Famed actor Michael Peña has taken on a wide variety of roles throughout his entire career such as a comedic superhero sidekick and a mysterious as well as creepy hotel host. But did you know that he is a Chicago native?

A staple at any carnival or fair is the Ferris wheel, but did you know that the Ferris wheel is over 120 years old?

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” That line guided director John Hughes when capturing the city of Chicago for his film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Hughes wanted the film to be a love letter to Chicago and included many iconic locations.

Did you know that the dishwasher was invented in Shelbyville? Ever wonder who came up with the idea for the dish washing machine? The answer is Josephine Cochrane, a resident of Shelbyville who received a patent on December 28, 1886.

While Springfield is the seat of Illinois government today, the state has actually had two other capitals since becoming a state in 1818.

Kaskaskia became the first capital of Illinois after having served as the Territorial seat of government since 1809.