78 Interesting Facts About Illinois

Are you ready to explore some amazing facts about Illinois?
Illinois is full of fascinating history, fun landmarks, and cool things to discover. From the tall skyscrapers of Chicago to the peaceful prairies and farmland, there’s something interesting around every corner. It’s the Land of Lincoln, home of deep-dish pizza, and even the birthplace of the ice cream sundae (yum!).

Whether you’re a curious kid, a homeschooling parent, or just someone who loves learning fun facts, you’re in for a treat. Illinois is known for famous people, exciting inventions, and some pretty wild weather too! These facts about Illinois are the perfect way to explore this awesome state and see what makes it so special.

So grab your thinking cap and let’s dive into the wonders of Illinois—you might be surprised by how much there is to learn!

Be sure to discover even more interesting facts with our Facts about Maine and our Facts about Colorado.

Facts About Illinois

1. With a total land area of 57,915 mi² (149,997 km²), Illinois is the 25th largest state in the nation, between Georgia and Iowa in terms of size.
2. The Chicago Bears were first known as the “Staley Bears.” The name changed in 1922 to match the Chicago Cubs.
3. Although there are multiple statements on who invented the term, ice cream “sundae,” some claim it came from Garwood’s Drugstore in Evanston, Illinois.
4. Elzie Crisler Segar, the creator of Popeye the Sailorman cartoon, was born in Chester, Illinois.
5. Illinois’s state bird is the Cardinal and its state flower is the purple violet. 
6. The word Illinois originates from the word “Illini,” which was once a confederation of several Indian tribes. 
7. The Sears Tower in Chicago is the tallest building in America.
8. Ronald Reagan’s famous childhood home is in Dixon, IL, but his birthplace is Tampico.
9. The name Illinois originates from an Algonquin Indian word with several translations, such as “warriors,” “tribe of superior men,” and “best people.”
10. Other Illinois inventions include the mechanical dishwasher, zipper, pinball machine, barbed wire, vacuum cleaner, yellow pencils, and brownies.
11. The state’s highest point is found in the northwest Driftless Area at Charles Mound, with a height of 1235 ft (376 m), while the lowest point is found in Cairo on the Mississippi River, with a height of 279 ft (85 m).
12. If you don’t have a dollar in cash, you can be arrested for vagrancy, according to another old Illinois law.
13. The Bell Telephone Company began its service in Chicago, Illinois in 1878.
14. Pullman National Monument is the only national monument in Illinois. Pullman was the first planned, industrial community in the US, built by the Pullman Company.
15. It is illegal to eat inside a burning building in Chicago.
16. Residents of Illinois are called Illinoisans, Illinoisians, or Illinoisians.
17. In 1955, the first McDonald’s opened in Des Plaines, Illinois.
18. In 1899, construction began underground in Chicago intending to create a telephone system. As construction continued, it became a narrow-gauge freight railroad and ended up as a portal for the transportation of goods.
19. Illinois had two other state capitals before Springfield, Kaskaskia and Vandalia.
20. Chicago, IL is home to the world’s largest public library. 
21. Illinois is the fifth most populous state in the country, following Florida, New York, California, and Texas.

22. The Chicago Post Office at 433 West Van Buren is the only postal facility in the world you can drive a car through.
23. The term “jazz” was coined in Chicago in 1914 by Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa.
24. The first African American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize was Gwendolyn Brooks of Chicago, Illinois.
25. There’s an old law stating it’s illegal to pee into your neighbor’s mouth in Champaign, Illinois.
26. On April 6, 1930, Twinkies were invented by James Alexander Dewar in Schiller Park, Illinois.
27. The state’s official nickname is “The Land of Lincoln”, as Abraham Lincoln’s early career was focused there.  Other nicknames for Illinois include “The Prairie State”, “The Corn State”, “The Sucker State” (after the people who used to travel up the Mississippi to work, just like suckerfish), “The Garden of the West”, and “The Inland Empire State” (referring to its rivalry with New York, the Empire State).
28. Jane Addams of Cedarville, Illinois was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in helping America’s inner city poor and establishing settlement houses such as Hull House.
29. The Gulf Coastal Plain, where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi at the southern tip of Illinois, is sometimes called “Egypt” or “Little Egypt” because it is fertile like the Egyptian Nile delta. 
30. It’s also prohibited to share your whiskey with your dog in Chicago.
31. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln, then representative of Illinois, was elected 16th president of the US.
32. The name “Illinois” comes from the French version of a Native American word meaning “men” or “warriors”.
33. In 1990, the Square Dance was named the official dance of Illinois.
34. The Willis Tower in Chicago is the third tallest building in North America at 1,451 feet.
35. The world’s tallest man was born in Alton, IL. Robert Pershing Wadlow was 8’11”, weighed 491 lbs, and wore a size 37 shoe.
36. Softball also began in Chicago, Illinois, developing out of a game called indoor baseball.
37. On October 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire burned about 3.3 square miles of the city. The only buildings that survived within the fire zone include Saint Michael’s Church (Old Town), Chicago Water Tower and Chicago Avenue Pumping Station, Saint Ignatius College (now Saint Ignatius College Prep on Roosevelt), and the Holy Family Church.
38. There are no national parks in Illinois, but the state is home to 69 state parks and more than 50 other protected areas. This amounts to the 7th highest number of any state.
39. In 1682, the French built Fort St. Louis on the Illinois River. Today it is in Starved Rock State Park, the most visited state park in Illinois.
40. Kevin McCallister and his brilliant tricks debuted in three movies that were shot primarily in the Chicagoland area.

