20 Fun & Interesting Facts about Illinois

1. Illinois is where Lincoln Douglass first set out to talk about the slavery issue. It ended u stirring interest all over the country.

2. The first world class aquarium opened its doors in the Chicago area in 1885.

3. The world’s first sky scraper was commissioned, and built in the city of Chicago in 1885.

4. Chicago has a host of sports fanatics that stretch across many teams. They have the bears, the black hawks, bulls, cubs, white sox, and the fire soccer teams.

5. Mormonism did not spread to Chicago until the late 1970s in response to the Mormon acceptance they build its first temple located in Nauvoo

6. Peoria is the oldest community in the state of Illinois. It was first settled in the early 1700s

7. The tallest structure in North America, resides in Chicago the sears towers

8. Metropolis was the home of superman it was filmed out of a small city on the southern side of Illinois named the same.

9. The mounds of Cahokia were built by very sophisticated native Americans that are considered the most advanced that are north of Mexico. Their ground work has withstood thousands of years and can be seen today.

10. Before the state of Illinois could officially decide on capitol, there were two. One in Kaskaskia, and Vandalia before Springfield officially was named the capitol

11. The first football team from Chicago was originally named the Staley Bears. They were bought out, and renamed the Chicago bears in 1920.

12. Illinois was so against slavery they were the first ones to ratify the constitution amendment banning slavery in the states in 1865

13. The University of Chicago was the first higher education university to build its own fission reactor. It was built under the football stadium at the University of Chicago. It was completed in 1942

14. Des Plaines was home to the first McDonalds.

15. Springfield is home to one of the United States greatest presidents Abraham Lincoln. It is also home to his Historic boy hood home made from a simple log cabin where he taught himself to read and write.

16. Illinois has a very telling state motto it is State Sovereignty, National Union.

17. Silos, used by farmers to store grains, corn, and other products, was first invented in Illinois in the early 1860s.

18. On a off day, a Chicago cubs fan was watching a baseball game when a fly ball was hit. He caught it and kept it. The manager of the cubs was so outraged the fan would keep it he filed a claim in court to get the ball back.

19. Illinois likes to be individualized as seen with the high number of personalized plates. It has more personalized plates in the state than any other state.

20. The worst prison camp of the civil war was in Illinois. Rock island soon became known as a haven of death for the confederate soldiers that were sent there. Many would kill themselves prior to arriving because of the stories of untold horrors at the camp. None, were officially disclosed as being true but rumors persisted.