EAST PEORIA ( 25News Now ) - City officials in East Peoria gathered on Thursday for the dedication of a new Illinois State Historical Marker.

The plaque honors Camp Herring, which was used in World War I to train military personnel on how to use tractors.

In 1917, Murray Baker, the Vice President of Holt Manufacturing, laid out a contract to sell U.S. Military Hot Tractors that were made in East Peoria.

Due to the contract, Camp Herring was established near the current day Caterpillar Building KK.

Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman said that the contract that Baker orchestrated was the foundation on which the City of East Peoria was built.

“This Military contract brought a major boost in industry to this region and to this city,” Ackerman said. “It has really developed East Peoria

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