Home of the brave: How Illinois honors our veterans

Each November, Illinois joins the nation in honoring those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. From the state’s earliest days to the present, Illinois has been home to men and women whose courage and commitment have shaped both our nation’s history and the communities we call home.

Illinois has a proud military legacy; today, the state remains home to over 400,000 veterans. Across Illinois, we preserve the history of our veterans and ensure their stories live on through museums, memorials and community events that keep their service from being forgotten.

In Springfield, the Illinois State Military Museum offers visitors a chance to explore artifacts and personal stories spanning from the Revolutionary War to modern conflicts. Displays include equipment, uniforms, and letters from Illinois soldiers who served around the world. Just outside the city, the Camp Butler National Cemetery stands as a solemn reminder of those who gave their lives in service, with more than 25,000 veterans and their family members laid to rest.

Farther north, the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood provides a peaceful resting place for veterans of every generation. Established in 1999, it continues Illinois’ tradition of honoring those who served—a legacy that stretches back to President Lincoln himself, who established the national cemetery system during the Civil War.

Illinois honors the personal sacrifice of those who served in the US Armed Forces. With a long history of supporting veterans, it remains one of the best states in the nation for service members transitioning to civilian life. From career training and housing support to educational opportunities like the Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG) and expanded mental health services, communities across the state are helping veterans and their families build strong, fulfilling lives after their time in uniform.

This Veterans Day, as we reflect on the freedoms we enjoy, Illinois honors the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of its veterans. Their service reminds us that patriotism is not only something to remember once a year—it’s something we live every day through gratitude, service and community.

Fischer Theatre to host festival in honor of Danville native Dick Van Dyke with exclusive screening of documentary

• Danville
• Dick Van Dyke
• Entertainment

Beloved stage and screen icon Dick Van Dyke is being honored by his hometown of Danvillein celebration of his upcoming 100^th birthday.

Van Dyke, who was raised in Danville and started his career in the town as a local radio DJ on WDAN, became a household name for starring in the CBS sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show in the early 1960s, and went on to great acclaim in movie musicals Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Throughout his illustrious career, Van Dyke has been received a Grammy Award, six Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, a Disney Legends Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors.  

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Honoring Illinois’ Native Roots

Long before Illinois became a state it was home to many Native American tribes whose cultures and communities shaped the region’s history.

The land was primarily inhabited by the Illiniwek Confederation, a group of tribes that included the Kaskaskia, Peoria, Cahokia, Michigamea, and Tamaroa.

The word “Illinois” itself comes from “Illiniwek,” meaning “the people.” These tribes built villages along rivers, hunted game on the prairies, and developed extensive trade networks that reached across the continent.

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From Champaign to space: The first U of I NASA mission

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has reached new heights after its newest project has launched to study the Earth’s outer atmosphere.

The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory was launched into space on Sept. 24, marking the beginning of the first NASA mission overseen by an Illinois researcher. Dr. Lara Waldrop, lead scientist and associate professor at U of I, led the construction and launch of the new space telescope. The mission, which aims to use ultraviolet imaging to explore how the Earth and its atmosphere interact with space, was the accumulation of more than six years of planning. Her team received $75 million for the building of the observatory at the University’s Grainger College of Engineering.

In a nod to its roots, the observatory is named after Dr. George R. Carruthers, a U of I alumnus and one of the first African-American men to earn a doctorate degree in astrophysics. He invented the camera that took the first images of space in 1970, which allowed scientists to gain a deeper understanding of what space looked like and the prospects for the future of astrophysics.

The observatory carries on the legacy of Dr. Carruthers, as the mission of the geocorona space telescope while in space is to orbit the sun and to take ultraviolet images of the Earth’s upper atmosphere. This information will be vital to determine the pattern and strength of space storms and evaluate how these storms will impact the shape of the atmosphere’s outer edge, helping scientists develop new ways to protect our planet from the sun’s geostorms.

The Grainger College of Engineering has been famed in delivering quality education to its students since 1868 and has produced remarkable alumni such as the co-founders of YouTube and of PayPalhas also sent six alumni into space.