"It can hardly be said that town of the population of 3652 souls, dating back but about 20 years to its first route tenants and solitary family, can have any history.  The offensive any public interest are so few, and their importance so small, but no reasonable hope to be entertained at the recital will be anything but a matter of the difference to others in the present or former residence, or those connected with them by ties of the genealogy, or having an interest in its advancement and prosperity.  It is true that some future time, the record may be useful to the historian, if it should be so fortunate as to survive.  The statistics have been collected with caring considerable labor, and are believed to be correct and reliable.  Beyond this the rider claims no matter for the work.  The anecdotes and events related not strictly to statistical, had all transpired under his personal observation and knowledge, during a residence dating back to the embryo town.  This was the history of Peru Illinois - Date, 1858."

The Illinois River and its Valley were first explored by men in 1673. Louis Joliet, a fur trader, and Pierre Jacques Marquette, of the Society of Jesuit's, explored the Mississippi River and the Illinois area in canoes.

In his journal, Father Marquette said that they had seen nothing like the Illinois Valley, "the fertility of its soil, its prairies and woods, its cattle, elk, deer, wildcats, swans, duck, and even beaver." He also said the River was wide, deep, and still, and spoke of the Indian Villages on its bank. One village may have been located right here, as it is known that the site of Peru today was once occupied by Indian Village.

The first record in America finding coal, the natural resource which played such a large part of Peru's development, as shown on Joliet map made on this trip. By 1816 the America Fur Company, owned by John Jacob Astor, had established trading posts throughout most of Illinois. Some are located in what is now LaSalle County.

The city of Peru is situated in the westerly part of LaSalle County, Illinois on the northern bank of the Illinois River, at the head of navigation, and at the junction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.  This is from Chicago 100 miles, and from St. Louis 230.  The settlement of the site occupied by the city was commenced in the spring of 1836, shortly after the passage of the ad incorporating the Illinois and Michigan Central, which was to terminate at or near the mouth Little Vermillion, on land owned by the state.

In the early days the city of Peru had anything but ambitious growth.  In 1839, came the grand financial collapse.  The foreign capitalists refuse to lend the area any more money.  The later residents of Illinois could scarcely comprehend the condition things in which things would precede.

By the Internal Improvement Act, which puts all congressional omnibus bills entirely into the shade, a system of which the railroads was to be constructed simultaneously in all parts of the state, running at all matter of directions, through region's scarcely explored.

And on top of that counties which were not fortunate enough to lie in the direction anyplace, and that's not to be traveled by the roads, were bribed into the support of the bill by distributions of money, all to be borrowed on a faith of the state.  Other bills at the time were passed authorizing loans for prisons, hospitals, a silent and state houses.  At the same time the canal was being built on state credit.  Counties followed the example of the state by borrowing money to build courthouses, jails, etc.  But it laid the bottom fell out of the whole concern.  Unknown millions had been squandered and not one public undertaking was complete.  Public and private credit was annihilated.  Northern Illinois produced nothing for exportation and every kind of business was dependent upon the disbursements of the public Works.  The state, counties, towns, banks, corporations and individuals were all bankrupt. No gleam of light shown in the future.  Repudiation, public and private, appeared to be the only alternative.

Our old friend the Canal, both the hero and the villain in Peru's early history, stepped in again in 1843 to improve conditions. The Legislature passed "and act to provide for the completion of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and the payment of the Canal debt." When work began, new people came to town, warehouses and workshops were built, and things began to look bustling and businesslike.

But 1845 the town had achieved prosperity not even dreamed of three years before. A large trade had gradually been built. Farmers would come from a distance of 60, 80, or even 100 miles, their wagons loaded with produce, sell their wares here and return with loads of merchandise.

In 1847 the beginning of Peru's ice business, which for many years was the most important of Peru's industries was formed. For years of business grew and prospered, reaching its peak about the middle 1870s. At that time Peru's boats were not only known all along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, but on the Tennessee, Arkansas, and the Red Rivers as well.

In the spring of 1849, a second tragedy struck the Illinois Valley. This part of Valley suffer the worst flood known since the settlement of the country. Heavy rains in January raised the river out of its banks, overflowing the bottoms. The weather turned cold, and water froze into a huge lake of ice, which extended as far up the river as Utica. The heavy snow fell. About the first of March, there was a sudden rise in temperature, accompanied by heavy rains. Every creek, every ravine, contributed to the flood of water that ran to the swelling River, which on March 9th, with 25 feet above flood stage.

