Illinois is known for:
- Farmlands
- Corn
- Land of Trainss
- Nuclear power plants
- Architecture
- The first McDonald's
Geography & Demographics
| State Abbreviation |
IL |
| State Capital |
Springfield |
| State Size |
Total (Land + Water): 57,914 sq miles; Land Only: 55,584 sq miles |
| Number of Counties |
102 |
| Time Zone |
Central Time Zone |
| Bordering States |
Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin |
| Highest Point | Charles Mound, 1,235 feet |
| Tallest Building | Willis Tower in Chicago, 1,451 feet |
| Largest Stadium | Soldier Field in Chicago, capacity 61,500 |
| National Parks | None |
| State Population (2020) | 12,812,508 |
| State Population Density | 230.5 people / square mile |
| Area Codes |
217, 224, 309, 312, 331, 447, 464, 618, 630, 708, 730, 773, 779, 815, 847, 872 |
| Top 5 Cities (2020 population) |
Chicago (2,677,643)
Aurora (196,383)
Naperville (147,986)
Joliet (146,673)
Rockford (144,835)
|
Government & Legislature
State Symbols
| State Amphibian | Eastern tiger salamander |
| State Animal | White-tailed deer |
| State Bird |
Cardinal |
| State Dance | Square dance |
| State Fish | Bluegill |
| State Flower |
Violet |
| State Fossil | Tully monster |
| State Insect | Monarch butterfly |
| State Mineral | Fluorite |
| State Motto |
State sovereignty, national union |
| State Nickname |
Prairie State |
| State Prarie Grass | Big bluestem |
| State Reptile | Painted turtle |
| State Snack Food | Popcorn |
| State Soil | Drummer silty clay loam |
| State Tree |
White oak |
Sports Teams
Popular Tourist Attractions
- Adler Planetarium: Museum dedicated to the study of astronomy and astrophysics, located in Chicago, Illinois.
- Art Institute of Chicago: Art museum in Chicago, Illinois.
- Brookfield Zoo: Zoo in Brookfield, Illinois.
- Chicago Botanic Garden: Botanical garden in Glencoe, Illinois.
- Chicago Park District: A section of Chicago, Illinois, with over 580 parks.
- Cloud Gate: Sculpture in Chicago, Illinois.
- Lincoln Park Zoo: Zoo in Chicago, Illinois.
- Millennium Park: Park in Chicago, Illinois.
- Magnificent Mile: Shopping and dining district in Chicago, Illinois.
- Morton Arboretum: Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois.
- Museum of Science and Industry: Museum in Chicago, Illinois.
- Navy Pier: Museum and entertainment district in Chicago, Illinois.
- Shedd Aquarium: Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois.
- Six Flags Great America: Theme park in Gurnee, Illinois.
- Skydeck Chicago: Observation deck in Chicago, Illinois, located on the 103rd floor of Willis Tower.
- Starved Rock State Park: State park in Oglesby, Illinois.
- Water Tower Place: Skyscraper and shopping mall in Chicago, Illinois.
- Willis Tower (Sears Tower): Skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois.
UNESCO Heritage Sites
Festivals and Events
Top festivals and events in Illinois. They are listed in approximate order of when they take place during the year.
