Illinois became a state on December 3, 1818. The Illinois border was drawn by men and nature, specifically the Mississippi, Wabash, and Ohio rivers, which gave Illinois its unique shape. The 40,000 inhabitants of Illinois expected great things to happen in Illinois and they did.

The ECA asked students to Help the ECA celebrate Illinois’ bicentennial by drawing a picture of what they thought was the best thing to happen in Illinois in the past 200 years.

As idea starters we mentioned:

• Illinois Foodstufs
  The ice cream sundae was born in Evanston.
  Twinkies were made in River Forest.
  Cozy Corn Dog in Springfield was the first to sell the treat on a stick.
• Illinois Politics
  Illinois was the first state to ratify the 13th amendment to abolish slavery.
  Illinois boasts four presidents: Lincoln, Grant, Reagan and Obama.
• The Bear
  The first animal purchased for the LIncoln Park Zoo was a bear cub, bought for $10, on June 1, 1874. The bear frequently escaped his cage and could be found wandering the park at night.

And now, the winners!

Enjoy the winning entries.

The honorable mentions are too good to skip.

Don't miss the runners up.

Meet the Artists & their Teachers

Finally, check out what the students thought was best in Illinois.