Living

Dickson Mounds Museum: A Look Into the Native Cultures of the Illinois River Valley (VIDEO)

: Published: Friday, August 28, 2015 03:11 PM

DicksonMounds For centuries, the Illinois River valley was populated and developed by a series of Native American cultures and communities.

Today, the Dickson Mounds Museum, a branch of the Illinois State Museum and a site on the National Register of Historic Places sits amongst a large complex of burial mounds and ancient village sites.

Visitors are greeted with historical artifacts ranging from ancient cookware, arrowheads and canoes.

Also, interpretive exhibits help patrons better understand the community structures, belief system and interactions with other Native Americans and European explorers.

Starting in 1927, property owner and local chiropractor Don Dickson began excavation of the site.

For many decades, Dickson ran a private museum.

Beginning in 1972, the property was transferred to the State of Illinois and became a part of the Illinois State Museum.

Today, Dickson Mounds Museum is a state treasure that should be visited, learned from, and cherished.

Illinois High Schools Rank Among Nation’s Best

: Published: Thursday, August 27, 2015 09:23 AM

lake forest

Newsweek just released its annual ranking of the Top 500 U.S. high schools, and several Illinois schools made the cut.

The Illinois State Fair Butter Cow (updated)

: Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2015 01:51 PM

FullSizeRender The Illinois State Fair Butter Cow has long been a celebrated fair tradition. For over 90 years, the fair has featured this staple item. The butter cow uses 500 pounds of unsalted butter and can take up to 120 hours of work.

For the last 20 years, Sharon BuMann has been the artist behind the sculpture. This year, however, will be her last. The sculptor’s farewell piece features a grandfather showing his granddaughter about life on the farm alongside the main attraction, the cow. The inspiration for BuMann’s art comes from her family farm.

Illinois colleges among the Midwest’s top universities

: Published: Tuesday, August 04, 2015 12:38 PM

Northwestern University

Forbes released its 2015 rankings of the Midwest United States’ top 25 colleges, and Illinois schools are among the best.

Northwestern University in Evanston ranked second in the region and No. 16 in the entire country. The University of Chicago weighed in at No. 3 in the Midwest, climbing from a rank of 4th the previous year, and the University of Illinois ranked No. 11.