| Festival / Event |
When |
Location |
| Chicago St. Patrick's Day Parade | On or around St. Patrick's Day | Chicago |
| Chicago Blues Festival | Early June | Chicago |
| Chicago Gospel Music Festival | Summer | Chicago |
| Taste of Chicago | Early to mid-July | Chicago |
| Balloons Over Vermilion | July | Danville |
| Galesburg Balloon Race | July | Galesburg |
| Lollapalooza | Late July or early August | Chicago |
| Balloons Over 66 | August | Lincoln |
| Centralia Balloon Fest | August | Centralia |
| Chicago Air and Water Show | August | Chicago |
| Illinois State Fair | August | Springfield |
| Chicago Jazz Festival | Late August to early September | Chicago |
| Champaign County Balloon Festival | September | Champaign |
| Chicago Gourmet | September | Chicago |
| Macomb Balloon Rally | September | Macomb |
| Sandwich Fair | September | Sandwich |
| Lake Shelbyville Balloon Fest | October | Shelbyville |
Popular Iconic Illinois Foods
Illinois is famous for the following foods:
- Deep Dish Pizza
- Chicago-Style Hot Dog
- Italian Beef Sandwich
- Horseshoe Sandwich
- Rainbow Cone Ice Cream
- Pierogi
- Gyros
- Maxwell Street Polish
- Jibarito
- Butter Toffee
Illinois has 1 three-star Michelin restaurant:
| Restaurant |
City |
Cuisine |
| Alinea | Chicago | Contemporary, Creative |
Illinois has 4 two-star Michelin restaurants:
| Restaurant |
City |
Cuisine |
| Ever | Chicago | Contemporary, Modern |
| Moody Tongue | Chicago | Contemporary, American |
| Oriole | Chicago | Contemporary, American |
| Smyth | Chicago | Contemporary, Modern |
Famous People Born In Illinois
Nobel Prize Winners
- Robert Andrews Millikan (Physics, 1923)
- Jane Addams (Peace, 1931)
- Clinton Davisson (Physics, 1937)
- Edward A. Doisy (Physiology or Medicine, 1943)
- E. M. Purcell (Physics, 1952)
- Ernest Hemingway (Literature, 1954)
- Vincent du Vigneaud (Chemistry, 1955)
- James Watson (Physiology or Medicine, 1962)
- Robert W. Holley (Physiology or Medicine, 1968)
- Stanford Moore (Chemistry, 1972)
- Robert Schrieffer (Physics, 1972)
- Paul J. Flory (Chemistry, 1974)
- Ben R. Mottelson (Physics, 1975)
- James Cronin (Physics, 1980)
- James Tobin (Economic Sciences, 1981)
- Thomas R. Cech (Chemistry, 1989)
- Harry M. Markowitz (Economic Sciences, 1990)
- Jerome I. Friedman (Physics, 1990)
- James J. Heckman (Economic Sciences, 2000)
- H. Robert Horvitz (Physiology or Medicine, 2002)
- Edmund S. Phelps (Economic Sciences, 2006)
- Martin Chalfie (Chemistry, 2008)
- Saul Perlmutter (Physics, 2011)
- Bruce A. Beutler (Physiology or Medicine, 2011)
- Lars Peter Hansen (Economic Sciences, 2013)
- Douglas Diamond (Economic Sciences, 2022)
United States Presidents
- Ronald Reagan (40th President)
Pro Football Hall Of Fame Members
- George Halas (Offensive End, Coach, Team Owner, NFL co-organizer. Inducted in 1963)
- George Trafton (Center. Inducted in 1964)
- John "Paddy" Driscoll (Quarterback. Inducted in 1965)
- Otto Graham (Quarterback. Inducted in 1965)
- Hugh "Shorty" Ray (Technical Advisor on the Rules, Supervisor of Officials. Inducted in 1966)
- Charles Bidwill (Team Owner. Inducted in 1967)
- George Connor (Linebacker. Inducted in 1975)
- Ray Nitschke (Linebacker. Inducted in 1978)
- Dick Butkus (Linebacker. Inducted in 1979)
- George Musso (Offensive Guard, Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 1982)
- Mike McCormack (Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 1984)
- Marv Levy (Coach. Inducted in 2001)
- Ron Yary (Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 2001)
- Hank Stram (Coach. Inducted in 2003)
- Fritz Pollard (Halfback, Coach. Inducted in 2005)
- Shannon Sharpe (Tight End. Inducted in 2011)
