For non-history factoid information about the weather, average temperature, highest point, population, statistics, rate of unemployment, etc. contact the Illinois State Library reference service or call their Information Line at (217) 782-7596. Also check Help with School Work: State Symbols, History, Genealogy, Fourth Grade Reports, History Fair before you write me for help.
The word "ILLINOIS" is the French form of the Algonquin name ILLINI which means "superior men." It is how some native Americans in this area referred to themselves.
Official State of
Illinois Home Page or
Governor
Rod R. Blagojevich and a tour of the
The Executive
Mansion
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White - Illinois State Archives- Illinois State Library, vehicle and driver's licenses, corporations and THE 2005-2006 BLUE BOOK and The 2005-2006 HANDBOOK OF GOVERNMENT
State Government Agencies - Links to all State Agencies and to Local and Federal Government. Also a State telephone directory
The Illinois State House Contains a history and desription of the current Capitol building
Vital Records How to obtain Birth and Death Certificates in Illinois.
The Illinois General Assembly Legislative Information
The Illinois Constitution: Article by Article - Illinois' fourth constitution was adopted in 1970
The Illinois Compiled Statutes The current laws of Illinois
Currently proposed bills in the General Assembly
Newly passed bills from this session
Capitol Fax Blog: Statehouse News and Illinois Politics
Local Election Results - Links to County and City election boards.
Illinois Campaign for Political Reform Homepage
A History of the Illinois Judicial Systems
Opinions of the Illinois Supreme and Appellate Courts Since 1996
The Federal Register - Links to Federal Regulation, Public Laws and Presidential Documents.
See also Topics of Special Interest at bottom of Page.
List of all Historical Markers in Illinois
Illinois History Documents, 1673-1861
Native Americans in Illinois - History of the Illini Confederation
"Chief" Black Hawk and the Sauk Nation
Black Hawk War Veterans - Database of Illinois men who served 1831-1832
History of Women's Suffrage in Illinois
Slaves in Illinois - Database of Servitude and Emancipation Records (1722-1863)
Illinois' Civil War Soldiers - Database - List of Participants by Name
Spanish-American War (1898) Veterans from Illinois - Online database. Search for Participants by Name
Database of Marriages in Illinois before 1900
Illinois Labor History - (Mother Jones, Coal Mining, Strike Breaking and much more.)
Early Land Sales, Maps, Analysis, and Records or the Illinois Public Domain Land Sale Information at the State Archives
Historical Maps of Illinois and the Northwest Territory
Population of Illinois by Counties: 1810 to 2000
Map History of Illinois County Boundaries: 1790 - Present
Illinois' State Symbols, Song, Flag, Official Seal, and Slogan
State Symbols - Grades K-8
Our State's Capitols, Capitals, Flag and More - Grades K-8
THE 2005-2006 ILLINOIS BLUE BOOK - Photos of all the state officials, chronology of historical events, lists of all past state offiers and legislators.
For school reports about Illinois history, population, climate and products, try Fact Monster and search for "Illinois," or "Illini," or "Casimir Pulaski." Other sources for general Illinois information are: School Discovery, Kids Click, Home Work Help, or About Home Work.
For a list of What Days are Commemorated in Illinois look up 5 ILCS 490/ in the Illinois Compiled Statutes and use 105 ILCS 5/ to see which days are School Holidays. To know who Casimir Pulaski was try "Oddball Holidays" or an online encyclopedia such as The Encyclopedia Britannica
Information about the State History Fair student contests
For those typical 4th grade state reports you can also try sites with Illinois Products, Land Area, Highest Point, or The U.S. Census Bureau for population questions at www.census.gov.
At Home in the Heartland Grades 4-10 Excellent new resource about the history of Illinois people, culture and objects. Timelines, maps, teacher resources.
Prairie Pages - Illustrated lessons for 4th to 6th graders about: the Illini, Pioneers, Lincoln, Early Government, and Jane Addams.
Homework Helper for Elementary Students
Why Illinoisans are called "Suckers"
Tour of the Governor's Mansion and History and Views of the State Capitol
Famous Places, Memorials, and Historic Sites in Illinois
The Liberty Bell Museum Describes the monument on the Illinois Capitol grounds.
