50th Anniversary History

For the past 50 years, Keep Peoria Beautiful has been a catalyst for drawing together governmental agencies, civic organizations and volunteers to make an impact on a variety of city-wide beautification projects including downtown street planters, ornamental lighting and sidewalks, the Peoria County Courthouse Plaza, public art displays, landscaped parking lots, the Western Avenue Greenway project, recycling drop-off sites and much more.

The organization was founded in 1955 following a newspaper campaign lead by columnist Jocelyn Gerry of the Peoria Journal Star, asking for help in beautifying the City of Peoria . Under the sponsorship of the Women’s Civic Federation, civic, business and governmental leaders formed a steering committee that resulted in a permanent organization being formed. 

Since then, Keep Peoria Beautiful has initiated numerous beautification projects, established recycling drop-off sites, developed pocket parks, sponsored public art, bestowed landscape and beautification awards, conducted environmental education and awareness, coordinated city-wide cleanups and riverfront beautification, all in an effort to make Peoria a more attractive place to live and work.  In 1981, the organization became the local affiliate of  Keep America Beautiful.

In 2008, Peoria City Beautiful changed its name to Keep Peoria Beautiful to become more aligned with Keep America Beautiful. 

Just a few highlights from the past 50 years include:

The first annual landscape awards presented in 1963 for outstanding landscaping and beautification efforts for commercial projects, industry, institutions, churches, schools, parking lots and civic or public projects.
Established the historical Giant Burr Oak Park and adjoining land for a  park overlooking the city.
Keep Peoria Beautiful was the driving force behind developing the Peoria County Courthouse plaza. In 1965, Lady Bird Johnson dedicated the courthouse plaza.
In 1991, Rhodell Owens presented the Rhodell Owens Award to Harry Van Matre for his long-term commitment to the beautification and improvement of our city

Today, Keep Peoria Beautiful projects include the annual Orchid and Onion Awards for public properties, the Iris Awards for private properties, the Great American Cleanup that keeps our neighborhoods litter-free, litter awareness and prevention education, and collaborating with the Illinois Department of Transportation on the design elements of Upgrade 74.