Peru, Illinois
Peru is a city of 9,775 people in Bureau County, Illinois, founded in 1838.
Why visit Peru
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 48 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge, AMC Classic Peru Mall 8, Hegeler Carus Mansion and Hotel Kaskaskia.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 28 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Peru
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Peru
Peru is a city in LaSalle and Bureau counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,896 at the 2020 census, down from 10,295 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Peru and its twin city, LaSalle, make up the core of Illinois Valley.
From the Wikipedia article Peru, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Bridge
Bridge · 3.9 mi
Bridge in Illinois and Oglesby, Illinois
LaSalle Rail Bridge
Bridge · 3.8 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Shippingsport Bridge
Bridge · 3.8 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Museums and landmarks6
Hegeler Carus Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Large house in LaSalle, Illinois, USA
Hotel Kaskaskia
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic building in LaSalle, Illinois, US
Julius W. Hegeler I House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
LaSalle City Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Rathaus in LaSalle, United States of America
LaSalle Downtown Commercial District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
LaSalle Professional Center
Monument and historic site · 2.9 mi
241 Marquette Street, LaSalle
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
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1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes48
Four Star Family Restaurant - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Restaurant · American, Breakfast · 0.8 mi
Welcome to Four Star Family Restaurant in Peru, IL, your go-to spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner & dessert. For over 40 years, we've...
1270 May Rd, Peru
Mo-Su 06:00-21:00
House of Hunan
Restaurant · Chinese · 2.0 mi
2718 4th Street, Peru
Su-Tu, Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:30
Rawfully Yours
Restaurant · 2.9 mi
527 1st Street, LaSalle
Tu 10:00-17:00; We-Fr 10:00-18:00; Su 10:00-16:00
Twisty Freeze
Ice cream · 2.5 mi
1201 Saint Vincents Avenue, LaSalle
Mo-Th, Su 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
4th Street Bakery & Cafe
Bakery · 2.2 mi
1255 4th Street, Peru
Mo-We, Fr-Sa 06:00-14:00
36 more on the map.
History
The city's first settler was John Hays, who arrived in 1830. The city was organized as a borough in 1838, incorporated as a village February 25, 1845, and incorporated as a city on March 13, 1851. The original plat was between West Street, 4th Street, and East Street (now Pine Street).
From the History section of Peru, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Quality Inn Peru near Starved Rock State Park
Motel and hotel · 1.0 mi
5240 Trompeter Road, Peru
Churches and places of worship21
Shopping17
Gas and EV charging11
Schools, colleges and libraries33
Healthcare6
Map of Peru
166 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 14°F | 1.8 in | 8.6 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 18°F | 1.8 in | 5.5 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 27°F | 2.3 in | 4.0 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 3.8 in | 0.6 in |
| May | 72°F | 49°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 41°F | 3.5 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 2.7 in | 0.9 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 20°F | 2.1 in | 8.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Peru (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Bureau County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-10-03: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Illinois Valley Regional Airport (VYS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- LaSalle 3 mi southeast, about 4 min by car
- Spring Valley 3 mi southwest, about 5 min by car
- Ladd 4 mi northwest, about 7 min by car
- Oglesby 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- North Utica 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Granville 8 mi southwest, about 13 min by car
- Mendota 14 mi north, about 22 min by car
- Ottawa 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Princeton 17 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Earlville 19 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- LaSalleIL JuliusWHegelerIHouse, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- LaSalleIL HotelKaskaskia, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ASalle Downtown Commercial District, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- LaSalleIL CityBuilding, User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hegeler-Carus Mansion (8765254143), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- LaSalle Rail Bridge, Martin Stupich, Public domain
- I-39lincolnbridge1, Lpangelrob at en.wikipedia, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.