North Eighth Street Plaza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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North Eighth Street Plaza
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1500-1532 N. Eighth St., Pekin, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1950 |
| NRHP reference No. | 15000226 |
| Added to NRHP | May 18, 2015 |
The North Eighth Street Plaza is a special shopping center in Pekin, Illinois. It's located at 1500-1532 North Eighth Street. This plaza is known for its history as one of the first shopping centers of its kind.
Contents
A Look at North Eighth Street Plaza's History
Building the First Strip Mall
Orfeo Gianessi built the North Eighth Street Plaza in 1950. At that time, it was just outside the main part of Pekin. This plaza was the very first "strip mall" in the Pekin area.
The Rise of Car Culture
The North Eighth Street Plaza was built after World War II. It showed how important cars were becoming. The plaza was designed to attract people driving on Eighth Street. Before this, most shops relied on people walking by.
An Early Shopping Center
This shopping center is one of the oldest strip malls in all of Illinois. It was even built before any strip malls appeared in the bigger city of Peoria. Today, there are over 60,000 strip malls across the United States.
What a Strip Mall Looks Like
The design of the North Eighth Street Plaza is typical for early strip malls. It has a single story with a straight row of shops connected together. This simple design is still how many strip malls look today.
A Place in History
Because of its importance, the North Eighth Street Plaza was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on May 18, 2015. Being on this list means it's a special place worth preserving.
