the entire block at Water and Main Street was demolished to build the Sears Store in the 1960’s.

Couri said, “It was a wonderful way to keep retail business down in Peoria. There was Sears, there was Carson-Perry-Scott, and Bergners all formed in a triangle of retail.”

But as shopping centers started making the headlines, the Sears Store moved away from downtown and into Northwoods Mall in 1998.

Still, the history of this block is not finished.

“It was a really wonderful development. We hate to see it go, but progress comes on,” said Couri.

And soon the block will be open again for business with plenty of new history to write.

The Sears Company actually started business in Peoria in 1928, but didn’t move to the riverfront Sears block until 1965. The new museum and Caterpillar Visitor Center are expected to be completed by 2009.

I just love articles on Peoria history like this — so much so that I’ll forgive Mr. Spencer for misspelling Carson-Pirie-Scott. On the news, they actually showed quite a few historical photos of the block — none pre-Sears, however. But there were a couple that allowed you to see Carson’s and Bergner’s in the background.

For those of you unfamiliar with Peoria history, the old Bergner’s has been razed and replaced with the ugly boondoggle “One Technology Plaza.” The old Carson’s (formerly Block & Kuhl) was converted to a bank building — Jefferson Bank originally, now Bank One.