Random Facts About Illinois

Well, I’m back in Illinois! Harvest is underway, the trees are red, orange, and yellow, and the weather is finally cooling down (maybe a little too fast). Knowing I’ll be here for the next year while I further my education at Illinois State University, I plan to explore parts of Illinois I didn’t get to see as a kid.

Here are a few fun facts you might not know about my home state:

• Metropolis, Illinois is Superman’s hometown and was declared such by both DC Comics and the Illinois State Legislature

• Square Dancing is the state dance and frequently taught in PE.

• Sufjan Stevens dedicated an entire album to the state: Come On! Feel the Illinoise!

(It’s catchy and historical!)

• Rock Island hosted a nasty prison camp during the Civil War - 17% of the detainees died. The entire prison was destroyed after the war.

• Illinois hosts 6 professional sports teams: Chicago Bears,Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Blackhawks, and Chicago Fire.

• Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site was home to the most sophisticated prehistoric society north of Mexico.

• The Chicago River is dyed green on Saint Patrick’s Day

With so much to see, I’m pretty sure this is going to be a good year!