
After years of anticipation, and a momentous grand opening ceremony, the Obama Presidential Center officially opened its doors on Chicago’s South Side on June 19. This is the second presidential museum in Illinois, the first being the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield.

Corn fields cover roughly 30% of Illinois, accounting for more than 11 million acres of land. Corn, just like other plants, experiences evapotranspiration. Evapotranspiration is a process that transfers water from land and plant surfaces into the atmosphere through evaporation while also releasing water into the atmosphere through transpiration, where water is pulled from the soil through plant roots and released as water vapor through the plant’s pores.
On July 25 and 26 in 1877, 149 years ago, over 10,000 immigrant laborers on strike clashed with law enforcement officials, including federal troops and state police, during the Battle of the Viaduct.
Also known as the Battle of the Halsted, the Battle of the Viaduct was one of the bloodiest labor uprisings in Chicago history. In 1877, railroad pay cuts triggered the strike that saw meatpacking workers and switchmen walking away from their jobs and marching through immigrant neighborhoods in solidarity. The conflict was part of the larger, nationwide Great Railroad Strike and was a turning point for the future of organized labor.
When planning your next road trip, have some peace of mind knowing that Illinois boasts one of the safest commutes in the country.
A report from Beck and Beck, a car accident law firm, analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and determined that Illinois ranked 10th in safest commutes.