summer of 2021. Education Schools serving Peru include: Elementary schools Peru Public Schools Peru Catholic School LaSalle-Peru Christian School High schools LaSalle-Peru Township High School St. Bede Academy LaSalle-Peru Christian School Transportation The city operates Illinois Valley Regional Airport. Notable people John Virginius Bennes, architect William P. Bettendorf and Joseph W. Bettendorf, industrialists Zez Confrey, composer and pianist Franklin Corwin, US congressman Grenville Dodge, Civil War General and Transcontinental Railroad Constructor Gary G. Dahl, politician Mike Goff, offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs Ken Gorgal, halfback for the Green Bay Packers Charles F. Gunther, inventor of the caramel J. A. Happ, professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals Wilhelmina Kott, oldest person ever from Illinois; born in Peru Donold Lourie, businessman, government official, and college football player Thomas Lynch, pitcher for the 19th-century Chicago White Stockings; born in Peru Russ Meyer, pitcher for six Major League Baseball teams Esther Hobart Morris, first woman justice of the peace in United States; served in Wyoming Maud Powell, world-renowned violinist and recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award; born in Peru, she gave her first performance at Turn Hall and has been honored with a statue in her home town Thomas E. G. Ransom, Civil War general, lived in Peru Howard C. Ryan, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court William Donald Scherzer, inventor of the Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridges Joseph P. Stremlau, farmer and Illinois state legislator Stuart Streuver, archaeologist and anthropologist Frank Vlastnik, theater and television actor References External links City website Cities in LaSalle County, Illinois Populated places established in 1838 1838 establishments in Illinois Cities in Illinois Ottawa, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area