by Jerry Agar

How well do you know your state?  By the time you have read this list you will be set to be the trivia king of your next party or barroom discussion.

10.  First Skyscraper.  Built in 1884, the Home Insurance Building rose ten stories and 138 feet, at the site of what is now the LaSalle National Bank Building, laying claim to being the world's first skyscraper.  Some people try to claim New York City as the home of the first skyscraper, but in typical broad-shouldered fashion, no one in Chicago cares what they think in New York.

9.  Home of the Hoe-Down.  You might think that the state of Illinois would dance to the tune of the blues, but you would be wrong.  The official dance is the square dance.  Grab a partner, pardner.

8.  Soy Beans.  Decatur, Illinois is the soy bean capitol of the world.  Click here to see Decatur celebrate.  Really - click it - you won't be disappointed.

7.  Deep Dish Defeats Nazis.  Deep Dish Pizza, invented in Chicago is called “Chicago Style Pizza” and became popular in Chicago in the 1940’s due to the war-time economy.  Heavy, thick slices of pizza were an economical way to feed a group of people.  That left a lot more money for the war effort. 

6.  Golden Arches.  The first McDonald's was in Des Plaines, Illinois.  Sure, the McDonald brothers started in California, but McDonald's didn't become the hamburger purveyor to the world until Ray Kroc took over.  The company dates its founding to the Des Plaines restaurant, which opened on April 15, 1955.  It is still there.

5.  No Guns.  But of course, plenty of crime - much of which involves guns.  Illinois is one of only two states that does not allow concealed carry.  We border on the other state, Wisconsin, and the whole thing borders on anti-freedom, unconstitutional assistance to criminals at the expense of law-abiding people.  The situation may change, however, as the Supreme Court will soon take up a challenge to Chicago's gun ban, as they did with the one in Washington, DC.

4.  Oreo Cookies.  The world's largest bakery is located on South Kedzie in Chicago.  The Nabisco plant is a 1.8 million-square-foot production facility, employing more than 1,500 workers and turning out some 320 million pounds of snack foods annually. One of those snacks is the Oreo cookie.

3.  Mormons Not Welcome.  Don't panic, Mormons are as welcome as anyone else today, but they were forced out in the mid 1800's, which is why they finally settled in Utah.  In 1845 the Illinois town of Nauvoo had a population of as many as 12,000 inhabitants  — rivaling Chicago, whose 1845 population was about 15,000.  Joseph Smith was killed in Carthage, Illinois.

2.  Inventiveness.  Virtual Tourist provides this list of things invented in Illinois: vacuum cleaner, elevated railway, softball, open heart surgery, ferris wheel, zipper, fixed trunnion bascule bridge, electric washing machine, pinball machine, twinkie and spray paint.  Here are a few more: the plasma display,  the plow, barbed wire, and - possibly - the corn dog on a stick.  Failing to win a world series for over 100 years is not really an invention - just something the Chicago Cubs are known for.

1.  Pluto Still a Planet.  The world was shocked and saddened when the people who decide these things excommunicated Pluto from the list of planets.  Illinois particularly took it hard, as the planet had been discovered by Illinois' pride and joy Dr. Clyde Tombaugh of Streator.  The depression turned to joy, however, when the legislature rescued Tombaugh's reputation by passing a resolution claiming that Pluto was "unfairly downgraded."  Pluto Day was celebrated on March 13, 2009.  Can we celebrate again this year?  Pleeeaaaase!