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Thirsty for some fudge? This week, we revisit the story of Canfield’s Diet Chocolate Fudge Soda, the Chicago-based beverage that created a fad and a fizzle in the 1980s.
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The DeKalb winged ear logo is recognized around the world. Its origin traces back to one of the nation’s first organized farm associations.
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Cleaning up after your holiday parties? Pause to thank Illinoisan Josephine Cochrane for making your life a lot easier.
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No other character personifies early 20th-century, pop-culture Americana better than Raggedy Ann, the creation of Arcola, Illinois, native Johnny Gruelle.
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After a great flood nearly destroys one of Illinois’ oldest towns, the state takes a huge step. It moves the whole town to higher ground.
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Chester, Illinois native E. C. Segar spent years working as a struggling cartoonist until he created one of the world's most iconic characters: Popeye the Sailor.
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At the height of World War II, scientists in the U. S. raced to build a nuclear weapon before Germany. One of the first stages of this race, the harnessing of nuclear energy, took place beneath the grandstand of a football field in Chicago.
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In early November 1838, the first railroad in Illinois went into operation. The train went on a symbolic, eight-mile run, introducing the state to the transportation that would dominate the next century.
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In late 1872 a horse epidemic brought the nation to a standstill. Never before had the country’s ability to conduct business been so paralyzed.
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The term “March Madness,” used in connection with basketball, originated in Illinois. This is the story of H. V. Porter, who popularized “March Madness” and created many of basketball’s rules still in use today.