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 ranks fifth in GDP and sixth in population among the fifty states. Springfield is the capital, while Chicago is the largest city. Known for its diverse geography, from urban centers to agricultural lands, Illinois plays a significant role in the nation's economy and culture.

1900: Growth of industrial jobs and coal mining attracts immigrants

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

1908: Chicago Cubs Long Championship Drought Begins

In 1908, the Chicago Cubs began their long stretch without a championship, lasting until 2016.

1908: Illinois State Parks System Begins

In 1908, the Illinois state parks system began with Fort Massac State Park, the first park 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 American coal mining history.

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: Illinois Misses National Bellwether

Illinois supported the loser in the 1916 election, deviating from its bellwether status.

1917: Chicago White Sox Previous World Series Win

In 1917, the Chicago White Sox last won the world series prior to 2005.

1921: Governor Len Small Found to Have Defrauded the State

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

1923: Official Status to 'The American Language' in Illinois

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

1925: Tri-State Tornado

The Tri-State Tornado of 1925 killed 695 people across three states, with 613 of the victims dying in Illinois.

1926: Chicago Blackhawks Founded

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

1928: Oscar De Priest Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

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

1933: Century of Progress World's fair held at 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.

1940: Decline in Coal Mining

After 1940, Illinois experienced a slow decline in coal mining activities.

1942: First sustained nuclear chain reaction

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

1946: Midwest Clinic Conference

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: Chicago becomes an ocean port

In 1959, Chicago became an ocean port with the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

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: First McDonald's franchise opens in Des Plaines

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

1961: Illinois becomes the first state to adopt a comprehensive 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, abrogated common law crimes, and established an age of consent of 18.

1962: O'Hare becomes the busiest airport

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

1967: Fermilab opens a particle accelerator

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: End of Official Status to 'The American Language' in Illinois

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

1970: Adoption of the state's fourth constitution

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

1970: Non-Hispanic Whites in Illinois

In 1970, the state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, was 83.5% of the population.

1971: John Deere Classic

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

1973: Adoption of the Illinois Resource Equalizer Formula

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

1976: LPGA State Farm Classic

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

1976: Illinois Misses National Bellwether Again

Illinois supported the loser in the 1976 election, deviating from its bellwether status.

1984: Demolition of original McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines

The first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois, which opened in 1960, was demolished in 1984.

1985: Replica of original McDonald's built

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

1985: First Farm Aid concert held in Champaign

In 1985, the first Farm Aid concert was held in Champaign 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-Americans in Illinois

In 1990, Asian-Americans made up only 2.5% of Illinois' total population, compared to over 7% in 2023.

1990: Illinois Income Tax Rate

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

1992: Carol Mosley Brown Elected to U.S. Senate

In 1992, Illinois was the first state to elect a Black woman, Carol Mosley Brown, to the U.S. Senate.

1992: Illinois Trends Democratic

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

1993: Great Flood of 1993 inundates towns and farmland

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 became a member of MLS.

1998: Coal Burned for Power in Illinois

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

1998: O'Hare surpassed by Atlanta's Hartsfield

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

January 5, 1999: Previous record low temperature

On January 5, 1999, a temperature of -36 °F (-38 °C) was recorded near Congerville, prior to the 2019 record.

1999: Illinois Coal Production and Consumption

In 1999, Illinois produced 40.4 million tons of coal, but only 17 million tons (42%) of Illinois coal was consumed within the state.

2000: Minorities Under Age 18 in Illinois

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

2000: Bush Wins Presidency Without Illinois

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

2002: Rod Blagojevich elected governor

In the 2002 election, Democrat Rod Blagojevich was elected as governor of Illinois. Barack Obama also assumed a committee leadership position in the Illinois Senate and drafted the Health Care Justice Act.

January 2003: Governor Ryan commutes all death sentences

Near the end of his term in January 2003, Illinois Governor George Ryan commuted all death sentences in the state.

2003: U.S. Open at Olympia Fields

The U.S. Open was held at Olympia Fields in Illinois in 2003.

2004: Southern Illinois Music Festival

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

2005: Illinois Oil Production

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: Manufacturing in Illinois

As of 2006, the leading manufacturing industries in Illinois, based upon value-added, were chemical manufacturing, machinery manufacturing, food manufacturing, fabricated metal products, transportation equipment, plastics and rubber products, and computer and electronic products.

2006: Chicago Fire FC Move to Bridgeview

From 2006 to 2019, The Chicago Fire FC played in Bridgeview.

2006: George Ryan Convicted of Racketeering and Bribery

In 2006, former Illinois governor George Ryan was convicted of racketeering and bribery, leading to a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

2006: Chicago Sky Founded

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

2006: PGA Championship at Medinah

The PGA Championship was held at Medinah in Illinois in 2006.

2007: Wind Energy Percentage in Illinois

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

2007: Nuclear Power Generation in Illinois

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

2008: Barack 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 after running as a candidate from his Illinois base.

2008: Coal Exports Increased

In 2008, Illinois exported three million tons of coal and was projected to export nine million in 2011 due to growing energy demands in Asia and Europe.

2008: Soybean Harvest in Illinois

In 2008, Illinois harvested 427.7 million bushels of soybeans.

2008: O'Hare Remains a Busiest Airport

In 2008, O'Hare International Airport was still one of the two or three busiest airports globally, with 59.3 million domestic passengers and 11.4 million international passengers.