Cholera followed the flood. In April in May several citizens fell victim, and in June it suddenly assumed a malignant and virulent character. Hundreds died in a few weeks. Citizens were panic stricken, and many fled.

During this summer of 1913, residence came from miles around to watch workman data foundation of Peru's hospital on the site of a pioneer Cemetery. The 40 bed, $90,000 four-story brick structure was dedicated in May, 1914, as People's hospital. The People's hospital school of nursing open in 1914, closing 27 years later in 1941 in January, 1976, People's hospital and St. Mary's hospital LaSalle consolidated to form a new Illinois Valley Community Hospital Corporation. Two divisions were operated until June, 1979, when completion of a new addition enabled all services to be provided at the Peru's site. The fully accredited institution provides 192 beds for complete acute care and diagnostic services. It is designated as the local trauma center and is able to transfer critical patients by air from the rooftop helipad.

An original Carnegie library, Peru public library was built in 1910, through the generosity and Andrew Carnegie, on Putnam Street the earliest collection of 2000 volumes were all housed on the main floor. In 1953, the Peru historical row was opened on the top floor and the children's sections were moved to the lower level. Due to the continued growth in the book collection, the children's room was doubled in size and a store or replacement new shelves of books. In July 1983 a member of the library's Board of Directors, suggested to the city council that a new library would be a fitting tribute to Peru in honor of its 150th birthday and after 75 years, Peru has a brand-new library at the north end of Washington Park.

In 1885, Westclox began assembling clocks, watches and all sorts in Peru. By 1956 the Company had employed 4000 people. In 1965 the Company announced more of their clocks were made and sold in that year that any other company in the world. But on Feb. 7th, 1980, Westclox announced the factory close, causing a loss of jobs and by the week of Aug. 25th the last week of production was held at Westclox.

Today Peru Illinois continues to grow with the completion of two major interstates, additional rail lines and a regional airport. With a population of well over 9000 citizens, a city government that's been in place for well over 40 years led by Mayor Don Baker, it's no doubt that Peru will prosper and grow for many years to come.

The Peru Water/Wastewater Operations- The Peru Water Treatment Facility consists of 4 deep wells each approximately 3,000 feet, each capable of 1000 gallons per minute. After collection, the process continues with a Sodium Ion-Exchange process, with additives of Phosphates, Chlorines and Fluorides. Following the additives, the finished product is pumped to two 1MG Hydro-Pillars along with a 1.4MG standing reservoir for storage and distribution.

The Peru Wastewater facility currently receives residential, commercial, and industrial wastes. The facilities' processes include bar screening, grit removal, secondary treatment, and chlorination. The secondary treatment is provided by two 1.5 MGD Walker Process contact-stabilization, activated sludge units. This activated sludge process converts dissolved organic materials which are consumed by micro-organisms into cell mass. Excess cell mass (sludge) must be removed periodically. The sludge removed from the secondary treatment units is treated by a process called aerobic digestion. When the sludge is stabilized by this process, it is then ready for ultimate disposal. The City of Peru currently maintains three aerobic sludge digestion units. Two of these units are provided with the Walker secondary process units and hold 174,285 gallons each. A third digester is also located on site and consists of a converted, circa 1939, anaerobic digester. The cover was removed from this unit, and a "sparjar" aerator installed in 1969. This digester's capacity totals 337,480 gallons. The Peru facility therefore is capable of treating 686,050 gallons of aerobic sludge at once. The two smaller digester attached to the Walker secondary units are utilized in the daily wasting of sludge. The frequent air shutdown, settling, and decanting associated with the wasting procedure occurs in these units.

Aeration is constantly maintained in the large digester with air shutdown occurring infrequently, only when the decant of supernate from the top of this digester is necessary. In this mode of operation, 4% to 8% solids have been concentrated in the large unit in the past. Therefore, when sludge disposal is necessary, it is transferred from the large digester where the solids concentration is the greatest.

In 2005, Peru started receiving waste at it's brand new multi-million dollar wastewater facility built on the west side of the city to add a capacity of approximately 1.1MGD (Maximum of 3.0MGD) and to allow for the continued growth Peru has enjoyed for many years. A fully automated plant, the new wastewater facility uses aeration for material breakdown and a state-of-the-art ultra-violet disinfection system that uses light instead of chlorine to purify the effluent before discharging into the Illinois River.

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