PEORIA MAGAZINE December 2022

H O M E T O W N

OPPORTUNISTIC OTTAWA The present embraces the past in scenic, historic river town

BY SCOTT FISHEL PHOTO BY RON JOHNSON

The view from Allen Park shows the two merging rivers of the Fox and Illinois under the Veterans Memorial Bridge

The St. Genevieve is moored under the Veterans Memorial Bridge along the Illinois River in Ottawa

O ttawa has been called one of the “10 small towns in Illinois that offer nothing but peace and quiet.” That’s a curious take on the city of more than 18,000 next door to the thriving Starved Rock corridor, both of which have reinvented themselves to become popular destinations of work and play. Indeed, Ottawa is, and has been for more than a century, a hub of manufacturing, transportation and commerce situated about an hour’s drive north of Peoria and some 85 miles southwest of Chicago, with busy

Interstate 80, rail and water connecting the community to global markets. During the week, more than 6,000 commuters invade this community at the confluence of the scenic Illinois and Fox Rivers for jobs. Thousands more may arrive on weekends for entertainment, dining and historical tourism. It’s a combination that fuels progress and optimism in all quarters. “We’ve got something going on all the time,” saidOttawaMayor Daniel Aussem as he ticked through a list of industrial developments, family-friendly festivals, residential construction projects, riverfront attractions and outdoor

destinations that continue to shape his hometown. A TALE OF TWO RIVERS At any given time along the banks of the two waterways, residents and visitors might find a BBQ competition, marathon road race, car show, fireworks display, wine and art festival or the annual Chris Kringle Christmas market, to name just a few. Mayor Aussem said a $4 million grant is earmarked for new festival and concert venues on the riverfront, part of a much grander plan to attract people to the water’s edge.

76 DECEMBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE