Downstate Illinois

Downstate Illinois refers to the part of the U.S. state of Illinois south of ("down") the Chicago metropolitan area, which is in the northeast corner of the state and has been dominant in its history, politics, and culture. It has also by extension referred to the part of the state west of the Chicago area but at the same or greater latitude, including Rockford, which is north of Chicago.[1][2][3][4][5] Prior to the issuance of 2000 Census results, when it became part of the Chicago metropolitan area, even DeKalb (located 65 miles west of Chicago) was often considered to be "downstate".[6][7][8]

  Cook County
  Rest of Chicago metropolitan area in 1950
  Parts added to Chicago metropolitan area by 2010
(NOTE: This is only for the Illinois part of the metropolitan area.)

The term has been part of the Illinois lingo for decades,[9] and is commonly used by the media.[10][11][12] The Illinois General Assembly regularly uses the term in the titles of bills it passes.[13]

Definition

Downstate Illinois lacks a precise definition.[14] Various boundaries that have been used are the Chicago city limits, Interstate 80, and Bloomington.[14]

Major cities
Ten Largest Downstate Cities
Rank City Population County
1Rockford152,871Winnebago
2Springfield116,250Sangamon
3Peoria115,007Peoria
4Champaign81,055Champaign
5Bloomington76,610McLean
6Decatur76,122Macon
7Normal52,497McLean
8Moline45,883Rock Island
9Belleville44,478St. Clair
10Urbana41,250Champaign

Most of the state's largest cities (six of the top ten) are concentrated in and around the Chicago area, but several mid-sized cities exist in the downstate area as well.

See also

References
  1. Dave McKinney; Stephen Di Benedetto (September 3, 2011). "Illinois House OKs casino for Chicago, slots at O'Hare, Midway". Chicago Sun-Times.
  2. "Building Permits Rise 11%". Chicago Tribune. December 5, 1987.
  3. "They Got Us Wrong". Chicago Reader.
  4. "Bradley University: Foster College of Business Administration". Bradley.edu. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  5. Associated Press. "Illinois raises cap on charter schools - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star". Rrstar.com. Archived from the original on September 15, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  6. "MTV's Campus Invasion Tour". October 18, 2000. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. "DeKalb Corp. announces capitalization of three new companies, spinoff". June 21, 1988. Archived from the original on June 11, 2014. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. "Names". www.lib.niu.edu.
  9. "Lawrence Journal-World - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  10. Around, Getting (August 23, 2010). "Chicago-K.C. corridor ready to roll - Chicago Tribune". Articles.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  11. Ramsey, Mike (November 6, 1998). "Missionary Educator From Downstate Illinois Is Remembered In China - Chicago Tribune". Articles.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  12. Archived March 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  13. "Illinois General Assembly - list of bills with "Downstate" in the text". Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
  14. Thompson, James R. "'Downstate'". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved February 13, 2020.

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