PEORIA MAGAZINE August 2023
H O M E T O W N
‘WEST BLUFF, BEST BLUFF’ One of Peoria’s most iconic neighborhoods is energized by its progress and emboldened by its potential, among some challenges
BY SCOTT FISHEL PHOTOS BY RON JOHNSON
A mural on the east side of One World Café sums up how many residents of Peoria’s West Bluff feel about their neighborhood: “West Bluff, Best Bluff.” It’s certainly the sentiment of the mural’s creator, Jessica McGhee, who has owned a business, lived and made art in this community for decades. McGhee currently lives in West Peoria, but she visits the West Bluff almost daily for walks in upper Bradley Park. She is not shy about sharing where her heart lies. “I love the West Bluff!” she says with out prompting. So much so that she is leasing studio space on West Main Street for her online jewelry business, Hey Lola Art Co. She’s been a vocal advocate for the neighborhood since the 1990s.
McGhee’s enthusiasm is not uncom mon among West Bluffers, but even after years of renewal efforts, there are still challenges. Rough-and-tumble West Main runs through the heart of the neighborhood, while High Street and Moss Avenue, with their historic homes, cling to the southern edge. Depending on the map, the city within a city is bordered by Nebraska and McClure Avenues on the north, Knoxville Avenue (including the historic Roanoke-Ran dolph District) on the east, and West ern Avenue on the west. THE GEM ON THE HILLTOP Bradley University draws thousands to the West Bluff daily, be it faculty and staff or 4,000-plus students from around the world. The 87-acre campus is steeped in tradition, home to numerous
Jessica McGhee works on one of her murals on a wall of One World Café
70 JULY 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online