Mrs．Sanford Hutchison of Greenfield who had previously done extensive research on the official design of the state seal，submitted a flag which contained all the required elements of the design as specified by law，this was accepted by the committee，the Secretary of State and the Governor；on July 1，1970，it became the official flag of Illinois．
Song of the State州歌
Illinois
By thy rivers gently flowing，Illinois，Illinois，
O’er thy prairies verdant growing，Illinois，Illinois，
Comes an echo on the breeze．
Rustling（瑟瑟声，沙沙声）through the leafy trees，and its mellow
（（声音）圆润的）tones are these，Illinois，Illinois，
And its mellow tones are these，Illinois．
From a wilderness of prairies，Illinois，Illinois，
Straight thy way and never varies，Illinois，Illinois，
Till upon the inland sea，
Stands thy great commerical tree，
turning all the world to thee，Illinois，Illinois，
Turning all the world to thee，Illinois．
When you heard your country calling，Illinois，Illinois，
Where the shot and shell were falling，Illinois，Illinois，
When the Southern host withdrew，
Pitting Gray against the Blue，
There were none more brave than you，Illinois，Illinois，
There were none more brave than you，Illinois．
Not without thy wondrous（令人惊奇的，非常的）
story，Illinois，Illinois，
Can be writ the nation’s glory，Illinois，Illinois，
On the record of thy years，
Abraham Lincoln’s name appears，
Grant and Logan，and our tears，Illinois，Illinois，
Grant and Logan，and our tears，Illinois．
Facts and Trivia相关资料
1．Ottawa，Freeport，Jonesboro，Charleston，Galesburg，Quincy and Alton hosted the famous Lincoln－Douglas debates that stirred（激起）interest all over the country in the slavery issue．
2．The first Aquarium opened in Chicago，1893．
3．The world’s first Skyscraper（摩天楼，高丛的烟囱）was built in Chicago，1885．
4．Home to the Chicago Bears Football Team，Chicago Blackhawks hockey（曲棍球）team，Chicago Bulls basketball team，Chicago Cubs and Chicago Whitesox baseball teams，Chicago Fire soccer team．
5．The first Mormon Temple in Illinois was constructed in Nauvoo．
6．Peoria is the oldest community in Illinois．
7．The Sears Tower，Chicago is the tallest building on the North American continent．
8．Metropolis the home of Superman really exists in Southern Illinois．
9．Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site—most sophisticated prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico
10．Illinois had two capital cities，Kaskaskia，and Vandalia before Springfield．
11．The NFL’s Chicago Bears were first known as the “Staley Bears”．They were organized in 1920，in Decatur．
12．Illinois was the first state to ratify（批准，认可）the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing（废止，废除）slavery．
13．On December 2，1942，Enrico Fermi and a small band of scientists and engineers demonstrated that a simple construction of graphite（石墨）bricks and uranium（铀）lumps could produce controlled heat．The space chosen for the first nuclear fission（［原］裂变）reactor was a squash（壁球）court under the football stadium at the University of Chicago．
14．Des Plaines is home to the first McDonald’s．
15．Dixon is the boyhood（少年时代）home of President Ronald Reagan．
16．Springfield is the state capital and the home of the National Historic Site of the home of President and Mrs．Abraham Lincoln．
17．Chicago is home to the Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station（泵站），the only buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire．
18．Before Abraham Lincoln was elected president he served in the Illinois legislature and practiced law in Springfield．Abraham Lincoln is buried just outside Springfield at Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site．
19．Carlyle is the home of the largest man－made lake in Illinois．
20．Illinois has 102counties．
21．Ronald Wilson Regan from Tampico became the 40th president of the United States in 1980．
