Illinois Cities and Towns
The Land of Lincoln    21st  State

Climate & Weather:

Illinois has four distinct seasons, ranging from cold winters to hot, somewhat humid summers. By far the best time to visit is May-October, when temperatures are mild and fairly predictable.  In winter, temperatures may vary as much as 20 degrees F/11 C in an hour, and the wind can make very cold temperatures even colder -- and more dangerous (dress very warmly if you're visiting then).

Central Illinois gets more than its share of ice storms during the winter and tornadoes during spring and summer.

The Chicago area within 3 mi/5 km of Lake Michigan tends to get much more snow than the rest of the city because of the "lake effect." 
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Firsts, Facts, Trivia:  

When Illinois became a state in 1818, it had a population of 34,620 people. Illinois is now the sixth most populous state in the country with almost 11.5 million people.  MORE FACTS

Featured Tourist Spots:

Dickson Mound State Museum - Dickson Mounds Museum, a branch of the Illinois State Museum and a National Historic Site, is one of the major on-site archaeological museums in the United States. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the world of the American Indian in an awe inspiring journey through 12,000 years of human experience in the Illinois River Valley.   MORE TOURISM

Illinois History:

Indians hunted in Illinois as far back as 5000 B.C. and today you can still view the remains of their civilization at places such as Chahokia Mounds—North America’s largest and most valuable prehistoric earthwork relic. Dickson Mounds Indian Museum near Lewiston features special exhibits which chronicle the Indian’s valuable place in Illinois history.

French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, in 1673, were the first Europeans of record to visit the region paddling by birch bark canoe along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. They traveled the length of the state -- from what is now Chicago to the southernmost reaches of Illinois.

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