History of Illinois in Timeline

Illinois is a Midwestern U.S. state bordering Lake Michigan, the Mississippi River, and the Wabash and Ohio rivers. It boasts the fifth-largest GDP and sixth-largest population among the fifty states, with Springfield as its capital and Chicago as its largest city. Its geographic location along major waterways has historically made it a key transportation hub.

1900: Growth of industrial jobs and coal mining

By 1900, the growth of industrial jobs in the northern cities and coal mining in the central and southern areas attracted immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe to Illinois.

1908: Chicago Cubs Last World Series Win

In 1908, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, marking the beginning of the longest championship drought in major American sports until 2016.

1908: Illinois State Parks System Began

In 1908, the Illinois state parks system began with what is now Fort Massac State Park.

1912: William Lorimer Expelled from U.S. Senate

In 1912, William Lorimer, the GOP boss of Chicago, was expelled from the U.S. Senate for bribery.

1916: Election Bellwether Exception

Illinois did not support the winner in the 1916 election, breaking its streak as a national bellwether.

1917: Chicago White Sox Win World Series

In 1917, the Chicago White Sox won the World Series.

1921: Governor Len Small Alleged Fraud

In 1921, Governor Len Small was found to have defrauded the state of a million dollars.

1923: Official Status to "the American language"

In 1923, state law in Illinois gave official status to "the American language".

1925: The Tri-State Tornado

In 1925, the Tri-State Tornado killed 695 people in three states; 613 of the victims died in Illinois.

1926: Chicago Blackhawks Founded

In 1926, the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL began playing.

1933: Century of Progress World's fair in Chicago

In 1933, the Century of Progress World's fair was held in Chicago, Illinois.

1937: Oil boom in Marion and Crawford Counties

In 1937, oil strikes in Marion County and Crawford County led to an oil boom in Illinois.

1939: Illinois ranked fourth in U.S. oil production

By 1939, Illinois ranked fourth in U.S. oil production.

1942: First sustained nuclear chain reaction

In 1942, as part of the Manhattan Project, the University of Chicago conducted the first sustained nuclear chain reaction.

1946: Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference began.

Since 1946, Illinois has hosted the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference.

July 14, 1954: All-time high temperature recorded

On July 14, 1954, the all-time high temperature of 117 °F (47 °C) was recorded in East St. Louis, Illinois.

1957: First experimental nuclear power generating system activated

In 1957, Argonne National Laboratory, near Chicago, activated the first experimental nuclear power generating system in the United States.

1959: Opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway

In 1959, Chicago became an ocean port with the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which connected Chicago to both the Mississippi River and the Atlantic Ocean.

1960: First privately financed nuclear plant dedicated

By 1960, the first privately financed nuclear plant in the United States, Dresden 1, was dedicated near Morris, Illinois.

1960: Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald's franchise

In 1960, Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois.

1961: Criminal code revision

In 1961, Illinois became the first state in the nation to adopt the recommendation of the American Law Institute and pass a comprehensive criminal code revision that repealed the law against sodomy. The code also abrogated common law crimes and established an age of consent of 18.

1962: O'Hare Becomes Busiest Airport

In 1962, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport supplanted Midway Airport as the busiest airport in the world.

1967: Fermilab opened particle accelerator

In 1967, Fermilab, a national nuclear research facility near Batavia, Illinois, opened a particle accelerator, which was the world's largest for over 40 years.

1969: Official Status to "the American language"

In 1969, state law in Illinois repealed the official status to "the American language".

1970: Decline of Non-Hispanic White Population

In 1970, the non-Hispanic white population in Illinois was 83.5%.

1970: Adoption of the state's fourth constitution

In 1970, the state's fourth constitution was adopted, replacing the 1870 document.

1971: John Deere Classic Began

Since 1971, The John Deere Classic is a regular PGA Tour event played in the Quad Cities.

