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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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