Peoria is the oldest European settlement in Illinois, and its rich history dates back to 1680 when French explorers ventured up the Illinois River from the Mississippi River and discovered fertile lands on the banks. They established small camps which would grow into what is now modern-day Peoria, a medium-sized city with a distinct history and culture that is depicted in this bird's eye perspective by Prussian-born cartographer and lithographer Alber Ruger. Ruger was an early pioneer of the form and remains one of the most influential figures in the history of nineteenth-century American cartographical development.

His works bear a unique style and distinctive aesthetic that would influence numerous American cartographers who would continue to produce panoramic maps until the 1920s. Ruger's bird's eye perspectives were designed to attract residents and merchants alike and served as marketing materials to promote prominent civic features, educational institutions, religious communities, as well as natural enticements. Produced only two years after the conclusion of the American Civil War, this depiction of Peoria shows the city in a period of considerable growth as Southern Americans flocked to the Midwest, eager for economic opportunities in new mills and manufacturing facilities as the industrial revolution continued to expand across the United States. 

The distinctive aesthetic and unique style of panoramic maps immediately transports the viewer back in time, creating a link between the present and the past. Peoria maintains a diverse history and has remained one of the most iconic cities in the American Midwest.

Peoria is the oldest European settlement in Illinois, and its rich history dates back to 1680 when French explorers ventured up the Illinois River from the Mississippi River and discovered fertile lands on the banks. They established small camps which would grow into what is now modern-day Peoria, a medium-sized city with a distinct history and culture that is depicted in this bird's eye perspective by Prussian-born cartographer and lithographer Alber Ruger. Ruger was an early pioneer of the form and remains one of the most influential figures in the history of nineteenth-century American cartographical development.

His works bear a unique style and distinctive aesthetic that would influence numerous American cartographers who would continue to produce panoramic maps until the 1920s. Ruger's bird's eye perspectives were designed to attract residents and merchants alike and served as marketing materials to promote prominent civic features, educational institutions, religious communities, as well as natural enticements. Produced only two years after the conclusion of the American Civil War, this depiction of Peoria shows the city in a period of considerable growth as Southern Americans flocked to the Midwest, eager for economic opportunities in new mills and manufacturing facilities as the industrial revolution continued to expand across the United States. 

The distinctive aesthetic and unique style of panoramic maps immediately transports the viewer back in time, creating a link between the present and the past. Peoria maintains a diverse history and has remained one of the most iconic cities in the American Midwest.