A Trip back in Time

On a recent outing with fellow photographer Stephen Beatty I ventured down south to the Wheels O'Time museum in Dunlap, just outside of Peoria, IL. For those who don't know about it this is a museum devoted to saving, restoring, and displaying odd bits of  Illinois history as well as things of a national interest. Begun in 1977 it's open six months out of the year and staffed entirely by volunteer labor.

They have four buildings chock full of items from our area including some rare examples of local automotive history, a 1925 Velie built in Moline by the grandson of John Deere, a 1917 Glide built by the Bartholomew co, of East Peoria, a 1917 Gem built by Charles Duryea and still more. There's a trimotor aircraft hanging from the ceiling, several displays of motorized railroad models from the Peoria area all set up to be made to move at the touch of a button.

Their largest display by far is the locomotive, tender, and train cars sitting alongside the main building. It, too, is set up so you can climb a platform and step into the cab, blow the whistle, ring the bell and pretend you're at the throttle, pulling an express down the line. My trip was cut short the day i was there and I had to leave before I was finished. So expect to see another post sometime in the near future with a bunch more photo's.

The museum is located on Route 40 on the outskirts of Peoria and there is a donation of $7.00 for admission for adults and $ 3.50 for ages 3-11, well worth the price. So if you ever find yourself bored on a weekend or the kids are bugging you to go do something, consider a trip back in Time.