Illinois

We hope you enjoy our 100 Fun Fact About Illinois from the 4th grade classes at Most Holy Redeemer School in Evergreen Park, Illinois.
 * # || Fact || Source || Contibutor ||
 * 1 || Walt Disney was born in Chicago. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Patrick K ||
 * 2 || The world's longest street is in Chicago - Western Ave. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Caroline K ||
 * 3 || The world's largest gum manufacturer is in Chicago - William Wrigley. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Joe ||
 * 4 || The world's first Ferris Wheel was at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Maura ||
 * 5 || The World's largest cookie and cracker factory is in Chicago - Nabisco. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Dan ||
 * 6 || The Chicago River is dyed green on St. Patrick's Day. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Ryan ||
 * 7 || Des Plaines is home to the first McDonalds. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Helen ||
 * 8 || The first aquarium opened in Chicago. || [|Enchanted Learning] || Billy ||
 * 9 || The state snack of Ilinois is popcorn. || [|State Facts for Students] || Grace ||
 * 10 || Chicago has more than 45,000,000 visitors per year. || [|Explore Chicago] || Tommy ||
 * 11 || The world's first skyscraper was built in Chicago. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Annie ||
 * 12 || Chicago is know as the "Candy Capital of the World". || [|Facts About Chicago] || Mary Kate ||
 * 13 || The Chicago River is the only river in the world that flows backwards. || [|Facts About Chicago] || Kaleigh ||
 * 14 || The Chicago Bears were first know as the Staley Bears. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Vanessa ||
 * 15 || The Illinois state dance is square dancing. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Katie H ||
 * 16 || The first animal purchased for Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo was a bear cub for $10.00. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Bridget ||
 * 17 || //Home Alone// 1, 2 and 3 were filmed in Chicago. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Caroline B ||
 * 18 || Chicago has 200 movie theaters. || [|Explore Chicago] || Luke ||
 * 19 || Illinois has 102 counties. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Jake ||
 * 20 || The state bird of Illinois is the cardinal. || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Pat D ||
 * 21 || Illinois state nicknames are "The Land of Lincoln" and "The Prairie State". || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Maeve ||
 * 22 || The movie //16 Candles// was filmed in Chicago. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Patrick K ||
 * 23 || Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the United States. || [|Facts About Chicago] || Caroline K ||
 * 24 || //Ferris Buller's Day Off// was filmed in Chicago. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Joe ||
 * 25 || Hillary Clinton was born in Chicago. She was the 1st First lady elected to the U.S. Senate. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Maura ||
 * 26 || McCormick Place in Chicago has the largest amount of exhibit space for a convention center in the U.S. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Dan ||
 * 27 || The top name for boys in Illinois is Michael and Emily for girls. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Michael ||
 * 28 || Chicago is home to 552 parks. || [|Explore Chicago] || Maeve ||
 * 29 || The term "jazz" was coined in Chicago in 1914. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Steve ||
 * 30 || In Mount Pulaski, it is illegal for boys to throw snowballs at trees. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Stacey ||
 * 31 || There are more 10 year old boys than girls in Illinois. || [|State Facts for Students] || Daniel ||
 * 32 || The largest county in Illinois is Cook County. || [|Kid's Almanac Online] || Carson ||
 * 33 || The Willis Towers elevators are the fastest in the world - 1,600 ft. per minute. || [|Explore Chicago] || Tricia ||
 * 34 || Chicago has over 12,000 fast food restaurants. || [|State Facts for Students] || Nora ||
 * 35 || Metropolis - the home of Superman is in Southern Illinois. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Jack ||
 * 36 || The Taste of Chicago is the world's largest free outdoor food festival || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Georgia ||
 * 37 || The Willis Tower in Chicago is the tallest building in North America. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Katelyn ||
 * 38 || The state insect is the monarch butterfly. || [|Illinois Facts] || Erin ||
 * 39 || The state mammal is the white tail deer. || [|Enchanted Learning] || Molly O ||
 * 40 || Barack Obama moved to Illinois in 1985. || [|Enchanted Learning] || Declan ||
 * 41 || Springfield is the capital of Illinois. || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Katie A ||
 * 42 || Chicago is the favorite "Road City" of Major League Baseball. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Conor ||
 * 43 || Chicago is one of the "greenest" cities in America. || [|Explore Chicago] || Sarah ||
 * 44 || Harold Washington Library in Chicago has the largest collection of books in the U.S. || [|Chicago Facts] || Will ||
 * 45 || Chicago has many nicknames - "The Windy City", "The City of Big Shoulders", "The Second City", "The City That Works". || [|Explore Chicago] || Molly W ||
 * 46 || The State Tree of Illinois is the white oak. || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Helen ||
 * 47 || The world's largest ice cream cone factory is located in Chicago - Keebler. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Mary Kate ||
 * 48 || Illinois had 2 state capitals before Springfield - Vandalia and Kaskaskia. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Kaleigh ||
 * 49 || Chicago is home to 6 professional sports teams - Bulls, Bears, White Sox, Cubs, Black Hawks and Fire. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Vanessa ||