1973: Illinois Resource Equalizer Formula Adopted

In 1973, the Illinois Resource Equalizer Formula was adopted in an attempt to collect and distribute funding to Illinois schools more equitably.

1976: LPGA State Farm Classic Began

From 1976 to 2011, the LPGA State Farm Classic was an LPGA Tour event.

1976: Election Bellwether Exception

Illinois did not support the winner in the 1976 election, breaking its streak as a national bellwether.

1984: Demolition of the first McDonald's franchise

In 1984, the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois, was demolished.

1985: Replica of the first McDonald's franchise built

In 1985, a replica of the first McDonald's franchise was built on the same site in Des Plaines, Illinois, to recreate how the original one looked.

1985: First Farm Aid concert

In 1985, the first Farm Aid concert was held in Champaign, Illinois, to benefit American farmers.

January 26, 1986: Chicago Bears Win Super Bowl XX

On January 26, 1986, the Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX, marking their last NFL Championship.

1990: Asian-American population in Illinois

In 1990, Asian-Americans represented only 2.5% of the total population of Illinois.

1990: State Income Tax Rate

In 1990, the state income tax rate in Illinois was set at 3%.

1992: Shift Toward Democratic Party

Since the 1992 election, Illinois has trended more toward the Democratic Party.

1993: Great Flood of 1993

The Great Flood of 1993, the worst upper Mississippi River flood of the century, inundated many towns and thousands of acres of farmland in Illinois.

1997: Chicago Fire FC Founding

In 1997, Chicago Fire FC was founded and became a member of MLS.

1998: Coal Burned for Power

In 1998, 21 million tons of coal burned for power in Illinois was mined in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming.

1998: Hartsfield Surpasses O'Hare

In 1998, Atlanta's Hartsfield airport surpassed Chicago's O'Hare International Airport as the busiest airport in the world.

January 5, 1999: Previous record low temperature recorded

Prior to the Mount Carroll record, a temperature of −36 °F (−38 °C) was recorded on January 5, 1999, near Congerville, Illinois.

1999: Illinois Coal Production

In 1999, Illinois produced 40.4 million tons of coal, with only 17 million tons consumed within the state.

2000: Minority Population Under 18

In 2000, 41% of children in Illinois were minorities.

2000: Republican Presidential Win Without Illinois

In 2000, George W. Bush became the first Republican to win the presidency without carrying either Illinois or Vermont.

2002: Election of Rod Blagojevich and Barack Obama

The 2002 election brought Democrat Rod Blagojevich to the governor's mansion. It also brought future president Barack Obama into a committee leadership position in the Illinois Senate, where he drafted the Health Care Justice Act, a forerunner of the Affordable Care Act.

January 2003: Ryan commuted all death sentences

Near the end of his term in January 2003, following a string of high-profile exonerations, Republican Governor George Ryan commuted all death sentences in the state of Illinois.

2003: U.S. Open at Olympia Fields

Illinois hosted the U.S. Open at Olympia Fields in 2003.

2004: Southern Illinois Music Festival

Each summer since 2004, Southern Illinois University Carbondale has hosted the Southern Illinois Music Festival.

2005: Oil Production in Illinois

In 2005, Illinois ranked 14th in oil production among states, with a daily output of approximately 28,000 bbl.

2005: Chicago White Sox Win World Series

In 2005, the Chicago White Sox won the World Series, their first since 1917.

2006: PGA Championship at Medinah

Illinois hosted the PGA Championship at Medinah in 2006.

2006: Chicago Fire FC Move to Bridgeview

In 2006, Chicago Fire FC moved to Bridgeview, adjacent to Chicago.

2006: Value Added Productivity by Manufacturing

In 2006, Illinois boasted annual value added productivity by manufacturing of over $107 billion.

2006: Former Governor George Ryan Convicted

In 2006, former Illinois governor George Ryan was convicted of racketeering and bribery.

2006: Chicago Sky Founded

The Chicago Sky have played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) since 2006.

