History of the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception

1693: The Catholic faith first arrived into what is now Peoria with the establishment of the Mission of the Immaculate Conception by Fr. Gravier.
August 13, 1842: Rev. John Blaise Raho purchased a lot between Madison and Jefferson Street for $100.
January 1845: Rev. John Drew was appointed the first pastor of Peoria.
June 1, 1845: Rev. Louis Parodi, C.M., laid the cornerstone for the first Peoria parish church dedicated to St. John the Apostle and Evangelist under the patronage of St. Philomena. It is a small one-story brick building, twenty-eight by sixty feet. The church was eventually merged into St. Mary’s.
1846: The faithful organized the parish of St. Mary.
June 16, 1851: Rev. Alphonse Montouri, C.M., laid the cornerstone of the new St. Mary Church on the corner of Eaton (now Bryan) and Jefferson Street, replacing the old small church.
July 4, 1852: The first services in St. Mary parish church were held, and it was later named the first cathedral of the new diocese in 1875.
May 13, 1858: After the church's tower had been demolished by a storm, a new brick tower with four small spires on the corners was erected. At that time, there were about 2,000 members of St. Mary Parish.
February 12, 1875: Due to the rapid growth of the Church in Central Illinois, Pope Bl. Pius IX erected a new diocese of Peoria encompassing territory from the Mississippi River to the Indiana border. Peoria was chosen as the see city. The diocese was one of forty others he established in the United States.
May 22, 1877: Bishop John L. Spalding was installed as the first Bishop of Peoria. Rev. Benedict J. Spalding, the Bishop's brother, became the pastor of St. Mary Church.
June 19, 1883: Bishop Spalding purchased a lot on the corner of Madison and Green Street for $6,500, assuming a $2,500 mortgage on the property.
September 27, 1884: Peoria Architect Casper Mehler submitted plans for a new Gothic stone church.
April 8, 1885: A contract was signed between Schnell and the two Spalding brothers (Bishop and Fr. Ben).
May 15, 1885: The first stone of the building was laid.
June 28, 1885: Bishop Spalding laid the cornerstone for the new Cathedral in Peoria. Rev. Ben Spalding, the pastor of St. Mary, personally directed and supervised the building of the Cathedral.
October 1885: Peoria Steam Marble Works installed 14 highly polished Barre Vermont Granite columns. They were 28 ft 8” tall and 20” in diameter, with each column costing $3,650.
December 29, 1885: Sandmeyer Hardware Co. of Peoria made the crosses for the Cathedral spires.
1886: Rev. Ben Spalding became ill. The work on the Cathedral slowed down considerably as he left for his home in Kentucky due to his health.
1887:The rectory next to the Cathedral was being veneered with the same stone as the Cathedral.
November 28, 1887: Rev. Ben Spalding died at the age of 38 due to a lung disease and overwork.
1888: The sacristy was finished and used as a chapel for daily Masses, while the old St. Mary's was still used on Sundays. The painting of the Crucifixion from the old St. Mary's was installed above the main altar in the new Cathedral.
October 26, 1888: Stained-glass windows were installed by a Chicago company.
March 25, 1889: Pews were put in the new Cathedral. The flooring, sanctuary, and communion rail were all made out of wood. The church was lit by candles and gas lights.
May 15, 1889: Exactly four years after the first stone had been laid, the new Cathedral was solemnly dedicated.
August 26, 1898: After the old St. Mary's was torn down, its bell was placed in the South Tower of the new Cathedral. The bell was cast in Troy, NY, in 1884.
1906: A new white-marble communion rail, steps, and two angels were donated by Mrs. Henebery.
1913: Bishop Edmund M. Dunne redecorated the Cathedral for Archbishop Spalding’s Golden Jubilee: three marble altars and two new stained-glass windows depicting the Life of Mary were installed.
Summer 1914: The remaining 10 windows, done by a Chicago artist Mr. Lascelles, were installed in the nave. All windows were donated by priests of the Diocese.
December 1930: Bishop Joseph H. Schlarman corresponded with Ralph A. Cram, an expert on Gothic design, on the thorough renovation of the Cathedral.
January 1931: Architect Cram made sketches for the restoration.
1932-1933: A severe economic crisis in the country delayed the renovation of the Cathedral.
