From Chicago Clubs to Global Stages: The Smashing Pumpkins’ Illinois Legacy
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The Smashing Pumpkins stand as one of Chicago’s most important musical exports, blending alternative rock, dream-pop textures, and heavy guitar layers into a sound that came to define the 1990s.
Originally formed in 1988 by Billy Corgan, James Iha, D’arcy Wretzky, and Jimmy Chamberlin, the band developed its roots in the vibrant Chicago music scene. Unlike the grunge explosion happening in Seattle at the time, the Smashing Pumpkins carved out a distinctive Midwestern identity by fusing aggression with a lush, almost orchestral sense of melody. Chicago’s diverse underground scene, ranging from punk clubs to blues bars, gave the group both a testing ground and a cultural backdrop that shaped their music’s emotional intensity.
Visitors witness massive reptile migration at Shawnee National Forest
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Illinois is no stranger to deer crossings, but did you know that twice a year, one of the largest snake migrations in the United States takes place in Illinois as well? For two months in spring and fall every year, Forest Road 345, more commonly known as ‘Snake Road’ is shut down for a nearly three mile stretch to allow up to 23 species of snakes to migrate between their winter habitat in the forest’s limestone bluffs and their summer base at LaRue Swamp.
Like many wildlife species, snakes face a dangerous obstacle when crossing trafficked roads. Snakes are particularly vulnerable because of their cold-blooded nature. Black asphalt is good at holding on to heat from the sun, and in the cooler early morning and twilight hours, snakes often like to lie out and bask in the warmth, rather than dart across the road quickly like other animals. This can have a deadly impact on snake populations; researchers estimate that up to 25% of all snakes are killed by drivers.
The Pumpkin Capital of the World – Morton, Illinois
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Located in Central Illinois, Morton is a small town with a big claim to fame: it is the Pumpkin Capital of the World. Known for its pumpkin patches, festivals and rich agricultural history, Morton has earned its title serving as the headquarters of the world’s largest pumpkin processing company – Libby’s.
Each year, Morton produces more pumpkins than any other place in the U.S. The town’s fields and surrounding areas yield millions of pumpkins, providing 95% of the canned pumpkin in the country and 85% of the canned pumpkin worldwide. Libby’s has been a major player in Morton’s identity since the 1970s when the factory began exclusively processing pumpkins.
Bone chilling movies filmed in Illinois
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October is the perfect time to celebrate Illinois’ chilling connection to the silver screen. From haunted Chicago streets to quiet suburban settings that turned sinister, Illinois has long been a favorite backdrop for filmmakers.
Chicago has played a starring role in some of the genre’s most memorable moments. “Candyman” (1992), filmed primarily in and around the Cabrini-Green housing complex, transformed real Chicago locations into symbols of urban legend and fear. The movie has become a classic of psychological horror while preserving a snapshot of Chicago’s architectural history. The 2021 sequel, also filmed in Chicago, revisited those same streets to explore how mystery can linger in a city that continues to change.
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