50 Interesting & Fun Facts About Illinois State Visual Story

By Gabrielle T

Introduction

50 Interesting & Fun Facts About Illinois State Visual Story

There are hundreds of interesting and fun facts about Illinois state that many people don't...

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Illinois Fun Facts

CATEGORY 1 - FACT 1

It was the 21st state

One of the first state facts about Illinois you need to know is when it...

CATEGORY 1 - FACT 2

Chicago O'Hare International Airport is a major hub

O'Hare International Airport is the more popular of the two major airports in the Chicago...

flowertiare/Depositphotos.com

CATEGORY 1 - FACT 3

It's where Abraham Lincoln got into politics

Illinois is known as the "Land of Lincoln," yet he only lived in the state...

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Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States

Chicago is the largest city in Illinois and the third-largest city in the United States...

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Lincoln gave a speech at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, IL

History fans likely know that Abraham Lincoln was one of history's most ethical and moral...

CATEGORY 1 - FACT 6

The Walt Disney Birthplace Home can be visited in Chicago, IL

One of the least well-known fun facts about Illinois is that it's the state where...

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Dixon, Illinois, is the location of the Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home

Before Ronald Reagan was a Hollywood star and the 40th US president, he was just...

wasppics/Depositphotos.com

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The Illinois population decreased from 2021 to 2022

From 2021 to 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois population lost just...

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Downers Grove, a Chicago suburb, is a hub of DIY homes

Though its popularity has dramatically decreased, Sears used to be a major supplier of everything...

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The ice cream sundae legal loophole

Some people like to say that Illinois is the birthplace of the ice cream sundae...

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Hillary Clinton called Illinois home

Here is another First Lady-related entry on this list of facts about the state of...

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The demolished Home Insurance Building in Chicago was an early skyscraper

Though it's no longer standing, the Home Insurance Building in Chicago was, at the time...

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Robert Pershing Wadlow was bornin Alton, Illinois

Though there are many tall people in the world today, none have ever managed to...

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The capital of Illinois is Springfield

Chicago might be the largest city in the state, but its capital is in central...

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Illinois had three state seals

Every state in the USA has a state seal used on official documents and buildings...

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Interesting Facts About Illinois

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The Chicago metropolitan area covers 14 counties

Typically, when people talk about Chicago's counties, they refer to Cook County. That's where the...

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Chicago, Illinois, was the birthplace of First Lady Michelle Obama

While Reagan may have been the only US president born in Illinois, the same can't...

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One part of Illinois is bordered by the Ohio River

Southern Illinois is bordered by the Ohio River. It's also the starting place of the...

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The Chicago Public Library has 81 locations

The Chicago Public Library circulates over ten million books per year across its 81 branches...

jbyard/Depositphotos.com

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Jolliet, Illinois, is where Dairy Queen started

One of the little-known interesting facts of Illinois is that it's the birthplace of Dairy...

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The state is covered by Lake Michigan

Lake Michigan is a special place for many Illinois locals. As a major body of...

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Chicago, IL, has renowned resources for learning world history

Chicago is a cultural hub for art and history. The city takes so much pride...

bloodua/Depositphotos.com

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You might be able to find gold in the rivers here

If you find yourself on the banks of the Mississippi or Ohio rivers in Illinois...

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The Illinois River flows into the Mississippi

One of the most interesting facts on Illinois involves two of the state's rivers. Both...

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It's also called the "Prairie State"

Most people are familiar with the Illinois state nickname, the "Land of Lincoln." However, it's...

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The Chicago River turns green annually

The Chicago River is one of the most popular landmarks in the city. Once a...

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Illinois contains most of the Mississippi River

The Mississippi River flows through ten different states. Its flow starts in Minnesota and ends...

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The state has a historic post office

Galena isn't just known for its mining history. It's also home to one of the...

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Galena once had the largest population in the state

Today, Galena, Illinois, is known for being a quaint, picturesque town in the state's western...

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Don't call it the Willis Tower

For 28 years, the Sears Tower was the tallest building in the world. Since 1998...

filedimage/Depositphotos.com

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Facts About Illinois History

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Many formerly enslaved African Americans moved to Illinois

After the Civil War, many formerly enslaved people left the South to find a better...

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Native Americans created a confederation in Illinois

Before settlers came to Illinois, 13 Native American tribes were located in the state's territory...

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No Civil War battles were fought in Illinois

As part of the Union, Illinois was deeply involved in the Civil War. Yet, you...

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Artifacts in the area date back ten thousand years

Europeans have only been in Illinois for the last 300 years, but populations in the...

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Explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet were the first Europeans in Illinois

Marquette and Joliet were a pair of French explorers responsible for mapping out much of...

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Creepy Facts About Illinois

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H. H. Holmes terrorized Chicago

In 1893, Chicago was swarmed with visitors attending the World's Fair. At that same time...

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Galena has been haunted since the 1800s

Most lists of Illinois facts and history seem to forget that Galena is one of...

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There's an abandoned asylum still standing

Stories of the Peoria State Hospital have swirled around the city since its construction in...

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Floods created ghost towns

Many states have ghost towns, but Illinois has a particularly large collection. Since the state...

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It could be scary to get your mail

For a few weeks in 2002, if you lived in the Midwest, getting your mail...

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Weird Facts About Illinois

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Illinois produces a lot of nuclear energy

Many people don't think about where their energy comes from. While different sources allow individuals...

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The state is home to the largest bakery in the world

If you've ever been in a grocery store cookie aisle, you're probably familiar with Nabisco...

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A metal bean is a famous landmark

One of the weird facts about Illinois is that one of Chicago's biggest tourist sites...

Ffooter/Depositphotos.com

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Chicago railroad tracks are set on fire

As a big city, public transportation is necessary to get around Chicago. Many people take...

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There are a lot of personalized license plates

Getting a personalized license plate for your car is a unique way to set yourself...

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Cool Facts About Illinois

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It's the starting point of Route 66

Regarding cool facts about Illinois, its relationship with historic Route 66 deserves to be at...

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Illinois means "men" and "warriors"

Illinois gets its name from 2 languages. The current spelling and pronunciation come from the...

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Aurora is the "City of Lights"

Aurora is an often unknown city to most people outside of Illinois. It gained some...

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Three-quarters of the state is farmland

The Midwest is known for its farmland, and Illinois is no different. It might be...

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It was the first state to ratify the 13th Amendment

In 1865, the US government passed a law to amend the Constitution for the 13th...

Conclusion

In Summary

Now that you're done, how many of the above facts about Illinois state did you...

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