January 1934: Bishop Schlarman’s renovation called “Redemption” began. St. Louis Architect Victor J. Klutho designed the Sienna Travertine Marble tile floor in the sanctuary along with the choir stalls and pews.
March 1935: Watson Engineering Co. of Peoria, IL, installed new capitals on the Cathedral’s twelve granite columns for better proportion.
May 1935: Kaletta Statuary Co. completed the laying of the sanctuary floor made of Sienna Travertine.
December 24, 1935: Sixteen large and twelve small unique lanterns designed by Ralph A. Cram and made by the Kinsley & Mahler Co. of Peoria were installed. A new cooling system donated by Mr. H. Dox was installed, and it served until 1986.
May 1936: Wilbur H. Burnham was commissioned to do all stained-glass work for the Cathedral.
Fall 1936: Construction of the Lady Chapel, the narthex, stairs, and two galleries was completed.
February 3, 1937: A new organ was dedicated to the memory of Bishop Spalding and Bishop Dunne. Fr. Lyford Kern and Dom Ermin Vitry, OSB, personally supervised the construction of the organ at the Wicks Factory in Highland, IL.
October 1937: The Great Rose Window and new huge wooden entrance doors were installed.
December 8, 1937: Bishop Schlarman privately dedicated the Lady Chapel and erected the Stations of the Cross there.
1937: Mr. Schiller restored the painting of the Crucifixion.
April 1938: A throne for the Bishop, donated by clergy, was installed in the sanctuary of the Cathedral. A new bronze, triple gold-plated sanctuary lamp was installed. The old wooden pulpit that hung from the second column was cut down to a smaller size and placed on the sanctuary floor. The Cathedral spires were repaired by the Val Jobst Co. of Peoria. The new stained-glass windows of St. Thomas More Chapel were all in place, and the frescoing of the sanctuary was complete.
November 24, 1938: Four remodeled altars were consecrated.
November 1939: Present windows in the nave and a new sound system were installed.
September 1941: Frescoing of St. Thomas More Chapel completed the extensive “Redemption” renovation under the personal supervision of Bishop Schlarman.
1953: Bishop Cousins redecorated the sanctuary and the nave, pews were restored, and the painting of the Crucifixion was replaced with a hand-carved crucifix.
August 1955: The original crosses on the Cathedral spires were replaced with two shining golden crosses.
1964: Both spires were being repaired and painted by the Harry Geisert Co. of Breese, IL.
April-September 1969: Dwight Roofing Co. replaced all metal and wood on the spires with all new copper. All wooden window frames on the spires were replaced.
October 1969: A new heating system was installed by McQuellon’s Heating Co. of Peoria, IL.
April 1973: Peoria Thermal Co. installed new air-conditioning units in the Cathedral.
November 1973: Jenkins Organ Co. of East Peoria, IL, completely cleaned the Cathedral organ and replaced its parts.
May 1975: At the cost of $11,850, the Cathedral organ was totally redone by the Schlicker Organ Co. of New York.
1979: The Cathedral spires were now illuminated.
1980: Sixteen window frames of both towers were replaced.
1986: Bishop O’Rourke renovated the Cathedral. The Lady Chapel was transformed into a Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
1986: The marble communion rail was used for a new altar and ambo. The painting of the Crucifixion was re-installed above the main altar. The outside of the church was completely renovated, and a ramp for the handicapped was added on the north side.
1988: The Cathedral was re-dedicated.
Spring 2002: Bishop Jenky moved the tabernacle back to the sanctuary. The gold-leafed triptych of Bishop Schlarman returned to the Lady Chapel.
Fall 2004: St. Thomas More Chapel was transformed into a Cathedral Collection of Relics.
2005: The Cathedra (Bishop’s Chair), sanctuary, and pews were restored.
2006: Restored traditional Stations of the Cross were installed in the nave, and St. Joseph’s Altar was remodeled.
2007: On the 130th anniversary of the arrival of our First Bishop John L. Spalding, the diocese was rededicated under the patronage of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Her image was solemnly enthroned by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, C.S.C., in a gilded triptych in the Lady Chapel.
2016: After nearly two years of outside repairs, a historic restoration of the cathedral was completed by the Daprato-Rigali Studios of Chicago. The church once again featured deep colors with a new golden dome, starry sky, various murals, renovated altars, and much rediscovered beauty of the Mother-church of the diocese and Peoria landmark.