My Account
Regional North America United States Illinois
Illinois is dominated by vast agricultural tracts and the skyline of the City of Chicago, the third largest city and metropolitan area in the US. Chicago's growth arises from its strategic position connecting trade between the Mississippi River system and the Great Lakes (and since 1959, the Atlantic). It is also a major center of manufacturing, and the transportation and communications hub of the Midwest. Passed to the US as part of the Northwest Territory, Illinois was admitted as the 21st state in 1818. It is significant to two presidents: Abraham Lincoln, who launched his political career here; and Ronald Reagan, who was born and schooled here. State Capital: City of Springfield, Illinois. State Song: Illinois written by C.H. Chamberlain. The music was composed by Archibald Johnston. State Animal: White-tailed Deer State Bird: Cardinal State Dance: Square Dance State Fish: Bluegill State Flower: Blue Violet State Fossil: Tully Monster State Insect: Monarch Butterfly State Mineral: Fluorite State Tree: White Oak (Quercus alba) State Prairie Grass: Big Bluestem
Please consider becoming an editor of your local community.

Arts and Entertainment

This category is for sites associated with arts and entertainment at the state-level in Illinois. Examples include libraries, photography, music, theatre, visual and audio production, clubs and venues, bands and artists, including bands for hire.

Business and Economy

This category contains links to state-level sites and state-wide categories related to the businesses and economy of the State of Illinois. Sites at this level usually fall into two categories:
  • Businesses with multiple 'brick and mortar' locations throughout the state and beyond a single state region
  • A statewide professional or trade association.
The numerous categories that are found here are for assistance and placement with various topical branch (i.e., Business:, Shopping: or Computers: that are regionalized to the "Illinois" level. Sites for businesses should always be re-directed to the 'brick and mortar' location of the office regardless of the target market area. For example, if your business is located in a small community such as "Blue Island" located near a large city (such as Chicago), do NOT submit the site to this state level or Chicago, but direct it to Blue Island: Business and Economy.
Please submit sites for the following:
  • Businesses with multiple ''brick and mortar'' locations throughout the state and any one state region.
  • A statewide professional or trade association.
  • A statewide economic development resource.
In addition:
  • If a business has just one location it should be placed in the appropriate local category.
  • If a business has more than one location, first try to find an appropriate county, region or metro area category.
  • If locations are also outside of Illinois then submit to the United States or midwest states category, and so on.

Service areas are only considered for placing sites when the business is a ''come-to-you'' type of business; otherwise, sites are always listed in most appropriate locality.

Counties

This category contains a listing of all counties in the state of Illinois, and sites directly related to the counties.
Sites that belong in a specific county should be submitted directly to the county. Sites that belong to multiple counties in an area belong in the appropriate region under Regional/North_America/United_States/Illinois/Regions.

Education

This category lists educational facilities, institutions, organizations, and services operating throughout the state of Illinois. Entries located at the state-level should related to a statewide educational resource or interest.
Do NOT submit sites related to local reunions.

For sites such as high school reunions, please submit to the local top level or its Society and Culture category, if it exists.

Government

Please do NOT submit sites related to local or county government.

Guides and Directories

For the listing of websites serving as a source of information on area businesses, events, government, history, and the community. Sites offering information specific to tourism or lodging should be submitted to the Travel and Tourism: Travel Guides subcategory.

For quicker placement in the directory please follow these Submission Tips:

Title: Name of Business or Organization

Description: This describes the website and should note distinguishing features found on the site.

Health

Information on resources in Illinois, including health practitioners, hospitals, clinics, providers of information on conditions and diseases, public health and safety organizations, alternative health practitioners and/or providers of health-related supplies.
Only regional guides, directories, organizations with members in, or practitioners with locations in, more than one Region belong in this category.

Information covering more than one city or village located in the same county should be submitted to that County.

Sites specific to one city or village should be submitted to that Locality.

Localities

This category is a listing of cities, municipalities, towns, townships, villages, and unincorporated areas in the State of Illinois.
Use the Alphabet Bar to locate a specific locality and submit only sites dealing with information on that city, town, or village. Localities are organized under the Alphabet Bar and are listed by the first letter of their official name. Please only submit sites to this category if the locality is not present in the list. Sites about activities, organizations, or businesses with physical locations in more than one locality should submit to the appropriate county, metro area, or region instead.

Metro Areas

A Metro Area is generally a core area containing a large population nucleus, together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that core. According to the U.S. Census, Illinois has seven statistical intrastate metro areas (Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, Chicago, Decatur, Peoria-Pekin, Rockford, and Springfield) and two statistical interstate metro areas (much of the St. Louis, Missouri, metro area is in Illinois; and the Quad Cities consists of a core nucleus of Moline and Rock Island, Illinois, and Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa).
Metro Area categories are for sites of businesses and organizations with multiple locations in the area or general information sites specifically about the particular metro area. Do not submit sites to these categories based on the area served by a business but rather by the physical location of the business.

Businesses with multiple locations in an area should submit to the most narrowly-defined area encompassing all locations. Multiple locations within the same city should be submitted to the appropriate Illinois/Localities category. Locations in more than one city in the same county should be submitted to the appropriate Illinois/Counties category. Locations in more than one city in different counties but a single metro area should be submitted to the appropriate Illinois/Metro Areas category. Locations in more than one county or metro area but within the same region should be submitted to the appropriate Illinois/Regions category. Only businesses with locations in more than one region should be submitted to the state-level Illinois category.

News and Media

NO sites are accepted.

Recreation and Sports

Please only submit clubs and associations located in Illinois.

Regions

There are eight general regions in Illinois: Central, East Central, Illinois Valley, Northeastern, Northwestern, Southern, Southwestern, and Western. The boundaries of the regions are not clearly defined as they are based on a combination of traditional, geographic, and economic definitions. This results in some overlap of regions.
Region categories are for sites of businesses and organizations with multiple locations in the area or general information sites specifically about the particular region. Do not submit sites to these categories based on the area served by a business but rather by the physical location of the business.

Businesses with multiple locations in an area should submit to the most narrowly-defined area encompassing all locations. Multiple locations within the same city should be submitted to the appropriate Illinois/Localities category. Locations in more than one city in the same county should be submitted to the appropriate Illinois/Counties category. Locations in more than one city in different counties but a single metro area should be submitted to the appropriate Illinois/Metro Areas category. Locations in more than one county or metro area but within the same region should be submitted to the appropriate Illinois/Regions category. Only businesses with locations in more than one region should be submitted to the state-level Illinois category.

Science and Environment

This category contains links to state-level resources for agriculture, including support organizations, commodity organizations, growers organizations and links related to the science of agriculture and the use of the environment.

This category NOT contain links related to agriculture businesses, such as growers, co-operatives (co-ops).

Society and Culture

This category is for listing sites that concern the make up of the local community: its people, its history, and resources and institutions that serve the people. Subjects include religion, clubs and lodges, reunions, women, men, seniors, kids, teens, activism, alternative sexuality, genealogy, and personal home pages.
Submissions to this category should focus on the communities of Illinois.

If your site is not statewide in focus, please submit to the appropriate region, county, or locality category.

If your site focuses on a specific community, please submit to the appropriate category for that community.

Transportation

To speed the review of your site and its listing in the directory, please go to Regional and add use the request form in the correct category of your locality.

Travel and Tourism

When possible, please submit your entry to the appropriate locality instead of this state-level category.

Weather

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place, with respect to variables such as temperature, moisture, wind velocity, and barometric pressure.
Individual city weather information should be submitted to the proper locality.
Related categories
Regional North America Regions Great Lakes
Regional North America United States Regions Midwest