2007: Wind Energy Production and Mandate for Renewable Resources

As of 2007, wind energy represented only 1.7% of Illinois's energy production. Also in 2007, the Illinois General Assembly mandated that by 2025, 25% of all electricity generated in Illinois must come from renewable resources.

2007: Nuclear Power Generation in Illinois

In 2007, 48% of Illinois's electricity was generated using nuclear power.

2008: Barack Obama Elected President

In 2008, Barack Obama, running as a candidate from his Illinois base, was elected president.

2008: Illinois Coal Exports

In 2008, Illinois exported three million tons of coal and was projected to export nine million in 2011.

2008: Soybean Harvest

In 2008, Illinois harvested 427.7 million bushels of soybeans.

2008: O'Hare Passenger Statistics in 2008

In 2008, O'Hare International Airport served 59.3 million domestic passengers and 11.4 million international passengers.

January 15, 2009: Temperature recorded at Rochelle

Prior to the Mount Carroll record, a temperature of −37 °F (−38 °C) was recorded on January 15, 2009, at Rochelle, but at a weather station not subjected to the same quality control as official records.

September 2009: Wind Power Capacity in Illinois

As of September 2009, Illinois had 1116.06 MW of installed wind power capacity with another 741.9 MW under construction. Illinois ranked ninth among U.S. states in installed wind power capacity and sixteenth by potential capacity.

2009: Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms

In 2009, Illinois hosted the Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms.

2009: Chicago Red Stars Formation

The Chicago Red Stars were formed in 2009 and have played at the top level of U.S. women's soccer since.

August 2010: University Rankings

As of August 2010, six Illinois universities ranked in the "first tier" among the top 500 National Universities in the nation, according to U.S. News & World Report.

2010: Illinois Coal Reserves Ranking

As of 2010, Illinois was ranked third in recoverable coal reserves at producing mines in the nation.

2010: Illinois Population decline

Illinois' population slightly declined in 2020 from the 2010 United States census by just over 18,000 residents.

2010: Minority Population Under 18

In 2010, 47% of children in Illinois were minorities.

2010: Catholic Population in Illinois

In 2010, Catholics in Illinois numbered 3,648,907.

2010: Illinois Ranked First in Nuclear Capacity and Generation

In 2010, Illinois ranked first in the nation in both nuclear capacity and nuclear generation, accounting for 12 percent of the nation's total nuclear generation.

2010: Mattoon Backs Out of FutureGen Project

In 2010, after a number of setbacks, the city of Mattoon backed out of the Department of Energy's FutureGen project.

2010: General Assembly Voted for a Temporary Increase in the Income Tax Rate

In 2010, the General Assembly voted for a temporary increase in the Illinois state income tax rate to 5%.

2010: Last Republican Elected to Senate

Since Mark Kirk won in 2010, Illinois has not elected a Republican to the Senate.

January 1, 2011: New Income Tax Rate in Effect

On January 1, 2011, the new Illinois state income tax rate of 5%, as voted for in 2010, went into effect.

December 7, 2011: Former Governor Rod Blagojevich Sentenced

On December 7, 2011, former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison for allegations that he conspired to sell the vacated Senate seat left by President Barack Obama.

2011: Manufacturing Ranking

As of 2011, Illinois was ranked as the 4th-most productive manufacturing state in the country.

2011: Chicago Red Stars Season

Except for the 2011 season, the Chicago Red Stars have played at the top level of U.S. women's soccer since their formation in 2009.

2011: LPGA State Farm Classic

From 1976 to 2011, the LPGA State Farm Classic was an LPGA Tour event.

2011: Ethanol Production

In 2011, Illinois ranked third in the United States in ethanol production, with a production capacity of 1.5 billion gallons per year.

2011: Projected Coal Exports

In 2011, Illinois was projected to export nine million tons of coal.

2011: Quad Cities population in northern Illinois

In 2011, the Quad Cities region, located along the Mississippi River in northern Illinois, had a population of 381,342.

