The Chronological Story of Peoria Mineral Springs
1818 – Land Grant
President James Monroe, issued several 160-acre land grants in Peoria, Illinois, to men who served in the US military. Augustus O. Garret was granted a parchment deed for the land containing the Peoria Mineral Springs, for his service in the war of 1812.
1833 – Public Water
An agreement made between the Peoria County Commissioners, and Stephen Stillman, a man of some enterprise, provided the exclusive rights to bring water from a natural spring in the West Bluff to the Peoria public square.
1834 – Original Reservoir Constructed
A vaulted brick reservoir was constructed, concealed in the gentle slope of the Bluff’s hillside. Wooden pipes were laid to supply drinking water to nearly 40 homes and the city’s original courthouse, where the Lincoln Douglas Debates were later held. This was Peoria’s first utility, referred to as the “Peoria Water Works.”
William S. Moss
1840 – Land Deeded to Moss Family
In 1840 Augustus O. Garnett (owner of the Peoria Hotel) deeded the land dubbed Spring Hill, to Captain William S. Moss, son of Captain Zeally Moss a revolutionary war hero, and local farmer on the West Bluff’s hillside.
Supply & Demand
1843 – Improved Reservoir
William S Moss was granted a charter to establish a freshwater supply to the growing city of Peoria. At this time improvements were made to the existing Peoria Water Works, including the addition of a 140 ft deep brick reservoir in the hillside of the historic West Bluff. The original brick reservoir built in 1834 was no longer sufficient to supply city.
Lydia Moss Bradley
1847 – Bradley Estate Water Supply
Lydia Moss Bradley, founder of Bradley University and daughter of Zeally Moss, and her husband, Tobias Bradley, purchased land in Peoria from William S. Moss, Lydia’s brother. A single pipe from the spring’s brick reservoir on the West bluff was maintained to supply the new “Bradley Estate” with water. Several years later, Tobias Bradley purchased additional land just south of the West Bluff. This land was dubbed the Bradley Additions No.1, No.2, and No.3.
Lydia Moss Bradley – Courtesy of Bradley.edu
1856 – Bottling Begins
In 1856 Tobias Bradley deeded the land to Ransom Hickey. Ransom was the first person to monetize the mineral spring water. He founded the R. Hickey Bottling Works on Seventh St (now 701 Dr Martin Luther King Dr), across from the reservoir.
The firm operated in a long, red building at the foot of Union Hill. Peach Cider, Lithia Seltzer, and Rose Malt were some of the beverages Hickey marketed.
1872 – Deed Returned to Bradley Family
Four years after the death of Ransom Hickey, the executor of his will returned the land to Lydia Moss Bradley.
1892 – Birth of Peoria Mineral Springs
Lydia Moss Bradley sold the land south of the bluff (containing the mineral spring) to Preston Clark. Preston Clark is responsible for the patented name ‘Peoria Mineral Springs.’ Clark ran a successful bottling business here for many years to come. Clark sold the area’s best whiskey, beer, malt beverages, seltzer water, and many other drinks. Peoria eventually went on to be known as the “Whiskey Capital of the World.”
Preston Clark’s Peoria Mineral Spring Soda
1969 – Homestead Property
Charles and Joy Traynor were looking for a house for their new family. While driving home after a showing with realtor June Grayeb, Charles asked her to stop so he could look at the house. It was scheduled for demolishing and had been vandalized (all windows and the furnace were missing). He had always admired the federal house as a child. Right then he knew it was where he wanted to live with his new wife and young daughter Tiffany Traynor. Since it was scheduled to be demolished so they homesteaded and soon after was able to purchase it from the Universalist Unitarian Church which was willed from the Adel Gerber Estate. For the next few years they worked on restoration of the federal house.
1973 – Gravel Removal
In 1973 the Traynor family acquired the mineral springs property. The spring entrance had been filled in with gravel. Charles Traynor and his father Charles Sr. removed all the gravel with buckets and made a door to secure the entrance of the spring. He connected water pipes again to the spring.
1976 – Peoria Mineral Springs Inc. Founded
In 1976 the Traynor family formed Peoria Mineral Springs Inc. They bottled the water in the original bottling room on the first floor of the house and bought an Oldsmobile station wagon to deliver water to clients. Also, had a filling station on the side of the house where people could come and fill their own bottles and would leave donations through a little slot in a door.
The Traynor family opened Peoria Mineral Springs to the public as a Bicentennial event
1982 – National Register of Historic Places
Peoria Mineral Springs was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and still claims that status today.
1993 – Licensing Agreement
For a year, Peoria Mineral Springs provided water to Koala, a water bottling company owned by Beecham Pharmaceuticals. At this time demand for spring water was so high, Koala invested $80,000 to run a pipe from the spring, under Dr Martin Luther King Jr, to a well and pump house built to fill additional distribution tankers. This water well more than double the available volume.