The Words to Illinois' State Song -- If you have RealAudio or MP3 you can listen to The Singing of the Official State Song
Brief Bios of Governors and their Wives
Biographies of all Presidents and First Ladies Online including Lincoln, Grant, and Reagan.
Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress - Look up any U.S. Senator or Representative who ever served from Illinois.
Look up links to government information in The Illinois "Find It" Database or access 40 million library items found in Illinois in The Virtual Illinois Catalog
Links to Advanced History Research Tools - from the University of Illinois History Department.
Historical U.S. Documents (1600 - Present) Online - from the University of Oklahoma College of Law
For general Internet reference for students and adults try what librarians use, The Librarians' Index to the Internet
To ask questions about maps call the Illinois State Library map room at (217) 782-5823.
Map
History of Illinois County Boundaries: 1790 - Present
Early Land Sales, Maps, Analysis, and Records or the1895 Map of All Counties
International Internet U.S. Land and Property Research
Illinois' State Slogan: "Land of Lincoln"
Lincoln's Home in Springfield run by the National Park Service, and other Sites Related to Lincoln in Illinois and the United States.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Musuem - Possible opening by July 2003
The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln
Illinois State Historical Society - Large photographic prints of Hessler's 1860 beardless Lincoln are now available to the public.
Lincoln Documents Online at the Illinois State Archives
Lincoln's Legal Career in Illinois
Abraham Lincoln Associations Around the World and The Abraham Lincoln Association in Springfield
The Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana - Lincoln Quiz and Lincoln Lore
Abraham Lincoln Online - The Mother of All Lincoln Links
Lincoln's "Spot Resolutions" and the Mexican War
Lincoln Assassination Pages and Mary Todd Lincoln Research Site
Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project
Abraham Lincoln in Macon County
Lincoln the Surveyor by Carl Sandburg
Lincoln at the History Place - Photos, timeline of his
life, text of speeches.
Mr. Lincoln's Virtual Library at the Library of Congress.
Chronological History of Chicago - List of historical events developed by Municipal Reference Librarians
Deaths, Distrubances, Disasters and Disorders in Chicago - Compiled by Chicago Public Library Reference Librarians. An excellent source for reports about the Lady of Angels Fire, Iroquois Theatre Fire, Eastland Disaster, etc.
Chicago Stories from WTTW-TV Stories about famous Chicagoans, disasters, ethnic groups, sports and more.
Historical Sketch of Chicago written about 1894.
Demographics: Population, Ethnicity, Gender and Age also Population of Chicago and Modern Crime Statistics
Chicago History Research Guide - Links to the locations of city records and photos for serious researchers. Chicago bibliography.
Chicago Metro History Fair Links to Topics
Chicago Imagebase - Historic photos and maps of Chicago and a study of its architecture.
Chicago Mayors: Pictures and Biographies
Proceedings of the Chicago City Council (1833-1871) Database.
Cook County Government - County Board, County Agencies and Officials. The County Clerk records all births and deaths.
Cook County Coroner's Inquest Record Index, 1872-1911 - Searchable database of decedents.
Chicago Police Department Homicide Record Index, 1870-1930
Notable African-American Chicagoans
DuSable Museum of African-American History
Portrait of Black Chicago in 1973-74
Chicago Architects - Oral histories of 56 master builders.
Chicago Landmarks -Historic buildings and the Chicago Commission on Landmarks. See also: Historic Places in Chicago - Places on the National Register.
The Chicago Fire An Online Exhibit
Richard Bales' New Look at the Cause of the Great Fire
The Haymarket Tragedy and the Haymarket Affair Trial
The Pullman Strike with Timeline
The World's Columbian Exposition - Chicago 1893 Or see another interpretation at: The World"s Columbian Exposition: Idea, Experience, Aftermath The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 Digitization Project at the Illinois Institute of Technology Text and photos from 1894 books
The "Eastland" Disaster July 24, 1915
The Chicago "Black Sox" Baseball Scandal
Jane Addams & the Hull House Museum
The 1924 Leopold and Loeb Trial
The 1969 "Chicago Seven" Trial
Facts About the Chicago River See also: The Chicago River and maps and history of The Des Plaines River, The Calumet River and the Fox River
History of Bridgeport and the Origin of the Illinois & Michigan Canal
Jazz Age Chicago: Urban Life from 1910 to 1945 Movie palaces, Marshall Fields, Leopold and Loeb Case, Aragon Ballroom, White City Amusement Park and more.
