It all started with middle and elementary school students in Naperville near Chicago. When it was discovered that Illinois didn’t have a state rock, a ballot was created amongst the Pleasantdale Middle and Maplebrook Elementary students and sent to fellow students throughout the state for a vote. Dolostone was the winner.

Dolostone is a form of limestone that forms the majority of Illinois’s bedrock.

Eventually the effort made its way to the state capital in Springfield, and with the stroke of a pen, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker House Bill 4261 became a reality making the students’ chosen rock the rock of Illinois at Morton Arboretum.

“Seeing young people use their voices and the democratic process to make change in our state is truly inspiring,” Pritzker said in a statement. “These young leaders have a bright future of organizing and civic engagement that I am excited to watch. They could not have picked a better rock to represent the strength and stability of Illinois.”