Peoria

Peoria, Illinois (named after the Peoria tribe) is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 112,936. The Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 369,161 in 2005. Peoria has become famous as a representation of the average American city because of its demographics and its perceived mainstream Midwest culture. On the Vaudeville circuit, it was said that if an act would succeed in Peoria, it would work anywhere. The question "Will it play in Peoria?" has now become a metaphor for whether something appeals to the American mainstream public, and Peoria is often used as a test market for new product, services, and public policy polling. Peoria is also headquarters for Caterpillar Inc., one of the 30 companies composing the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Peoria is one of the oldest settlements in Illinois, much older than Chicago, as explorers first... full article at wikipedia