Semiquincentennial: a word so rare my computer’s spellchecker underlined it in red.
Among a national observance of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a few thoughts about Illinois:
With statehood achieved in December 1818, Illinois has officially existed for almost 208 of the country’s 250 years, or 83%. The U.S. Constitution is only 237 years old, and it wasn’t quite 30 when Illinois joined the Union as the 21st state.
Of course, the land has been here since before recorded history. As far as modern science can say, human activity stretches back nearly 1,000 years, and European explorers first walked the region in the 1670s, beginning the colonization process. There’s a lot more history to parse through between then and now, and abundant resources for those seeking a deeper dive.
We’re on our 43rd governor since statehood, following two governors of the Illinois Territory, only one of whom actually took the office. Bonus points to those who already knew Ninian Edwards was the territorial governor from 1809 through statehood, then an elected state governor from 1826 to 1830.
There have been 70 speakers of the Illinois House and 39 Senate presidents serving across 104 General Assemblies. From that first group of 14 Senators and 28 Representatives, thousands of legislators have followed to serve in various capital cities and statehouses.
For the truly curious, the Illinois Blue Book catalogs them all. The compendium’s most recent version, current through 2023-2024 and full of fascinating facts, is available at ilsos.gov/publications/illinois-bluebook.html. The legislators list occupies 49 fine-print pages.
Also of note on today’s anniversary is a Capitol News Illinois summary of the letter that 43rd Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wrote for a time capsule intended to remain sealed until 2276.
“I truly could spend the rest of this letter talking about all the things that make Illinois the greatest state in our union, but there’s one aspect that I want to focus on – our people,” he wrote (tinyurl.com/Pritzker2276). “Nearly every day as Governor, I am left in awe at the people of Illinois and their stories. From Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, Jane Addams, Buddy Guy, and Ida B. Wells, to Chief Obwaandi’eyaag and Pope Leo XIV, Illinois has no shortage of people who have shaped the nation’s history.
“At the end of the day though, it is the everyday Illinoisan that inspires me the most. It’s the farmer in Sumner who tends the same land as their ancestors, the small business owner in Carbondale, the immigrant family in Chicago, the teacher in Rockford. All of these people to make Illinois what it is today, and they will shape what our state is for the next 250 years.”
What will be your contribution to our shared story?
• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.
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July 4, 2026 at 10:11AM
Illinois Delivered 