History of Illinois in Timeline

Illinois is a Midwestern state in the United States, bordered by Lake Michigan, the Mississippi River, and the Wabash and Ohio rivers. It ranks fifth in GDP and sixth in population among U.S. states. Springfield serves as its capital, while Chicago is its largest city, located in the northeastern part of the state.

1900: Immigration to Illinois

Around 1900, industrial jobs in northern cities and coal mining in central and southern Illinois attracted immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe, making Illinois one of America's most industrialized states.

1908: Chicago Cubs

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

1908: State Parks System Began

In 1908, the Illinois state parks system began with Fort Massac State Park, the first in the system.

1909: Cherry Mine Disaster

In 1909, the Cherry Mine disaster, an underground fire, resulted in the deaths of 259 miners, marking it as the third-worst disaster in the history of American coal mining.

1912: William Lorimer Expulsion

In 1912, William Lorimer was expelled from the U.S. Senate for bribery.

1916: Election Bellwether Exception

In 1916, Illinois did not support the winner of the presidential election, an exception to its bellwether status.

1917: Chicago White Sox

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

1921: Len Small Fraud

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

1923: Official Status of "the American language"

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

1925: Tri-State Tornado

In 1925, the Tri-State Tornado, one of Tornado Alley's deadliest tornadoes on record, killed 695 people in three states; 613 of the victims died in Illinois.

1926: Chicago Blackhawks

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

1928: Election of Oscar De Priest

In 1928, Illinois became the first state in the post-reconstruction era to elect a Black person to the U.S. House of Representatives, with the election of Oscar De Priest.

1933: Century of Progress World's Fair

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

1937: Oil Boom in Illinois

Oil strikes in Marion County and Crawford County in 1937 led to a boom in Illinois.

1939: Illinois Oil Production

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

1940: Decline in Coal Mining

After 1940, there was a slow decline in coal mining in Illinois.

1942: First 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 Conference

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

July 14, 1954: All-Time High Temperature

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

1957: First Experimental Nuclear Power System

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

1959: Chicago as an Ocean Port

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

1960: First Privately Financed Nuclear Plant

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

1960: 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 to adopt the American Law Institute's recommendation and pass a comprehensive criminal code revision, which repealed the law against sodomy, abrogated common law crimes, and established an age of consent of 18.

1962: O'Hare Becomes Busiest Airport

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

1967: Opening of Fermilab

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

1969: Official Status of "the American language"

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

1970: Non-Hispanic White Population in Illinois

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

1970: Adoption of New Constitution

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

1971: John Deere Classic Began

In 1971, the John Deere Classic, a regular PGA Tour event, began being played in the Quad Cities.

1973: Adoption of the Illinois Resource Equalizer Formula

In 1973, the Illinois Resource Equalizer Formula was adopted with the intention of collecting and distributing funds more equitably to Illinois schools.

1976: Election Bellwether Exception

In 1976, Illinois did not support the winner of the presidential election, an exception to its bellwether status.

1976: LPGA State Farm Classic Began

In 1976, the LPGA State Farm Classic, an LPGA Tour event, began.

1984: Demolition of Original McDonald's

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

1985: Recreation of First McDonald's

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

1985: First Farm Aid Concert

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

January 26, 1986: Chicago Bears Win Super Bowl XX

On January 26, 1986, the Chicago Bears won Super Bowl XX.

1990: Asian-American population in Illinois

In 1990, the Asian-American population in Illinois was only 2.5% of the total population.

1990: State Income Tax Rate

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

1992: Election of Carol Mosley Brown

In 1992, Illinois was the first state to elect a Black woman to the US Senate, with the election of Carol Mosley Brown.

1992: Shift Toward Democratic Party

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

1993: Great Flood of 1993

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

1997: Chicago Fire FC Founding

In 1997, Chicago Fire FC was founded and joined the MLS.

1998: Coal Consumption

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

1998: O'Hare Surpassed By Atlanta

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

January 5, 1999: Previous Record Low Temperature

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

1999: Coal Production and Consumption

In 1999, Illinois produced 40.4 million tons of coal, but only 17 million tons (42%) were consumed within the state, with the majority being exported.

2000: Minority Population Under 18 in Illinois

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

2000: Republican Presidency Without Illinois

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

2002: Blagojevich Elected and Obama in Illinois Senate

The 2002 election brought Democrat Rod Blagojevich to the governor's mansion. In the same year, Barack Obama entered 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 Commutes Death Sentences

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

2003: U.S. Open at Olympia Fields

In 2003, Olympia Fields hosted the U.S. Open.

2004: Southern Illinois Music Festival

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

2005: Oil Production

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

2005: Chicago White Sox Win World Series

In 2005, the Chicago White Sox won the World Series.

