Peoria in Peoria County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Julia Ballance House/Roanoke-Randolph Historic District

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 8, 2023

1. Julia Ballance House/Roanoke-Randolph Historic District Marker

Inscription. Julia Ballance House This house was constructed for Julia Schnebly Ballance in 1885 when she was sixty-nine years of age. Julia Schnebly came to Peoria with her parents in 1835 from Maryland. Shortly thereafter she married Charles Ballance, an early pioneer of Peoria. Charles Ballance was a lawyer, teacher, surveyor, real estate developer, mayor of Peoria, colonel of a Civil War regiment, historian and writer. Charles Ballance published the 1870 "History of Peoria". In this house built some years after her husband's death, Julia Ballance resided until her own death in 1899.

Roanoke-Randolph Historic District A portion of this street, the adjoining Roanoke Street, and a portion of Columbia Terrace were adopted as Peoria's first historic zoning district. Randolph Street represents one of Peoria's best collections of Victorian structures largely unchanged from when they were originally constructed. The photograph shows this portion of Randolph Street about 1890. The Roanoke-Randolph Historic District is a portion of the West Bluff Historic District which was entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Erected by Central Illinois Landmark Foundation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture

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• Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.

Location. 40° 42.129′ N, 89° 35.774′ W. Marker is in Peoria, Illinois, in Peoria County. Marker is on Northeast Randolph Avenue north of Hamilton Boulevard, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 240 NE Randolph Ave, Peoria IL 61606, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Pulsifer's Grove/John C. Wynd Residence (within shouting distance of this marker); The Gipps Brewing Co./The Ballance-Herschel House (within shouting distance of this marker); Armstrong Homestead (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Peoria Grain Trade / The Charles H. Feltman House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sentinel on the Bluff (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Easton Fountain (approx. 0.3 miles away); Erastus D. Hardin House (approx. 0.4 miles away); Peoria's Historic Brick Boulevard (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Peoria.

Regarding Julia Ballance House/Roanoke-Randolph Historic District. The house was later purchased by Henry Means Pindell, a widely-known Peoria publisher who was prominent in Illinois political circles. He founded the Peoria Herald (now known as the Journal Star) in 1889. Politically, Pindell was elected city treasurer,

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 8, 2023

2. Julia Ballance House/Roanoke-Randolph Historic District Marker

was a delegate to the 1908 and 1912 Democratic national conventions, and became a friend and confidante of President Woodrow Wilson. Pindell lived in the house until his death in 1924.

Also see . . . West Bluff Historic District (PDF). National Register nomination for the district, which was listed in 1976. (National Archives) (Submitted on April 10, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on April 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 10, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 126 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 10, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.