Pekin, a city and the county seat of Tazewell co., Illinois, on the left bank of the Illinois river, navigable by steamboats for eight months of the year, 55 m. N. of Springfield; pop. in 1850, 1,678; in 1860, 3,467; in 1870, 5,696; in 1875, estimated by local authorities at 8,500. The surrounding country is fertile and abounds in coal. The streets are lighted with gas and lined with shade trees. There are many elegant residences, large and costly school buildings, and a fine court house. The fair grounds are worthy of mention. The following railroads meet at this point: the Peoria, Pekin, and Jacksonville; the Indianapolis, Bloomington, and Western; the Chicago, Pekin, and Southwestern; and the Toledo, Wabash, and Western. The trade is important. There are two elevators, at which about 1,400,-000 bushels of corn are handled annually; two wholesale ice houses, shipping ice to St. Louis and to all parts of southern and central Illinois; a pork-packing establishment; the shops and offices of the Peoria, Pekin, and Jacksonville railroad; two breweries, three flour mills, two founderies, three distilleries producing 1,422,149 gallons of alcohol and highwines in 1874, and manufactories of wagons and agricultural implements.

The city contains three private banks, six hotels, graded public schools, a library, a daily and two weekly newspapers, and six churches, viz.: Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist (2), Reformed, and Roman Catholic.