2012: Ryder Cup at Medinah

In 2012, Illinois hosted the Ryder Cup at Medinah.

2013: Encompass Championship Began

Since 2013, the Encompass Championship is a Champions Tour event.

2014: Election of Bruce Rauner

In the 2014 election, Blagojevich's replacement Pat Quinn was defeated by Republican Bruce Rauner.

January 1, 2015: Partial Sunset of Personal Income Tax Rate

On January 1, 2015, the Illinois personal income tax rate partially sunset to 3.75%, while the corporate income tax fell to 5.25%.

2015: Start of the Illinois Budget Impasse

In 2015, disagreements between the governor and legislature over budgetary policy led to the Illinois Budget Impasse, a 793-day period in which the state had no budget.

2015: Chicago Blackhawks Win Stanley Cup

In 2015, the Chicago Blackhawks won their sixth Stanley Cup.

2016: Republican Presidential Win Without Illinois

In 2016, Donald Trump became president without carrying either Illinois.

2016: Venture Capital Funding

In 2016, Illinois-based companies received approximately $1.1 billion in venture capital funding. In FY 2016, Illinois-based companies received approximately $8.7 billion in federal government contracts.

2016: Chicago Bandits Win League Title

In 2016, The Chicago Bandits of the NPF won four league titles, most recently in 2016.

2016: Chicago Cubs Win World Series

In 2016, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series, ending their long championship drought since 1908.

August 28, 2017: Rauner signed a bill prohibiting arrests based on immigration status

On August 28, 2017, Governor Rauner signed a bill into law that prohibited state and local police from arresting anyone solely due to their immigration status or due to federal detainers.

2017: Chicago's Sales Tax Rate

As of 2017 Chicago had the highest state and local sales tax rate for a U.S. city with a populations above 200,000, at 10.250%.

2017: Budget Passed After Impasse, Income Rate Raised

In 2017, after a 736-day budget impasse, a budget was passed in Illinois. This budget raised the personal income rate to 4.95% and the corporate rate to 7%.

2017: Demolition of the McDonald's replica

In 2017, the replica of the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois, was demolished due to repeated flooding of the building.

2018: End of the Illinois Budget Impasse

In 2018, the Illinois Budget Impasse, which began in 2015, came to an end after 793 days.

2018: Top Countries of Origin for Immigrants

In 2018, the top countries of origin for immigrants in Illinois were Mexico, India, Poland, the Philippines and China.

2018: Election of J. B. Pritzker

In the 2018 election, Bruce Rauner was replaced by J. B. Pritzker, returning the state government to a Democratic trifecta.

January 2019: North American cold wave

The January 2019 North American cold wave brought record cold temperatures to Illinois.

January 31, 2019: All-time low temperature recorded

On January 31, 2019, the all-time low temperature of −38 °F (−39 °C) was recorded near Mount Carroll, Illinois, during the January 2019 North American cold wave.

February 2019: Unemployment Rate in Illinois

As of February 2019, the unemployment rate in Illinois reached 4.2%.

March 5, 2019: Confirmation of all-time low temperature

On March 5, 2019, the all-time low temperature recorded on January 31, 2019, near Mount Carroll, Illinois, was confirmed.

May 1, 2019: Illinois Senate Approves Constitutional Amendment for Graduated Income Tax

On May 1, 2019, the Illinois Senate voted to approve a constitutional amendment that would have stricken language from the Illinois Constitution requiring a flat state income tax.

May 27, 2019: Governor Approves Graduated Income Tax Bill

On May 27, 2019, Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker approved the bill for a constitutional amendment that would allow a graduated income tax.

2019: LGBTQ Adult Population in Illinois

According to a Gallup survey from 2019, 4.3% of adults in Illinois identify as LGBTQ.

2019: Chicago Fire FC Move to Soldier Field

In 2019, Chicago Fire FC moved to Soldier Field in Chicago.

