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Roadside History of Illinois
Did you know that Chicago was named for a wild onion? Or that the only president born in Illinois was Ronald Reagan? Or that the Ferris Wheel, processed cheese, the game of softball, the fly swatter, and the automatic dishwasher were all invented by Illinoisans? You�ll find these stories and hundreds more in , an entertaining and revealing tour of the Prairie State�s historical places.
Native Illinoisan Stan Banash describes the state�s diverse history as he guides readers along its highways and byways, sometimes tracing routes with a history of their own (the Old Cumberland Road, the Trail of Tears, the Lincoln Highway, and U.S. Route 66, for examples). The engaging text is enhanced with 120 historical and modern photos, along with a map for each region. Old-timers, newcomers, and visitors alike will love this info-packed history.
Native Illinoisan Stan Banash describes the state�s diverse history as he guides readers along its highways and byways, sometimes tracing routes with a history of their own (the Old Cumberland Road, the Trail of Tears, the Lincoln Highway, and U.S. Route 66, for examples). The engaging text is enhanced with 120 historical and modern photos, along with a map for each region. Old-timers, newcomers, and visitors alike will love this info-packed history.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
475 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2013
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 9, 2024
The “Roadside History of Illinois” by Stan Banash is a nice travel companion to my home state. I picked it up from the library for a family trip to Springfield. The section regarding the Springfield area was helpful and well-written, much like the rest of the book. Stan Banash has a flair for providing interesting tidbits about various points in Illinois organized in manageable short driving trips.
The beginning of the book starts off with a brief chronological history of the state, followed by state facts and a compendium of important firsts. There’s also a delightful introduction by the great Dee Brown, who the author must have met while working on a few compilations of Dee’s.
From there, the book is broken up into a few regions and then key sites or towns wi the in that region. This book doesn’t contain addresses or contact information for these points of interest, which would likely become more and more out of date as time goes on.
The beginning of the book starts off with a brief chronological history of the state, followed by state facts and a compendium of important firsts. There’s also a delightful introduction by the great Dee Brown, who the author must have met while working on a few compilations of Dee’s.
From there, the book is broken up into a few regions and then key sites or towns wi the in that region. This book doesn’t contain addresses or contact information for these points of interest, which would likely become more and more out of date as time goes on.
Displaying 1 of 1 review