PEORIA MAGAZINE October 2022

“I called my husband, Andy, and told him to come over and see the house. He walked in, looked up at the staircase and said, ‘Well, shoot. I just pictured the girls walking down the stairs on their way to prom.’ Years later, our oldest daughter did walk down that staircase on her way to prom, and Andy was there at the bottom with tears in his eyes.”

someone next door, when in fact they live six blocks away. We’re all neighbors here. It’s just the kind of community it is.” Wagner was in her 20s when she moved to The Knolls with her husband and two daughters, and ended up raising four children there. “When we moved in 58 years ago, there weren’t a lot of young families,” she said. “That has definitely changed.” Miller agreed. “Thirteen years ago, our girls were seven and four, and we were one of the few families in The Knollswith kids. Now, the neighborhood is full of them.” FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Miller andMedendorp talk about the “patio parties” that the neighbors used to have. “A few of the homeowners would open up their patios and you’d walk fromone to another, enjoying some drinks and conversation. But as more and more families with children moved into the neighborhood, that became a less-than ideal activity.” Thosepatiopartieshavebeenreplaced by more family-friendly activities, thanks to a strong and involved Knolls Homeowner’s Association. “We have a Fourth of July party and parade, a Halloween parade, and caroling around the holidays, to name a few,” saidMiller. “We try to do something every quarter.” Also a big hit with the kids are the strategically placed “islands” throughout

theneighborhood, grassy common areas that seem to beg for a pick-up baseball game, family picnic or a gathering of friends. “All the islands have names,” said Miller. “Baseball Island, Redbud Island, Rocky Island and No-Name Island – I’ve often thought we should have a contest to name that one!”

Suzanne Miller's current home, built in 1937

“People who move here tend to stay here,” saidMedendorp. “If they outgrow a house, they might build on or move to a bigger house in the neighborhood. Or if they’ve gotten older and can no longer climb stairs, they’ll move into a ranch down the street. “There’s not a lot of turnover,” he continued, “and if someone does leave, it’s usually because they’re transferring with their job or moving to a retirement facility.” Margie Wagner lived on Crestwood Drive in The Knolls for 58 years until moving to Bueller Home this year. She served on the Homeowners Association Board of Directors for more than 20 years and was chairwoman of the Beautification Committee for 15 years, charged with the landscaping on the four islands and 14 “points,” where common land and streets intersect. “It’s just such a neat area. There’s no other place like it and the houses are all so unique,” Wagner said. “But what makes it so special are the people – your neighbors. It’s funny, I can mention a neighbor and you might think it’s

On any given day after school, you’ll see kids and adults alike enjoying these mini-parks until the sun sets. Homeowners in The Knolls are passionate about their neighborhood, from the one-of-a-kind homes they impeccably maintain to the close-knit community they’ve cultivated over decades. Impressively unique in both residents and residences, TheKnolls is an enviable neighborhood for anyone looking to put down roots and experience the type of close-knit community that these days can be hard to find.

Amy Talcott is a senior marketing and communications analyst at RLI Corp. and a freelance writer

OCTOBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE 45