The Masters of Peoria — Industrial Conspiracy Unveiled

At the turn of the 20th century, Peoria was an unrivaled industrial powerhouse. The city was dubbed the "Whiskey Capital of the World," with dozens of distilleries producing millions of gallons of alcohol, thanks to its proximity to Illinois cornfields and the river for transport. Names like Hiram Walker and American Distilling Co. dominated the landscape, creating vibrant, though sometimes controversial, wealth and culture. The Prohibition of 1920 dealt a fatal blow to this flourishing industry, although some distilleries found ways to survive by producing "medicinal" or industrial alcohol.

Concurrently, Peoria saw the emergence of another form of power: that of heavy machinery. In 1925, the merger of the Holt Manufacturing Company (founded in 1887 by Benjamin Holt, a pioneer of track-type tractors) and C. L. Best Tractor Co. gave birth to Caterpillar Tractor Co., headquartered in Peoria. This company would become a global leader in the manufacture of construction and mining equipment, leaving an indelible mark on the city and symbolizing American ingenuity and industrial strength. The fate of these two industries, one declining and the other rising, is strangely linked by Peoria's spirit of innovation.