Illinois Innovation: Brownie Invented in Chicago

• Food
• innovation

Illinois has a storied history of innovation and the brownie is a sweet inclusion to that list of achievements. The brownie has become an American classic with 1.5 billion brownies consumed each year according to the National Brownie Committee of America. Brownies were not always part of the American diet, however, and in 1893 the world would get its first taste of the chocolate desert. 

The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago and its board included the first women to work on a world’s fair in an official capacity.  One of the chairwomen was Bertha Honore, wife of Potter Palmer, who built the famous Palmer House in the Chicago Loop in 1871.  Bertha requested a “chocolate cake-like treat” that could be easily transported for the fair. The Palmer House’s pastry chef, Joseph Sehl, was tasked with and created the first brownie batch, complete with walnuts and apricot glaze.

The brownies were a hit and were featured five years later in a Sears Roebuck catalog and the rest is history. “Bertha’s Brownie” is still served at the Palmer House’s Lockwood Restaurant using the original recipe.

Artist of the Month: LaRoyce Hawkins

Did you know? Illinois native LaRoyce Hawkins is best known for his lead role in NBC’s “Chicago P.D.” where he plays Officer Kevin Atwater.

Hawkins is an American actor born and raised in Harvey, Illinois, where he attended Thornton High School and first endeavored into acting and stand-up comedy. During high school, he was a member of the speech team, where he became a two-time state champion. In 2005, he captured the state title in the Illinois High School Association’s Original Comedy event.

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Veterans Day Monuments in Illinois

Veterans Day is a significant day in the United States dedicated to honoring all military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. It was established as a federal holiday on Nov. 11, 1938. This date was chosen to commemorate the end of World War I. Along with the rest of the United States, Illinois has many celebrations and ceremonies to bring the community together to honor our troops. Additionally, there are monuments across Illinois that serve as symbols to remember our heroes. Visiting a monument on Veterans Day provides the opportunity to remember and never forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Here are ten monuments across the state to visit on Veterans Day:

1. World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial
Oak Ridge Cemetery – 1441 Monument Ave., Springfield, Illinois
The World War II Illinois Veterans Memorial was constructed on Dec. 4, 2004 to honor the 987,000 men and women from the state who served our country during World War II. 22,000 Illinois citizens gave their lives in pursuit of liberty.

2. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
1500 Monument Ave., Springfield, Illinois
The Illinois Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in May 1988. The memorial incorporates five black granite walls inscribed with the 2,970 names of Illinoisans who died or are still missing. Each branch of service is also listed.

3. Korean War Memorial
1500 Monument Ave., Springfield, Illinois
The Illinois Korean War Memorial was dedicated on June 16, 1996. The monument's centerpiece is a 12-foot bronze bell surrounded by four larger-than-life warriors representing the five branches of the armed forces - Army, Navy/Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines. The names of over 1,700 Illinoisans killed in Korea are inscribed along eight walls of the memorial's granite base.

4. Middle East Conflicts Memorial Wall
229 Main St., Marseilles, Illinois
On June 19, 2004, a granite memorial wall was dedicated commemorating the servicemen and women who have lost their lives in worldwide conflicts since 1979. The names on the wall represent our fallen heroes from locations including Panama, Lebanon, the Balkans, Grenada, Somalia, Haiti, USS Cole, USS Stark, terrorist attacks in Italy, Greece, Scotland, and the current conflicts in the Middle East.

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Saving Illinois Beach State Park’s shoreline

Located in the northeast corner of the state in Zion, the Illinois Beach State Park has unfortunately suffered from beach erosion and loss of habit for three costal bird species over the years, including the piping plover, common tern and Caspian tern.

To protect the state’s last remaining natural shoreline, major investments were made into an impressive and historic shoreline stabilization project that was recently completed in October. The $73 million investment allowed for the necessary construction of new offshore stone breakwater structures to shelter the Lake Michigan shoreline from wave energy.

The park – located roughly 50 miles north of Chicago – is a major source of tourism for the area. In 2015, 1.2 million visitors came to the park to enjoy boating, hiking, swimming and more along its 4,160 acres. The shoreline stabilization project was also selected for the 2024 Best Restored Beach award through the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association. 

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