 * 50 || The state fossil of Illinois is the Tully Monster. || [|State Facts for Students] || Katie ||
 * 51 || The first Morman Temple in Illinois was constructed in Nauvoo. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Shannon ||
 * 52 || There are over 12 million people in Illinois. || [|State Facts for Students] || Bridget ||
 * 53 || Peoria is the oldest community in Illinois. || [|Kid's Almanac Online] || Caroline B ||
 * 54 || The ice cream "sundae" was named in Evanston. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Luke ||
 * 55 || Illinois has more personalized license plates than any other state. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Maggie ||
 * 56 || Illinois is know for it's wide variety of weather - major winter storms, tornadoes, intense heat and cold waves. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Jake ||
 * 57 || The state song of Illinois is "Illinois". || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Maeve D ||
 * 58 || The highest point in Illinois is Charles Mound - 1,235 ft. || [|Kid's Almanac Online] || Annie ||
 * 59 || The state fish is a bluegill. || [|Enchanted Learning] || Tommy ||
 * 60 || In 1994 Chicago hosted the first World Cup Soccer Championship to be held in the US. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Grace ||
 * 61 || The movies //Bad Boys// and //Ocean's 11 and 12// were filmed in Chicago. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Billy ||
 * 62 || Most people in Illinois drive alone to work. || [|State Facts for Students] || Stacey ||
 * 63 || The state motto is Illinois is "State Sovernigty, National Union". || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Tyler ||
 * 64 || Roller skates, spray paint and pinball games were invented in Chicago. || [|Facts About Chicago] || Tricia ||
 * 65 || In 1997 the Field Museum purchased "Sue" the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Nora ||
 * 66 || Illinois has more government units than any other state (city, county, township etc.) || [|Your Guide to the US] || Jack ||
 * 67 || //Miracle on 34th Street// was filmed in Chicago. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Georgia ||
 * 68 || Carlyle is the home of the largest man-made lake in Illinois. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Ellie ||
 * 69 || Harrison Ford is a native Chicagoan. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Conor ||
 * 70 || The Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station are the only buildings that survived the "Great Chicago Fire". || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Sarah ||
 * 71 || Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago is one of only three major free zoo's in the country and is the nation's oldest public zoo. || [|Explore Chicago] || Will ||
 * 72 || The state mineral is fluoride. || [|Enchanted Learning] || Molly W ||
 * 73 || Illinois was the first to ratify the 13th Amendment - abolishing slavery. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Maeve B ||
 * 74 || Chicago has 19 miles of lakefront bicycle paths. || [|Explore Chicago] || Steve ||
 * 75 || The highest recored temperature in Illinois was 119 degrees and the lowest was -36 degrees. || [|Kid's Almanac Online] || Stacey and Daniel ||
 * 76 || Chicago is home to the world's largest population of Pols outside of Warsaw || [|Chicago Facts] || Caroline K ||
 * 77 || Illinois is the 21st state. || [|Illinois Facts] || Sarah ||
 * 78 || Dixon is the home of Ronald Regan. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Tyler ||
 * 80 || Illinois is the 25th biggest state in the US. || [|Enchanted Learning] || Georgia ||
 * 81 || Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Katelyn ||
 * 82 || There are 14 amusements parks in Illinois || [|State Facts for Students] || Ryan ||
 * 83 || Illinois is the 5th most populous state. || [|Enchanted Learning] || Kaleigh ||
 * 84 || The state flower of Illinois is the native violet. || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Maeve D ||
 * 85 || Chicago has over 200 art galleries. || [|Explore Chicago] || Tommy ||
 * 86 || Barak Obama served as a legislator from Illinois. || [|Enchanted Learning] || Annie ||
 * 87 || The worst prison camp during the Civil War in terms of percentages of death was in Rock Island. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Bridget ||
 * 88 || The famous Lincoln-Douglas debates that stirred interest in slavery were held in Illinois. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Dan ||
 * 89 || The four stars on the Chicago flag represent: Fort Dearborn, the Chicago Fire, The ColumbianExposition and The Century of Progress Exposition. || [|Illinois Facts and Trivia] || Shannon ||
 * 90 || Boeing airplanes are manufactured in Illinois. || [|Illinois Facts] || Ryan ||
 * 91 || The Governor of Illinois is Pat Quinn. || [|Ben's Guide for Kids] || Ben ||
 * 92 || Illinois borders Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. || [|Kid's Almanac Online] || Conor ||
 * 93 || "Chicago" is the French interpretation of the Miami-Illinois Indian name "Shikaakwa" which means "wild leek". || [|Facts About Chicago] || Katie A ||
 * 94 || The Alder Planetarium in Chicago was the first planetarium in the western hemisphere. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Cecilia ||
 * 95 || The Twinkie was invented in Chicago. || [|Facts About Chicago] || Will ||
 * 96 || The Chicago Post Office on Van Buren is the only post office in the world that you can drive through. || [|Your Guide to the US] || Maeve B ||
 * 97 || There are 36 annual parades in Chicago. || [|Explore Chicago] || Michael ||
 * 98 || Jane Addams, founder of the Hull House to aid immigrants and the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, was from Chicago. || [|Chicago fun facts and trivia] || Steve ||
 * 99 || The state reptile of Illinois is the painted turtle. || [|Illinois Facts] || Katelyn ||
 * 100 || The name for a resident of Illinois is "Illinoisan". || [|Enchanted Learning] || Jack ||