41. The first public office that Abraham Lincoln took was as postmaster in New Salem, IL.
42. Famous Illinois natives include Ronald Reagan, Michelle Obama, Joe Mantegna, Buddy Ebsen, and Bob Newhart.
43. While Illinois is known as the “Land of Lincoln,” Abraham Lincoln was not born in Illinois. Ronald Reagan is the only president to have been born in Illinois. 
44. Nearly 80% of the state’s land area is farmland.
45. On July 14, 1954, Illinois recorded its highest temperature of 117°F (47,22°C) in East St. Louis. The lowest on record was -36°F (-37.78°C) in Congerville.
46. Illinois is the 3rd largest bituminous coal producer in the country. The state also has one-fifth of the country’s coal reserves.
47. Illinois generates more nuclear power than any other state.
48. Illinois is the largest producer of pumpkins in the country. 
49. Aurora is known as the City of Lights because it was the first U.S. city to use electric street lighting throughout the entire city
50. The World’s Largest Catsup Bottle® stands proudly next to Route 159, just south of downtown Collinsville, Illinois. This unique 170 ft. tall water tower was built in 1949 by the W.E. Caldwell Company for the G.S. Suppiger catsup bottling plant – bottlers of Brooks old original rich & tangy catsup.
51. There is a fire-breathing dragon in Vandalia, IL known as the Kaskaskia Dragon.
52. Illinois officially achieved statehood on December 3, 1818, making it our 21st state. 
53. In 1885, the first modern skyscraper was built in Chicago, it was known as the Home Insurance Building.
54. On Saint Patrick’s Day, the Chicago River is dyed green.
55. About ¾ of the area of Illinois consists of farms. The state’s rich black soil helps in the production of corn and soybeans.
56. In the 1832 Black Hawk War, the indigenous people in the Chicago region were ultimately defeated and forcefully relocated to Iowa.
57. Illinois is a very flat state. In fact, its highest point is a mere 1,235 feet above sea level. 
58. Illinois produces more nuclear energy than any other state in the country. 
59. The Illinois state reptile is the Painted Turtle.
60. Illinois has the third-highest number of personalized license plates.
61. Chicago’s nickname “The Windy City” actually came from an article describing long-winded politicians during an 1893 exhibition. 

62. In 1940, Dairy Queen’s Blizzards made their way into our hearts when the ice cream franchise first opened its doors in Joliet, Illinois.
63. Hillary Clinton of Chicago was a lawyer and politician. She became the First Lady to President Bill Clinton and the first First Lady to be elected to the US Senate.
64. Morton, Illinois, is known as the “pumpkin capital of the world,” because more than 85% of packaged pumpkin is processed there. There is even an annual Pumpkin Festival held during the second week of September.
65. Illinois’ highest point is Charles Mound at 1,235 ft.
66. The first farming Tower Silo was created in Spring Grove, Illinois.
67. The Chicago River’s direction of flow was reversed by man-made canals from 1892-1922. It was, and still is, considered an engineering marvel. 
68. Illinois’s top industries include coal mining, oil production, agriculture, and manufacturing. 
69. In Mount Pulaski, Illinois, it is illegal for boys to throw snowballs at trees.
70. In Illinois, 333 farms grow popcorn on 47,000 acres, making it the third largest popcorn producer. This explains why Illinois’ state snack is popcorn.
71. Chicago was founded in 1833 and became a major Great Lakes port. By 1857, it was the state’s largest city.
72. The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is one of only three major free zoos in the county and is the nation’s oldest public zoo.
73. Illinois was the first state to ratify the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery on February 1, 1865.
74. The Illinois state tree is the white oak.
75. The youngest recipient to win an Oscar for an acting role was Marlee Matlin of Morton Grove, Illinois. She was 21 years old at the time.
76. In Collinsville wearing sagging pants is banned. Chicago’s first chartered hospital was Mercy Hospital, built in1852, which aimed to provide high-quality medical care and top-notch medical education.
77. The first all-color TV station debuted in Chicago (Channel 5).
78. Twinkies were first invented in River Forest, IL in 1930.