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Illinois Shirts & Apparel
Celebrate the pride, history, culture and lifestyle of Illinois with premium graphic tees, hoodies, hats and gifts designed for people who love the state.
About Illinois
The story of Illinois
Illinois is Chicago on the lake, prairie corn to the horizon, and Lincoln's Springfield right in the middle.
History & heritage
Admitted in 1818 as the 21st state, Illinois grew from prairie and Great Lakes trade into the political home of Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama. With the state motto “State Sovereignty, National Union” and a founding year of 1818, Illinois carries a history you can wear on your chest — that's what our print-on-demand apparel is here for.
Geography & landscape
Lake Michigan lines the northeast, the Mississippi bounds the west, and the Illinois River drains rolling prairies through the center. Covering 57,914 sq mi, Illinois lies in the Midwest region and runs on Central time.
Culture, food and traditions
Deep-dish pizza, Chicago blues and house music, Cubs and Sox rivalries, and a downstate farm identity all belong to Illinois. From regional flavors like deep-dish pizza, Chicago dog, Italian beef to festivals such as Lollapalooza and Taste of Chicago, the culture of Illinois shows up in every collection we design.
Sports, colleges and community
Home teams like Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and universities such as Illinois, Northwestern, Chicago anchor communities across the state — and inspire many of our Illinois designs.
Parks, landmarks and wildlife
Landmarks like Willis Tower, The Bean, Wrigley Field, Navy Pier and protected lands such as Shawnee National Forest, Starved Rock, Lincoln Home give Illinois its outdoor identity. The state animal is the White-tailed Deer, the state bird is the Cardinal, and the state tree is the White Oak — all of which show up in our nature and park collections.
Interesting facts about Illinois
- Willis Tower was the world's tallest building for 25 years.
- Illinois is the birthplace of the skyscraper (1885).
- Route 66 originally began at Grant Park in Chicago.
- Illinois grows more corn and soybeans than almost any other state.
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Fast facts
Illinois at a glance
- Capital
- Springfield
- Largest City
- Chicago
- Population
- 12.5M
- Area
- 57,914 sq mi
- Statehood
- 1818
- Abbreviation
- IL
- Time Zone
- Central
- Nickname
- The Prairie State
- Motto
- State Sovereignty, National Union
- State Bird
- Cardinal
- State Flower
- Violet
- State Tree
- White Oak
- State Animal
- White-tailed Deer
- Region
- Midwest
Why people love it
Why people love Illinois
Living there. Locals love Illinois for its Prairie identity, its finance economy, and the everyday rhythm of Chicago.
Visiting. Travelers come for Willis Tower, Shawnee National Forest, and the food scene built around deep-dish pizza.
Road trips. Classic drives connect Chicago, Aurora, Rockford — perfect for weekend adventures and long-weekend camping.
Local pride. From Bears game days to homecoming weekends at Illinois, Illinois pride runs deep.
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Join thousands of Americans celebrating their home state with premium print-on-demand apparel from The Political.
