Illinois: Land of Lincoln, Land of Opportunity

The vast prairie landscapes of tall grasses and rich black soil  that once covered Illinois have long ago morphed into furrowed fields and towering skyscrapers.  Three great rivers, the Wabash, Ohio and Mississippi and one great lake, Lake Michigan separate the state from its neighbors.  Illinois’ flat plains and extensive waterways have fashioned it into an industrial and transportation powerhouse.  But its central locale and its Midwest values and sensibilities have resulted in its reputation as a “microcosm of America”.  Crowning it all is a sophisticated lakeside jewel –  Chicago – America’s third largest city. A multi-cultural wonder of 77 distinct neighborhoods offering a diversity of entertainment options and cuisines, including the renowned Second City improv and Uno’s, where deep dish pizza was invented. With world-class attractions like the Lincoln Park Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum, Wrigley Field and the Art Institute of Chicago, it is no wonder that Chicagoland hosts close to 40 million visitors each year.

But there is more to offer visitors and residents beyond that metropolis.  Illinois claims four  Presidents – Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan, whose boyhood home can be visited in Dixon.  Another, Teddy Roosevelt, famously called Peoria’s  Grandview Drive the “World’s Most Beautiful”. In Lincoln, you can find the world’s largest covered wagon complete with a 24’ tall seated statue of Honest Abe.  Wagon trails crisscross this state, but so does a portion of the historic Route 66.  Along its way are towns like Auburn with almost 1 ½ miles of the original hand-laid brick road and Joliet whose museum/welcome center brings alive Route 66’s heydays.  Agriculture has always been the backbone of this state, and you can taste it at the Sweet Corn Festival in Mendota and Urbana or the Festival of the Vine in Geneva. You can see the machines that harvest that corn on a John Deere Harvester Combine Factory tour in East Moline.

Illinois is not just for tourists, with a strong and diversified state economy. According to Career Builder, new business development and home sales are on the upswing in Illinois. Opportunities in healthcare employment are also on the rise in part due to the expansion of Medicaid in the state.  It is also worth noting that the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago was just ranked #1 by U.S. News and World Report for 2013-2014.  All in all Illinois is a great state to live and work in!  For opportunities statewide and nationally call us at 800 535 0076 today!