Chicago's "L" - The Elevated Train System
Chicago Tunnel Company Railroad All about the tunnels and freight railway system under Downtown Chicago
Related sites include the 1992 Freight Tunnel Flood a Chicago Public Library website with a link to the online 1928 Freight Tunnel book
Graveyards in Chicago - Over 200 excellent photos and history of Chicago's most famous tombs and cemeteries.
Museum of Broadcast Communication - The history of radio and TV from 1921-1989.
The History of Chicago's Roman Catholic Archdiocese
Suburban Chicago Local History Information
Genealogy in Illinois and Beyond
Illinois Death Records 1915-1950 now online. Illinois Trails History and Genealogy for 26 Counties
Native Americans
History of Illinois and Prairie Indian Nations
The Illini Confederation: Lords of the Mississippi Valley (Kaskaskia, Peoria, Cahokia, Tamaroa and Michigamea), Prehistoric Cahokia, Kaskaskia Indians, Legend of the Piasa
George Rogers Clark Papers Includes information about Sons of the Revolution and Colonial Wars living in Illinois. See also the George Roers Clark
Illinois Trails - A random collection of material about old Illinois.
Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor or the Illinois & Michigan Canal Virtual Tour - The canal first opened in 1848 See also: The Canal Corridor Association Offering teachers' workshops and canal history and "Down the Drain" A Canal History Essay
Joseph Glidden's Patent for Barbed Wire, The History of Barbed Wire and Illinois, and The Invention and Development of Barbed Wire
Charles Guiteau Case The assassin of President James Garfield was born in Freeport, Illinois on September 8, 1841.
Documents from Illinois During the Gilded Age: 1870-1900
History of the Illinois Central Railroad
The Southern Illinois History Page - The Old Slave House, Charlie Barger's Hanging and more.
Illinois Local History Network Links to early books, historical census data, New Madrid Earthquakes, Little Egypt in Southern Illinois
The 1917 East St. Louis Race Riot
Illinois' Veterans: Korean and Viet Nam War Memorials State-level Casulty Lists from The Korean Conflict (1951-1957) located at the National Archives. Search by name or "home of record."
A History of Illinois Park Districts
Brief History of Kewanee - Hog Capital of the World
Random Histories of Six Illinois Counties
The Illinois State Archives -Depository of State Government Records of Permanent Value
Illinois State Historical Society - Supporting Illinois history through publications and programs
Every Library in Illinois Directory - Connections to every public, private, and school library in the state.
Illinois State Genealogical Society
County and Township Fact Sheets Includes photos of each county court house. or a quick List of all Illinois County Courthouse address and phone numbers or try Links to County Vital Records Offices and the Homepage of Illinois Counties
Directory Illinois Museums and Local Historical Agencies and a list of Illinois Museums, Geneological Societies and Historical Societies
Historic Local Government Records Database - Illinois State Archives IRAD System
Illinois State Museum - Located in Springfield. Great programs for kids.
Illinois State Historical Library - Non-circulating collection of books and manuscripts. Major photo, historic newspaper, genealogy and Lincoln collections.
Illinois Humanities Council - Programs, speakers, grants, calendar and membership.
Illinois Heritage Association - Help for Historic Preservation Projects and Questions
Illinois Historical Survey - Special Collection for Advanced Historical Research
Stone Quarries, Stone Monuments and Geology Resources in Illinois
Illinois Natural Resources Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
Illinois Natural History Survey - Ecology, Wildlife, Fauna, Climate
Museum of Funeral Customs - Located in Springfield
The Chicago Public Library's List of Illinois Colleges, Universities, and Libraries
University of Illinois Archives - Red Grange, Lorado Taft, Chief Illiniwek and more.
Living in Illinois Locate Illinois Communities and Statisical Information and Illinois Community Websites
Selected Municipal Codes and Ordinances
This webpage is maintained by Mark Sorensen, sorens1@insightbb.com Adjunct Professor of History, Millikin University.
Last updated January 19, 2007