Tourism and travel guide about destinations, attractions, tips, activities.
Illinois entered the transition stage during which Chicago developed from a mud-rutted town of 29,963 in 1850 to a city of 296,977 in 1870, probably the swiftest growth of a …
Brief History of Illinois and Railroads Read More
The Constitution of 1848, designed for a rural State, had made no adequate provisions for this new industrialism, creating such problems as police and fire protection in congested areas, sanitation, …
Illinois History: Grange Movement in Illinois Read More
Elgin (717 alt., 94,487 pop.) , an industrial town in the midst of wide farmlands, lies on the gentle bluffs of the Fox River. Although only an hour’s ride from …
Elgin: An industrial town in the midst of wide farmlands Read More
Evanston (601 alt., 74,239 pop.), fronting largely on Lake Michigan, and with an extension stretching westward at the northern edge of the city, is roughly L-shaped. It is the first …
Evanston: Aristocratic and Self-Sufficient in Illinois Read More
Among the many colorful episodes that marked the westward sweep of civilization across the American continent, one of the most dramatic and significant was the exploration and settlement of the …
The Ohio Country “Beautiful River” Read More
Rockford (742. alt., 150,115 pop.), seat of Winnebago County and third largest city in Illinois, is bisected by the Rock River 18 miles south of the Wisconsin Line. The metropolitan …
Rockford, the third largest city of Illinois Read More
Peoria (608 alt., 112,936 pop.), named for an Indian tribe, is the seat of Peoria County and Illinois’ second largest city. The Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of …
Peoria, the second largest city of Illinois Read More
Nauvoo (620 alt., 966 pop.), the city built up by Joseph Smith, stands on a promontory around which the Mississippi River flows, some fifty miles north of Quincy, Illinois. Here, …
Nauvoo on the Mississippi River, Illinois Read More
Joliet (607 alt., 145,800 pop.), the seat of Will County, lies 35 miles southwest of Chicago, on the Des Plaines River and the Illinois and Michigan Canal, a part of …
Joliet on the Des Plaines River, Illinois Read More
Galena (603 alt., 3,460 pop.), in the extreme northwest corner of the State, perches on the terraces cut by the old Fever River, a novel sight to eyes accustomed to …
Galena by the old Fever River, Illinois Read More