The bean is not only a versatile legume that carries rich nutrients and flavor – it’s also rich in history.

The earliest evidence of bean domestication and cultivation appeared in the Americas as early as 7,000 B.C. The first beans to be cultivated were the common bean and the lima bean by the Indigenous peoples of Central and South America. Over time, over 4,000 variations of beans have been cultivated across the Americas, Asia and Africa and the bean has become a consistent staple food for various cultures across continents.

Illinois carries its own fondness of the bean. In 2025, the state designated the soybean as the official Illinois state bean, highlighting the crop’s importance to the state’s agriculture industry. According to the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois is the No.1 producer of soybeans in the nation and 15% of all U.S. soybeans are produced in this state.

According to the Illinois State Historical Society, Alton resident Dr. Benjamin Franklin Edwards received soybeans as a gift after helping shipwrecked survivors from Japan in 1849, and in 1851, he gave the beans to a friend for them to plant. The garden in Alton where they grew is now recognized as the site where Illinois’ first soybeans were planted over 150 years ago.