January 15, 2009: Temperature of −37 °F recorded at Rochelle

On January 15, 2009, a temperature of −37 °F (−38 °C) was recorded 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 nameplate capacity with another 741.9 MW under construction, ranking ninth among U.S. states in installed wind power capacity.

2009: Chicago Red Stars Formation

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

2009: Solheim Cup at Rich Harvest Farms

The Solheim Cup was held at Rich Harvest Farms in Illinois in 2009.

August 2010: Top Illinois Universities in 2010

As of August 2010, six Illinois universities ranked in the "first tier" among the top 500 National Universities in the U.S. News & World Report rankings. These universities include the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Loyola University Chicago, the Illinois Institute of Technology, and DePaul University.

2010: Illinois Ranked Third in Recoverable Coal Reserves

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

2010: Hispanic population data in Illinois

Data from 2010 is compared to 2020 to demonstrate the growth of the Hispanic population in Illinois.

2010: Minorities Under Age 18 in Illinois

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

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.

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: Illinois Income Tax Increase Vote

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

2010: Last Republican Elected to Senate

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

2010: Illinois population reported by United States census

The 2010 United States census was used as a point of comparison to demonstrate the slight population decline in Illinois reported in the 2020 census.

January 1, 2011: Illinois Income Tax Rate Increase

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

December 7, 2011: Rod Blagojevich Sentenced to Prison

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

2011: Manufacturing in Illinois

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

2011: LPGA State Farm Classic

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

2011: Projected Coal Exports

In 2008, Illinois was projected to export nine million tons of coal in 2011 due to growing energy demands in Asia and Europe.

2011: Chicago Red Stars Inactivity

In 2011, the Chicago Red Stars were inactive.

2011: Quad Cities region population

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

2011: Ethanol Production in Illinois

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

2012: Ryder Cup at Medinah

The Ryder Cup was held at Medinah in Illinois in 2012.

2013: Encompass Championship

Since 2013, the Encompass Championship has been a Champions Tour event.

2014: Decline in Illinois' Prison Incarceration Rate

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

2014: Bruce Rauner defeats Pat Quinn in election

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

January 1, 2015: Illinois Income Tax Rate Sunset

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

2015: Start of Illinois Budget Impasse

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

2015: Chicago Blackhawks Win Stanley Cup

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

2016: Trump Wins Presidency Without Illinois

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

2016: Venture Capital and Federal Contracts in Illinois

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

2016: Chicago Bandits Win League Title

In 2016, the Chicago Bandits of the NPF, a women's softball league, won their fourth league title.

2016: Chicago Cubs Win World Series

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

August 28, 2017: Rauner signs bill prohibiting arrests based solely 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: Chicago 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: Illinois Budget Impasse Ends

In 2017, after a 736-day budget impasse, a budget was passed in Illinois after lawmakers overturned Governor Bruce Rauner's veto, 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 original McDonald's, built in 1985, was demolished due to repeated flooding of the building.

2018: End of Illinois Budget Impasse

In 2018, the 793-day Illinois Budget Impasse, which began in 2015, 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: J. B. Pritzker elected as governor

In the 2018 election, J. B. Pritzker replaced Bruce Rauner as governor of Illinois.

January 2019: North American cold wave

During the January 2019 North American cold wave, Illinois experienced record low temperatures.

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

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

March 5, 2019: All-time low temperature confirmed

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

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

On May 1, 2019, the Illinois Senate voted to approve a constitutional amendment to allow a graduated income tax.

May 27, 2019: Governor Approves Graduated Income Tax Bill

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

2019: LGBTQ Adults 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, The Chicago Fire FC moved to Soldier Field in Chicago.

2019: Last Republican Statewide Office Holders Leave Office

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

January 2020: Marijuana legalized in Illinois

In January 2020, the state of Illinois legalized marijuana.

March 9, 2020: Disaster proclamation issued 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 population

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

2020: Hispanic population growth in Illinois

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: Chicago population

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

2020: Graduated Income Tax Amendment Fails

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

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: Illinois Ranked as 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 decline reported

The United States Census Bureau found that the population of Illinois was 12,812,508 in the 2020 United States census, a slight decline from 2010.

2021: Hispanic population with non-Spanish European ancestry

According to 2021 estimates, almost 10% of the state's Hispanic population also reported a non-Spanish European ancestry, 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: Incarceration in Illinois

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

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: Transgender Adults in Illinois

According to a 2022 study from the Williams Institute, an estimated 0.44% of adults in Illinois identify as transgender.

2022: Gross State Product for Illinois

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

2022: Foreign-Born Inhabitants of Illinois

At the 2022 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 1,810,100 foreign-born inhabitants of Illinois, making up 14.4% of the population.

2022: Illinois Population by Age Group

In 2022, 11.2% of Illinois's population was reported as being under the age of 9, and various other percentages were reported for other age ranges.

2022: Human Development Index for Illinois

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

2022: Non-Hispanic Whites in Illinois

In 2022, the state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, had declined to 58.5% of the population.

May 2023: COVID-19 state of emergency ends

In May 2023, Illinois ended the state of emergency declared in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023: U.S. Census Bureau estimates Illinois population by race and ethnicity

According to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Illinois' population was 60.7% White, 13.3% Black or African American, 6.0% Asian, and 19.0% Hispanic-Latino.

2023: Illinois Population Under 18

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

2023: Minorities Under Age 18 in Illinois

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

2023: Catholic Population in Illinois

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

2023: Households and Fertility 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 household income is $80,306. 11.6% of the population lives below the poverty line.