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What is Illinois known for?
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What is Chicago known for?
Nov 14, 2017 · Illinois is known for many wonderful things. From fabulous towns to popular attractions, there are a plethora of reasons to visit this great state.
Aug 16, 2023 · From the busy streets of Chicago to iconic deep dish pizza, if you’re wondering, “what is Illinois known for?” or “what is Illinois famous for?” then you’ve come to the right place! This is a state of everyone from Lincoln to Al Capone and everything from the Sears Tower to John Deere!
- Cahokia Mounds
- Presidents
- Confluence of Ohio and Mississippi Rivers
- Nuclear Energy
- Little Egypt
- Transportation
- Railroads
- Canals
- Agriculture
- Illinois Foods
Illinois is famous for the Cahokia Mounds, the largest indigenous archaeological site on the continent north of Mexico. Designated as a national historic landmark, Cahokia consists of earthen mounds similar to pyramids that performed many different functions nearly 1,000 years ago. Over 15,000 people may have lived there during its peak, making the...
Illinois is known for being the home to several presidents. Three heads of state have been elected while living in Illinois — Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Barack Obama. Though Ronald Reagan’s political career was mostly in California, he was a native of the Prairie State. The state is proud of its presidential legacy. You can see an effigy...
The small but mighty town of Cairo sits on a small spit of land at the southwest corner of Illinois. There, the great Mississippi and Ohio Rivers converge, uniting two of the largest waterways in the nation. The confluence has served an important role throughout history as both a strategic point during the Civil War and a route for trade in the cou...
Because the state has a high capacity for generating electricity with reactors, Illinois is known for nuclear energy. The history of nuclear research and power generation in Illinois runs back to the Manhattan Project of the 1940s. Today, 11 nuclear plants operate across the state. The controversial energy source provides over 50 percent of the ele...
The geography of southern Illinois, a lush region of fertile floodplains along a great river delta, has earned it the nickname “Little Egypt.” Great earthen mounds at Cahokia reminded early European settlers of the Pyramids of Giza, further cementing the connection. Today, you can find a number of town and city names inspired by the classical compa...
Illinois is famous for its transportation, as it sits at the crossroad of many natural and constructed networks. In addition to sitting between the east and western parts of the United States, the state is linked to the Great Lakes system and the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. The strategic location has allowed the state to play an important role in ...
But just how have people and goods been transported through Illinois? Since the 1800s, an extensive railroad network has crisscrossed the state. Freight trains haul goods into, out of, and around the state, but Illinois is also well-connected by passenger rail. Metra is the commuter rail system that carries tens of millions of people across the Chi...
Historically, those railroads have linked with the Illinois and Michigan Canal and other constructed waterways. The canal, which opened in 1848, connected the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes and beyond. As a result, it revolutionized Illinois’ economy. Half a century later, the canal was partially replaced with another system, and then stopped op...
Like much of the interior states, Illinois is a breadbasket of farmland. Due to its geological history, it is ranked as the state with the third-best prime farmland in the nation. As over 75 percent of the land in Illinois is used for agriculture, it’s no wonder Illinois is known as the Prairie State. Its leading products are corn, soybeans and swi...
What’s a state without its own iconic dishes? Illinois is famous for culinary classics like the Chicago-style hot dog and deep dish pizza. But it doesn’t stop there. Because the state has been a hub for the movement of cultures and ethnicities across history, residents have devised many unique dishes and flavors not found elsewhere. The state menu ...
- Chicago. When mentioning Illinois, most people immediately think of Chicago. This is the biggest city in the state, with an area of 606 km². The famous Millenium Park is situated in the heart of this metropolis.
- US first soybeans producer. Illinois is also the US first soybeans producer. In 2020, this state produced more than 605 million bushels of soybeans! Most of the beans cultivated here are used to feed animals.
- Hometown of superman. Metropolis, in the south of the country, is considered the hometown of Superman. The city is located on the shore of the Ohio River and has a population of roughly 6,500 inhabitants.
- World’s first skyscraper. Illinois was also home to the first skyscraper in the history of mankind. It was built in Chicago and was known as the Home Insurance Building.
- Chicago. There is such a rich history and wealth of attractions in Chicago (Chicago is known for many things just itself!). This city in Illinois’ Cook County is the most populated city in Illinois and the third largest city in America.
- Chicago Cuisine. Chicago is also a great place for foodies. One can roam the streets of Chicago in search of the perfect slice of Chicago’s famous deep-dish pizza.
- The Horseshoe Sandwich. Springfield, Illinois, also brings a hearty contribution to the table for this list of things Illinois is known for. The Horseshoe Sandwich consists of hamburger patties or slices of ham between two slices of toast.
- Corn Dogs. Illinois is known for being the home of one of the most famous variations of hot dogs–the corn dog. At the Cozy Dog Drive-In, owners Ed Waldmire and Don Strand offered patrons the now-famous cornbread-clad hot dog on a stick.
3 days ago · Illinois was named for the Illinois Indians. The capital is Springfield, in the west-central part of the state. Admitted as the 21st member of the union on December 3, 1818, Illinois lies within both the so-called old industrial belt and the fertile agricultural heart of the country.
Jun 14, 2022 · You might wonder, "What is Illinois known for?" Illinois is certainly known for its biggest city, Chicago, and being the "land of Lincoln." You can discover many famous Illinois landmarks across the state, too, including museums, historical sites, and outdoor attractions with stunning views.
