Peoria City Hall beat its counterpart in Vancouver, Washington, to claim the title of "Best City Hall" in America in a March Madness-style contest put on by Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) recently.
Peoria beat more 200 city halls in the online contest in which participants voted, commented and took selfies in front of their favorite city halls. People from around the world left comments in support of Peoria's history and architecture.
Peoria City Hall's structure is a longtime favorite of artists and camera clubs, according to the city's website. It has been acknowledged by the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Peoria garnered 59 percent of the vote to beat Vancouver. In the final week, 68,000 votes, 2,100 comments and 400 selfies about the two cities were shared. Peoria's Facebook page offers a photo album dedicated to the selfies, as well as a video called “Knope We Can,” honoring Leslie Knope, the namesake of the championship trophy.
“Winning the title of this competition is an acknowledgement of not only the civic pride in our community but also the hard work and dedication of city leaders and residents who have enjoyed this building for the last 118 years,” Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said. “City hall has stood the test of time. Some of the businesses who helped construct the building are still in business today, and it’s incredible to see the show of support from around the world.”
ELGL's inaugural contest is designed to connect people from different regions. Peoria will receive a membership in ELGL and the Leslie B. Knope Trophy.
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