Illinois Trivia : Weird, Wacky and Wild

INTRODUCTION 6 THE STATE'S WOW FACTOR What Sets Illinois Apart 8 SYMBOLS OF THE STATE Official and Unofficial Handles 10 CLIMATE The Way the Wind Blows 19 GEOGRAPHY The Lay of the Land 32 ENVIRONMENT Mother Nature Versus Father Time 46 PEOPLE U.S. Census 50 TOURISM AND TRIVIA Roadside Attractions 55 YOU'VE GOT TO SEE THIS Out of This World 65 SMALL TOWN ODDITIES Tiny Treasures 70 RECORD BREAKERS AND OTHER FIRSTS True Originals 72 FESTIVALS Celebration Selection 75 HAUNTINGS AND GHOST TOWNS Spooky Stuff 79 STRANGE STRUCTURES Larger Than Life 81 ILLINOIS HISTORY Historical Happenings 83 UNIQUE TOWNS AND CITIES OF ILLINOIS Off the Wall and On the Map 92 THE ILLINOIS LIFE Keepin' It Real 104 FIRST-CLASS CUISINE Tasty Treats 110 ILLINOIS ECONOMY Industries of Illinois 115 Cost of Living 122 Famous Illinois Merchants 125 TRANSPORTATION Getting From Here to There 127 MEDICALLY SPEAKING State of Health 130 ILLINOIS EDUCATION Higher Learning 134 ILLINOIS POLITICS By the People, For the People 139 Presidential Prowess 146 CULTURAL CRASH COURSE Music 150 Literature 157 Film and Television 161 ARCHITECTURE If You Build It 171 MEDIA AND ASSORTED ENTERTAINMENT Some Real Characters 175 LEARNING CAN BE FUN! Look, Don't Touch! 179 ILLINOIS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Inventors and Creators 181 LAW AND ORDER Keeping the Peace 189 ILLINOIS SPORTS A Competitive Edge 199 Da Bulls 205 More Sports Tidbits 207 LAST BUT NOT LEAST Top Ten Reasons to Live in Illinois 213