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 From brassy big cities to serene small towns, Illinois has
something for everyone. At nearly 58,000 square miles, Illinois is the
25th largest state, and its 13 million residents have made it the nation’s
fifth most populous state – after California, New York, Texas and Florida.
Despite the number of people, the major industries of The Prairie State
remain agriculture (corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, barley, rye sorghum),
cattle, manufacturing and mining.
Illinois has birthed one president – Ronald Wilson Reagan, born in Tampico
on Feb. 6, 1911. He was our 40th president, serving from 1981 to 1989.
(Contrary to popular belief, President Abraham Lincoln was not born here
in “The Land of Lincoln” – Illinois’ state slogan – but in Kentucky.)
Other famous Illinoisans include Walt Disney, film animator and producer
(Chicago); Wild Bill Hickock, scout (Troy Grove); Miles Davis, musician
(Alton); Ernest Hemmingway, author (Oak Park); Mary Astor, actress
(Quincy), and Jane Addams, social worker (Cedarville).
The name Illinois comes from the word Illini, a confederation of the
Cahokia, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, Moingwena, Peoria and Tamaroa Indian
tribes. The state capital is Springfield, located midway between Chicago
and St. Louis, along the famed Route 66.
Whatever your sport, whatever your season, Illinois has a team for you,
all centrally located in the state’s powerhouse city, Chicago. Big
baseball buff? Head for Wrigley Field on the north side to see the Cubs,
or Comiskey Park on the south side for the White Sox. Ready for some hoops
action? The Bulls are six-time NBA champions. During football season, the
Bears take to Soldier Field on Lake Michigan’s north shore. And surely all
hockey fans know about the Chicago Blackhawks, one of the original six NHL
teams since 1926. After 65 years in the historic Chicago Stadium, the
Blackhawks moved to the United Center in 1994, which they share with the
Bulls.
For those who prefer their entertainment outdoors, the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources manages 262 state parks and recreational sites
located on more than 400,000 acres of land. These sites represent the
beauty and diversity of Illinois, from its rolling grasslands and
woodlands to its craggy ravines and beautiful waterways. The state’s
biggest park is the Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area. The park
overlooks the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 19,000-acre Rend Lake
Reservoir, and is the hands-down favorite of people who like water sports,
hunting, horseback riding, camping, picnicking, hiking or any other
outdoor recreation. Bird enthusiasts flock to Wayne Fitzgerrell to see the
great blue heron, American bald eagle and the red-tailed hawk, among
others.
Links:
Anderson Gardens
Lincoln Highway
Sears Tower Skydeck
Hancock Observatory
The Magnificent Mile
Great River Road
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum
Route 66
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows
Rend Lake
State Bird: Cardinal
State Flower: Illinois native (purple) violet
State Tree: White oak
State Grass: Big bluestem
State Mammal: White-tailed deer
State Fish: Bluegill
State Motto: “State sovereignty, national union”
State Slogan: “Land of Lincoln”
State Insect: Monarch butterfly
State Fossil: Tully Monster
State Mineral: Fluorite
State Song: “Illinois”
Statehood: December 3, 1818, the 21st state
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