Peru, Illinois

River City (1831–1933)

Since the first steamboat Traveler reached Peru in 1831, the city had high hopes of being the western terminus for the Illinois & Michigan Canal. LaSalle won that designation, but Peru became a busy steamboat port at the head of navigation on the Illinois River. Captain McCormick was involved in the Five Day Line, making record fast trips between Peru and St. Louis, Missouri. Senator Gilson reported to land surveyor, Grenville Dodge, that the town would soon outstrip Chicago due to its favorable location along the river and railroads.^[5]

Water Street was a thin ribbon pressed between the bluff and the river, leading to the growth eastward of a large industrial district. Developed along the river and the canal, it was served by the Rock Island Railroad and Chicago Burlington and Quincy. These important transportation routes, along with coal mining in at least four mines lasting from 1857 until 1949,^[6][7] were the basis for Peru's rise to an industrial center. Many entrepreneurs grew into prominent businessmen and advanced the interests of Peru and the region. Prominent companies from that time included Maze Lumber, Maze Nails, Peru Plow and Wheel Works, Huse and Loomis Ice Co, Brunner Foundry,^[8] Star Union Brewery, Hebel Brewery, Illinois Zinc (Peru and LaSalle were sometimes referred to as "Zinc City") and many others. Peru's citizens were intent on improving their town, so far as constructing a plank road, northwest of town, a toll road meant to reach Dixon, Illinois.^[5]

Peru's story became a story of two levels. The story of Water Street and the bottoms, and the town growing above the bluff. Peru tried hard to link the two. For example, the Peru Horse and Dummy Railroad was driven to dissolution by the city's impossible mandate that it create a loop from Water Street to the upper bluff.

Clock City (1884–1980)

In 1884, Stahlberg started the United Clock Company in Peru. Shortly afterward, it went bankrupt and was reorganized with the help of Frederick William Matthiessen as the Western Clock Company. By 1905 it had grown into a national company, producing over 1 million alarm clocks per year. In 1909, they trademarked "Westclox". In 1917 they became a model for workers' benefits, one of the early companies to pay life insurance and have a safety committee. Later on, they limited the work week, constructed a company park with a tennis court and horseshoe courts, developed workers' housing, and established a school for watchmakers with provision for scholarships. In 1935 it was the safest company in the nation, with 11 million hours without a lost time accident.^[5]

During World War II the company made mechanical fuses for the government and had more than 600 of its employees enter the armed forces. At its height it manufactured nearly 2 million clocks and watches annually and employed over 4,000 persons. It closed the Peru factory in 1980; the loss of jobs caused a rapid decline in population in LaSalle and Peru.

Today the old Westclox Administration Building is now the headquarter for the Carus Corporation and the rest of the Westclox complex is being redeveloped into a commercial center. The building is also home to the Westclox Museum.^[9] The building caught fire on July 14, 2023.

Climate

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Peru had a population of 9,896. The median age was 46.1 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.9 males age 18 and over.^[12][13]

As of the 2020 census, there were 2,760 families residing in the city. The population density was 977.87 inhabitants per square mile (377.56/km²). There were 4,825 housing units at an average density of 476.78 per square mile (184.09/km²).^[12]

99.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.3% lived in rural areas.^[14]

There were 4,420 households in Peru, of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 41.9% were married-couple households, 21.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[12]

Of the housing units, 8.4% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.3%.^[12]

Income and poverty

The median income for a household in the city was $52,635, and the median income for a family was $73,477. Males had a median income of $50,645 versus $24,706 for females. The per capita income for the city was $34,268. About 6.3% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Elementary schools

• Peru Public Schools
• Peru Catholic School
• LaSalle-Peru Christian School

High schools

• LaSalle-Peru Township High School
• St. Bede Academy
• LaSalle-Peru Christian School