If you have a connection to Illinois or the midwest, we would love to see your work!

This is one of my favorite towns in Illinois. It is an easy drive from Chicago w lots of stops on the way, a stone’s throw from the Mississippi, and is quaint and lovely, straight out of a hallmark movie, without being phony.

Please tell your parents/aunts/uncles in the south suburbs to attend my program in Steger or Crestwood! And for the love of God, tell your local librarian to book me! (Politely.) The only way I can ever afford a house is if we get way more of these booked!

This yellow house (Burrowes Hall) at Loyola caught my eye during my visit last week—I now have learned it was designed by the great Prairie architect George Washington Maher

Shout out to all the Swedes on my timeline. This is for you

Getting in my car and trying to find the yellow dot near Quincy IL where there is someone who thinks they aren’t in the Midwest. Where do you think the Midwest ends??

Memorial of Stillman's defeat in the Blackhawk War, Stillman valley, Ogle County, IL

My understanding is that this is the battle Lincoln and his Militia company dug graves for

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This tree is known as the 'wolf oak'. It is located at the wolf preserve, a private nature preserve located in rural central Illinois near Petersburg. This tree has been dated at 425 years old, making it one of the oldest trees in the region

Big day in the neighborhood with Chicago Fire filming near Ogden/Ridgeland. On my commute this morning I saw a fire truck, fake Irish pub signage, and a delicious breakfast spread for crew. I had a train to catch but will have more time to snoop tomorrow.

The Illinois Mentor I tried to do more research. Information about the megalith is super tough to find. I did find two photos of it from its original location downtown. This is looking northeast from the corner of Neil/Church/Main Streets. You can see the Orpheum Theatre in the distance.

Spotted in Berwyn

At the point in the half marathon where people with crutches, walkers, oxygen masks, and IV drips are starting to pass me. Inspiring

Some cool flags in this thread. Illinois needs more municipal and county flags.

Utterly ridiculous to propose Illinois taxpayers help build a Bear stadium with a retractable dome before building a state capitol with a retractable dome.

It’s reasonably well known that the John Denver classic “Country Roads” is actually about western Virginia, rather than the state of WV.

What most don’t realize is that Denver was referring to Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota—the most West that Virginia ever was.