- Steve Atwater (Safety. Inducted in 2020)
- Duke Slater (Offensive Tackle. Inducted in 2020)
- Mac Speedie (Wide Receiver. Inducted in 2020)
- Ed Sprinkle (Linebacker / Defensive End. Inducted in 2020)
- John Lynch (Safety. Inducted in 2021)
- Bryant Young (Defensive Tackle. Inducted in 2022)
Baseball Hall Of Fame Players
- Joe McGinnity (Pitcher. Inducted in 1946)
- Ray Schalk (Catcher. Inducted in 1955)
- Red Ruffing (Pitcher. Inducted in 1967)
- Lou Boudreau (Shortstop. Inducted in 1970)
- Jim Bottomley (First Baseman. Inducted in 1974)
- Freddie Lindstrom (Third Baseman. Inducted in 1976)
- Robin Roberts (Pitcher. Inducted in 1976)
- Red Schoendienst (Second Baseman. Inducted in 1989)
- Robin Yount (Shortstop. Inducted in 1999)
- Kirby Puckett (Center Fielder. Inducted in 2001)
- Rickey Henderson (Left Fielder. Inducted in 2009)
- Jim Thome (First Baseman. Inducted in 2018)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame Players
- George Mikan (Center. Inducted in 1959)
- John Schommer (Guard. Inducted in 1959)
- Andy Phillip (Guard-Forward. Inducted in 1961)
- Pat Page (Guard. Inducted in 1962)
- Robert Gruenig (Center. Inducted in 1963)
- Ed Krause (Center. Inducted in 1976)
- Harry Gallatin (Center-Forward. Inducted in 1991)
- Dan Issel (Center-Forward. Inducted in 1993)
- Isiah Thomas (Guard. Inducted in 2000)
- Cynthia Cooper-Dyke (Guard. Inducted in 2010)
- Maurice Cheeks (Guard. Inducted in 2018)
- Jack Sikma (Center-Forward. Inducted in 2019)
- Yolanda Griffith (Center. Inducted in 2021)
- Tim Hardaway (Guard. Inducted in 2022)
- Inman Jackson (Player. Inducted in 2022)
- Dwayne Wade (Guard. Inducted in 2023)
Hockey Hall Of Fame Members
- Cammi Granato (Center. Inducted in 2010)
- Chris Chelios (Defense. Inducted in 2013)
Famous Actors And Actresses
- Amitabh Bachchan
- Harrison Ford
- Charlton Heston
- William Holden
- Marlee Matlin
- Melissa McCarthy
- Frances McDormand
- George Wendt
- Robin Williams
Famous Singers
- Billy Corgan
- R. Kelly
- Chaka Khan
- Minnie Riperton
- Grace Slick
- Patti Smith
- Eddie Vedder
Illinois Fun Facts
- The name "Illinois" comes from a Native American word meaning "tribe of superior men."
- The world's first skyscraper, the ten-story Home Insurance Building, was built in Chicago in 1885.
- The IATA airport code "ORD" for Chicago's O'Hare Airport comes from its original name, Orchard Field. O'Hare Airport was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Edward H. "Butch" O'Hare.
- The first all-color TV station, WMAQ-TV, debuted in Chicago on April 15, 1956.
- Illinois is home to the world's largest bottle of catsup, a 170-feet tall water tower located south of downtown Collinsville, Illinois.
- Carol Moseley Braun became the first female African-American Senator when she was elected to the U.S. Senate in Illinois in 1992.
- Illinois is the largest producer of pumpkins in the United States, and Morton is the self-proclaimed "Pumpkin Capitol of the World."
- In Illinois, the legal drinking age is 21. Those under 21 can drink legally provided that they are participating in a culinary arts, food service, or restaurant management degree program of which a portion of the program includes instruction on responsible alcoholic beverage serving methods.
- The official State Snack Food in Illinois is popcorn. A group of elementary school students, with help from their teacher, Fran Hollister, at Cunningham Elementary School in Joliet petitioned Illinois legistrators to make popcorn the official snack food of Illinois, and State Senator Larry Walsh sponsored the bill. The bill was passed in 2003.
This page was last updated on October 12, 2024.
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