2006: Leading manufacturing industries in Illinois

As of 2006, the leading manufacturing industries in Illinois were chemical manufacturing ($18.3 billion), machinery manufacturing ($13.4 billion), food manufacturing ($12.9 billion), fabricated metal products ($11.5 billion), transportation equipment ($7.4 billion), plastics and rubber products ($7.0 billion), and computer and electronic products ($6.1 billion).

2006: PGA Championship at Medinah

In 2006, Medinah hosted the PGA Championship.

2006: George Ryan Conviction

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

2006: Chicago Fire Move to Bridgeview

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

2006: Chicago Sky Founding

In 2006, the Chicago Sky were founded and began playing in the WNBA.

2007: Wind Energy Production

As of 2007, wind energy represented only 1.7% of Illinois's energy production.

2007: Nuclear Power Generation

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

2008: Election of Barack Obama

Following his victory in the 2008 presidential election, Illinois senator Barack Obama became the first Black president of the United States.

2008: Obama becomes president

In 2008, Barack Obama, who had made Illinois his home after law school and served as a U.S. Senator for Illinois, became president, running as a candidate from his Illinois base.

2008: Coal Exports

In 2008, Illinois exported three million tons of coal, with projections to export nine million tons in 2011.

2008: O'Hare Passenger Statistics

In 2008, O'Hare International Airport handled 59.3 million domestic passengers and 11.4 million international passengers, and Midway Airport served 17.3 million domestic and 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

As of September 2009, Illinois had 1116.06 MW of installed wind power capacity with another 741.9 MW under construction, ranking ninth among U.S. states.

2009: Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms

In 2009, Rich Harvest Farms hosted the Solheim Cup.

2009: Chicago Red Stars Formation

In 2009, the Chicago Red Stars were formed and began playing at the top level of U.S. women's soccer.

August 2010: University Rankings

As of August 2010, six Illinois universities ranked in the "first tier" among the top 500 National Universities, according to the U.S. News & World Report rankings. These included the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, among others. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the world's top ten, and its Booth School of Business, along with Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, consistently rank within the top five graduate business schools in the country and top ten globally.

2010: Coal Reserves Ranking

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

2010: Hispanic Population Growth

Between 2010 and 2020, the Hispanic population in Illinois grew by 15%, while the overall population of the state declined.

2010: Minority Population Under 18 in Illinois

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

2010: Catholic Population in Illinois

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

2010: Nuclear Capacity Ranking

In 2010, Illinois ranked first in the nation in both nuclear capacity and nuclear generation.

2010: Mark Kirk Elected to Senate

In 2010, Mark Kirk was elected to the Senate, becoming the most recent Republican to be elected to the senate.

2010: Mattoon Backs Out of FutureGen Project

In 2010, after experiencing a number of setbacks, the city of Mattoon withdrew its support for the Department of Energy's FutureGen project.

2010: Temporary Income Tax Increase

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

2010: Illinois Population Decline

In 2020, the United States Census Bureau found that Illinois' population slightly declined from the 2010 United States census by just over 18,000 residents.

January 1, 2011: Income Tax Rate Increase

On January 1, 2011, the temporary increase in the Illinois state income tax rate to 5% went into effect.

December 7, 2011: Rod Blagojevich Sentencing

On December 7, 2011, former governor Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison for conspiring to sell Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat.

2011: Manufacturing State in the Country

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

2011: Ethanol Production in Illinois

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 due to growing demand in Asia and Europe.

2011: Chicago Red Stars Season

In 2011, the Chicago Red Stars did not play in the top level of U.S. women's soccer.

2011: LPGA State Farm Classic Ended

In 2011, the LPGA State Farm Classic, an LPGA Tour event, ended.

2011: Quad Cities Population

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, Medinah hosted the Ryder Cup.

2013: Encompass Championship Began

In 2013, the Encompass Championship, a Champions Tour event, began.

2014: Illinois's prison incarceration rate since 2014

Illinois' prison incarceration rate has declined by almost 50% since 2014.

2014: Rauner Elected Governor

In the 2014 election, Republican Bruce Rauner defeated Pat Quinn to become the Governor of Illinois.

January 1, 2015: Income Tax Rate Sunset

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

2015: Illinois Budget Impasse Begins

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 Stanley Cup

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

2016: Republican Presidency Without Illinois

In 2016, Donald Trump became the second Republican to win the presidency without carrying Illinois or Vermont.

2016: Venture Capital Funding and Federal Contracts in Illinois

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

2016: Chicago Bandits League Title

In 2016, the Chicago Bandits of the NPF won their fourth league title.

2016: Chicago Cubs Win World Series

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

August 28, 2017: Bill signed into law 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 federal detainers.

