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French reach the area
Europeans—French Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquette and frontiersman Louis Jolliet—who reached the area on June 20, 1673. -
Land given to America from French
Treaty of Paris signed by French signing land over to Americans -
Congress passes the Illinois Enanbling Act
Congress passes the Illinois Enabling Act, which provides for
the organization of a state government, fixes the northern boundary of Illinois, and establishes a permanent school fund from a portion of the proceeds from the sale of public lands. -
Illinois becomes a state
Illinois became the 21st State -
First Railroad to cross the Mississippi River
The first Railroad train to crossed the Mississippi River. Located in Rock Island, Illinois on 21 April, 1856. -
The Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about 4 square miles in Chicago, Illinois.The fire was one of the largest U.S. disasters of the 19th century. -
First animal bought for Lincoln Park Zoo
The first animal purchased for the Lincoln Park Zoo was a bear cub, bought for $10 on June 1st, 1874.
The Lincoln Park Zoo is the oldest free public zoo in the country.
Located in Chicago, Illinois. -
University of Chicago opening
The University of Chicago opened on October 1, 1892. The University is also home to the University of Chicago Press, the largest university press in the United States. -
Cherry Coal Mine Diaster
As a result, 259 miners lost their lives in the fire, and about 225 miners escaped. It is believed that about three miners are unaccounted for, probably buried in cave-ins,. -
1925 Tornado
More deaths occurred in a single city than from any other tornado in U.S. history. Records were set for speed, path length, and probably for other categories that couldn't be measured at that time. -
Valentines Massacre
The Saint Valentine's Day massacre is the name given to the 1929 murder of 7 Irish mobsters by an Italian gang led by Al Capone. -
Opening of the John G. Shedd Aquarium
The John G. Shedd Aquarium is an indoor public aquarium in Chicago, Illinois in the United States that opened on May 30, 1930. The Shedd Aquarium was the first inland aquarium with a permanent saltwater fish collection. -
First McDonalds
The first McDonald's Restaurant opened in Des Plaines, Illinois by McDonald's Corporation founder, Ray Kroc, on April 15, 1955. -
Licoln tomb designated National Historic Landmark
The Lincoln Tomb was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 19, 1960, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. Lincolns tomb is located just outside Springfeild Illinois. -
2010 Illinois Earthquake
A magnitude 3.8 earthquake hit Northern Illinois at 03:59:35 a.m. on February 10, 2010. The earthquake's epicenter was about 43 miles (69 km) west-northwest of Chicago,
