A Noteworthy Nugget of Land of Lincoln Lore (1)
Illinois is the 25th largest state in the United States geographically, and the 5th largest state by population. The state dance is the square dance and the state snack is popcorn.
There have been three state capitals of Illinois:
Kaskaskia -- 1818 to 1820
Vandalia -- 1820 to 1839
Springfield -- 1839 to Present
Kaskaskia, the original capital, was settled in 1703, and "for more than a century, it was the commercial and cultural capital of Illinois." Shortly after gaining statehood, Illinois legislators decided to move the capital to the more centrally-located Vandalia.
In 1881 the path of the Mississippi River shifted, and Kaskaskia was flooded. The town was devastated, and when the river finally resettled it was on the wrong side of town. Kaskaskia was now an island.
Today, Kaskaskia is reachable only from Missouri. It's the only part of Illinois that's not east of the Mississippi, and as of the 2000 census, the population is 9. "The racial makeup of the village is 77.78% White, 0.00% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 11.11% Pacific Islander, 11.11% from other races, and 0.00% from two or more races. 22.22% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race." The Pacific Islander part is what really surprises me.
Sources:
http://www.state.il.us/kids/learn/capitols/default.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaskaskia%2C_Illinois
http://www.prairieghosts.com/kaskaskia.html
There have been three state capitals of Illinois:
Kaskaskia -- 1818 to 1820
Vandalia -- 1820 to 1839
Springfield -- 1839 to Present
Kaskaskia, the original capital, was settled in 1703, and "for more than a century, it was the commercial and cultural capital of Illinois." Shortly after gaining statehood, Illinois legislators decided to move the capital to the more centrally-located Vandalia.
In 1881 the path of the Mississippi River shifted, and Kaskaskia was flooded. The town was devastated, and when the river finally resettled it was on the wrong side of town. Kaskaskia was now an island.
Today, Kaskaskia is reachable only from Missouri. It's the only part of Illinois that's not east of the Mississippi, and as of the 2000 census, the population is 9. "The racial makeup of the village is 77.78% White, 0.00% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.00% Asian, 11.11% Pacific Islander, 11.11% from other races, and 0.00% from two or more races. 22.22% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race." The Pacific Islander part is what really surprises me.
Sources:
http://www.state.il.us/kids/learn/capitols/default.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaskaskia%2C_Illinois
http://www.prairieghosts.com/kaskaskia.html