2019: Rauner and Sanguinetti Left Office

In 2019, Governor Bruce Rauner and Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti, the last Republicans to hold statewide office, left office.

January 2020: Legalization of marijuana

In January 2020, the state of Illinois legalized marijuana.

March 9, 2020: Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation due to COVID-19 pandemic

On March 9, 2020, Governor Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Chicago Metropolitan Area

As of 2020, 21.4% of Illinois' population lived in the city of Chicago itself.

2020: Catholic Population in Illinois

By 2020, the number of Catholics in Illinois had declined to 3,099,544.

2020: Chicago Population

In 2020, Chicago was the largest city in the state and the third-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 2,746,388.

2020: Amendment on Graduated Income Tax Not Approved

In 2020, the proposed amendment to allow a graduated income tax was not approved by Illinois voters, with 55.1% voting "No".

2020: Illinois Ranked 4th Easiest State to Vote In

In a 2020 study, Illinois was ranked as the 4th easiest state for citizens to vote in.

2020: Illinois Population in 2020 Census

The United States Census Bureau found that the population of Illinois was 12,812,508 in the 2020 United States census.

2021: Hispanic ancestry estimates

In 2021, estimates show that almost 10% of the state's Hispanic population also reported a non-Spanish European ancestry, with this group making up 1.7% of the state's total population.

2021: Chicago Sky Win WNBA Championship

The Chicago Sky won their first WNBA Championship in 2021.

2022: Ancestry Estimates in Illinois

According to 2022 estimates from the American Community Survey, the most reported ancestries in Illinois were German (16%), Mexican (14%), Irish (10.4%), English (7.1%), and Polish (6.2%).

2022: Homeless Population in Illinois

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 9,212 homeless people in Illinois.

2022: Gross State Product of Illinois

As of 2022, the gross state product for Illinois reached US$1.0 trillion.

2022: Population Demographics in Illinois

In 2022, 11.2% of Illinois's population was under the age of 9, 12.9% were between 10 and 19, and the median age was 39.1 years. Approximately 0.44% of adults identified as transgender, and females made up approximately 50.5% of the population.

2022: Human Development Index Score

In 2022, Illinois scored 0.932 on the UN's Human Development Index, placing it in the category of "very high" Human Development.

2022: Decline of Non-Hispanic White Population

In 2022, the non-Hispanic white population in Illinois had declined to 58.5%.

May 2023: End of state of emergency

Governor Pritzker ended the state of emergency in May 2023.

2023: U.S. Census Bureau estimates

According to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Illinois' population was 60.7% White, 13.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American or Alaskan Native, 6.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.1% Some Other Race, and 11.8% from two or more races.

2023: Minority Population Under 18

As of 2023, 50% of Illinois's population younger than age 18 were minorities.

2023: Income and Poverty in Illinois

As of 2023, the per-capita income in Illinois is $45,043, and the median household income is $80,306. 11.6% of the population lives below the poverty line.

2023: Black Americans population

In 2023, 1,922,259 Illinoisans identified as Black alone or in combination, making up 15.3% of the states population.

2023: Native American Population in Illinois

In 2023, 271,494 Illinoisans identified as Native American alone or in combination, representing 2.2% of the state's population. The largest self-identified Indigenous groups were Aztec (53,815) and Maya (17,866), while the largest non-Latin American Indigenous groups were Blackfeet (8,674) and Navajo (3,950).

2023: Non-Hispanic White Population in Illinois

In 2023, 7,260,529 Illinoisans identified as non-Hispanic white alone, constituting 57.9% of the state's population. While a majority of white residents live in the Chicago area, the counties with the highest percentage share of white population are located in rural areas.

2023: Pacific Islander Population in Illinois

In 2023, Pacific Islanders numbered 17,982 in Illinois, making up 0.1% of the population. The largest Pacific Islander groups were Native Hawaiians (6,362), Samoans (2,211), and Chamorros (1,519).