
- The first skyscraper was built in Illinois.
- The state is home to the first aquarium in the USA. It was opened in Chicago.
- The state is home to the world’s largest bottle of catsup. Now that’s impressive!
- Illinois had two other capitals before Springfield: Vandalia and Kaskaskia.

- Illinois generates more nuclear power than any other state in the USA.
- Aurora, Illinois, is the first city in the USA to use electric street lighting throughout the whole city. That’s why Aurora is known as the City of Lights.
- The term jazz was coined in Chicago in 1914.
- Morton, Illinois, is the Pumpkin capital of the world.