2017: Highest Sales Tax Rate

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

2017: Budget Passed After Impasse

In 2017, after a 736-day budget impasse, Illinois lawmakers overturned Governor Bruce Rauner's veto and passed a budget, raising the personal income rate to 4.95% and the corporate rate to 7%.

2017: Demolition of McDonald's Replica

In 2017, the replica of the first McDonald's was demolished due to repeated flooding of the building.

2018: Illinois Budget Impasse Ends

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

2018: Top countries of origin for immigrants in Illinois

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

2018: Pritzker Elected Governor

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

January 2019: North American Cold Wave

During January 2019, Illinois experienced the North American cold wave, leading to a record low temperature.

January 31, 2019: All-Time Low Temperature

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

March 5, 2019: Confirmation of All-Time Low Temperature

On March 5, 2019, the all-time low temperature of −38 °F (−39 °C) recorded on January 31, 2019, near Mount Carroll, was confirmed.

May 1, 2019: Senate Approves Constitutional Amendment

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 Income Tax Bill

On May 27, 2019, the governor of Illinois, J. B. Pritzker, approved the bill allowing for a graduated income tax to be on the 2020 general election ballot.

2019: LGBTQ Population in Illinois

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

2019: Rauner and Sanguinetti Left Office

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

2019: Chicago Fire Return to Soldier Field

In 2019, the Chicago Fire FC returned to play at Soldier Field in Chicago.

January 2020: Marijuana Legalization

In January 2020, the state of Illinois legalized marijuana.

March 9, 2020: Disaster Proclamation for COVID-19 Pandemic

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

2020: Illinois Population in 2020

According to the 2020 United States census, the population of Illinois was 12,812,508.

2020: Hispanic Population Growth

Between 2010 and 2020, the Hispanic population in Illinois grew by 15%, while the overall population of the state declined.

2020: Catholic Population in Illinois

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

2020: Largest Protestant Denominations in Illinois

In 2020, the largest Protestant denominations in Illinois were the United Methodist Church with 235,045 members and the Southern Baptist Convention with 222,589.

2020: Income Tax Amendment Rejected

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

2020: Voting Accessibility Ranking

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

2021: Hispanic European Ancestry

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

In 2021, the Chicago Sky won their first WNBA Championship.

2022: Incarcerated Population in Illinois

According to 2022 data from the Prison Policy Initiative, an estimated 53,000 people were imprisoned in Illinois.

2022: Ancestry Estimates in Illinois

According to 2022 estimates, 16% of the Illinois population had German ancestry, 14% had Mexican ancestry, and 10.4% had Irish ancestry.

2022: Gross State Product for Illinois

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

2022: Age Distribution in Illinois

In 2022, 11.2% of Illinois's population was reported as being under the age of 9.

2022: Human Development Index in Illinois

In 2022, Illinois scored 0.932 on the UN's Human Development Index.

2022: Non-Hispanic White Population in Illinois

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

May 2023: End of COVID-19 State of Emergency

In May 2023, Governor Pritzker ended the state of emergency that was declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023: Illinois Population by Race

According to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimates (with Hispanics allocated amongst the various racial groups), 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: Population Under 18 in Illinois

As of 2023, 21.5% of the population in Illinois is under the age of 18.

2023: Catholic Population in Illinois

As of 2023, Catholics account for nearly 25% of the state's population in Illinois.

2023: Household Size and Fertility Rate in Illinois

As of 2023, Illinois' total fertility rate is the 11th lowest of all US states, with a lifetime average of 1.50 births per woman.

2023: Income and Poverty in Illinois

As of 2023, the per-capita income in Illinois is $45,043, and the median income for a household is $80,306.

2023: Black Americans in Illinois

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

2023: Non-Hispanic white population in Illinois

In 2023, 7,260,529 Illinoisans identified as non-Hispanic white alone, making up 57.9% of the population.

2023: Pacific Islander Population in Illinois

In 2023, Pacific Islanders numbered 17,982 in Illinois, making up only 0.1% of the population.

2023: Top countries of origin for immigrants in Illinois

In 2023, the top countries of origin for immigrants in Illinois were Mexico, India, Poland, the Philippines and China.

2024: Most Populous Counties

As of 2024, the five most populous counties in Illinois are Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, and Kane, all located in the Chicago metropolitan area.

May 2025: Unemployment Rate in Illinois

As of May 2025, the unemployment rate in Illinois was 4.8%.

2025: Renewable Energy Mandate

In 2007, the Illinois General Assembly mandated that by 2025, 25% of all electricity generated in Illinois must come from renewable resources.

2026: Minimum Wage in Illinois

As of 2026, Illinois's minimum wage is $15.00 per hour for employees over the age of 18.

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