Illinois Vacation Guide System
Illinois Fun Facts
Capital: Springfield
State abbreviation/Postal code: Ill./IL
Governor: Patrick Quinn, D (to Jan. 2015)Lieut. Governor: Sheila Simon, D (to Jan. 2015)
Senators: Richard J. Durbin, D (to Jan. 2015); Mark Kirk, R (to Jan. 2017)
U.S. Representatives: 19
Historical biographies of Congressional members
Atty. General: Lisa Madigan, D (to Jan. 2015)
Secy. of State: Jesse White, D (to Jan. 2015)
Treasurer: Dan Rutherford, R (to Jan. 2015)
Organized as territory: Feb. 3, 1809
Entered Union (rank): Dec. 3, 1818 (21)
Present constitution adopted: 1970
Motto: State sovereignty, national union
State symbols:
| flower | violet (1908) |
| tree | white oak (1973) |
| bird | cardinal (1929) |
| animal | white-tailed deer (1982) |
| fish | bluegill (1987) |
| insect | monarch butterfly (1975) |
| song | “Illinois” (1925) |
| mineral | fluorite (1965) |
Nickname: Prairie State
Origin of name: Algonquin for “tribe of superior men”
10 largest cities (2005 est.): Chicago, 2,842,518; Aurora, 168,181; Rockford, 152,916; Naperville, 141,579; Joliet, 136,208; Springfield, 115,668; Peoria, 112,685; Elgin, 98,645; Waukegan, 91,396; Cicero, 82,741
Land area: 55,584 sq mi. (143,963 sq km)
Geographic center: In Logan Co., 28 mi. NE of Springfield
Number of counties: 102
Largest county by population and area: Cook, 5,303,683 (2005); McLean, 1,184 sq mi.
Public use areas: 186 (275,000 ac.), incl. state parks, memorials, forests and conservation areas
Residents: Illinoisan
2005 resident population est.: 12,763,371
2000 resident census population (rank): 12,419,293 (5). Male: 6,080,336 (49.0%); Female: 6,338,957 (51.0%). White: 9,125,471 (73.5%); Black: 1,876,875 (15.1%); American Indian: 31,006 (0.2%); Asian: 423,603 (3.4%); Other race: 722,712 (5.8%); Two or more races: 235,016 (1.9%); Hispanic/Latino: 1,530,262 (12.3%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 73.9; 65 and over: 12.1; median age: 34.7.
The state of Illinois has some of the nation's finest
museums, numbering in the hundreds.
Many of them are world famous; others are well-kept secrets, yet
offer visitors fascinating information, excitement, and entertainment.
Central Illinois is noted for shrines and memorials associated with the life of Abraham Lincoln. In Springfield are the Lincoln Home, the Lincoln Tomb, and the restored Old State Capitol. Other points of interest are the home of Mormon leader Joseph Smith in Nauvoo and, in Chicago: the Art Institute, Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Merchandise Mart, and Chicago Portage National Historic Site.
Some interesting facts about Illinois:
- The first Aquarium opened in Chicago, 1893.
- The world's first Skyscraper was built in Chicago, 1885.
- Home to the Chicago Bears Football Team, Chicago Blackhawks hockey team, Chicago Bulls basketball team, Chicago Cubs and Chicago Whitesox baseball teams, Chicago Fire soccer team.
- The first Mormon Temple in Illinois was constructed in Nauvoo.
- The Sears Tower, Chicago is the tallest building on
the North American continent.
- Metropolis the home of Superman really exists in
Southern Illinois.
- Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site--most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico
- Illinois was the first state to ratify the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery. 1865
- Des Plaines is home to the first McDonald's.
- Dixon is the boyhood home of President Ronald Reagan.
- Before Abraham Lincoln was elected president he served in the Illinois legislature and practiced law in Springfield. Abraham Lincoln is buried just outside Springfield at Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site.
- Ronald Wilson Regan from Tampico became the 40th president of the United States in 1980.
- Comedy showcase "Second City" was founded on North Wells Street in a former Chinese laundry in 1959
- The Chicago Public Library is the world's largest public library with a collection of more than 2 million books.
- The Chicago Post Office at 433 West Van Buren is the only postal facility in the world you can drive a car through.
- The Chicago River is dyed green on Saint Patrick's Day.
- The world's largest cookie and cracker factory, where Nabisco made 16 billion Oreo cookies in 1995, is located in Chicago.
- Chicago's Mercantile Exchange building was built entirely without an internal steel skeleton, as most skyscrapers; it depends on its thick walls to keep itself up
- The round Silo for farm storage of silage was first constructed on a farm in Spring Grove.
- Chicago is home to the Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station, the only buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire.
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