Illinois has been a state for more than 200 years, and there’s been someone taking pictures of it for at least 100 of them. These old photographs of the Land of Lincoln may surprise and delight you. See the state through the lens of the past when you scroll through this list of the oldest images ever taken of the state.
- Taken in 1880 and depicting the state’s first capitol building, it is believed that this image was taken mere months before the building was swallowed up by the Mississippi River.
Wikimedia Commons/Unknown
- In 1893, the grounds where the World’s Columbian Expo were held caught fire, and this ancient image captures an electricity building as well as mines and mining buildings with people in fancy clothing running away or staring in awe.
Wikimedia Commons/E. Benjamin Andrews
- Captured in 1900 in Mount Morris, this image was taken after a huge storm tore through the area and destroyed many farms and homes.
Flickr/Internet Archive Book Images
- Captured in 1907, this is an image of the Old United States Custom House, which was constructed after the Civil War and now serves as the Cairo Custom House Museum.
Wikimedia Commons/Tommyboymee
- Photographed around 1911, this shot shows the Paris Brothel, which was a saloon in the Levee district that got shut down after the owner was accused of sex trafficking.
Wikimedia Commons/Unknown
- Famous for hosting the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, this old photo of the Midway Plaissance was taken in 1912.
Wikimedia Commons/E. Benjamin Andrews
- This photograph is of the Chicago Coliseum in 1912 during the Republican National Convention, an event that would go down in history.
Flickr/The Library of Congress
- A farmer in Pana, Illinois stops by an old general store on his way in or out of town in this vintage shot taken in 1913.
Flickr/Internet Archive Book Images
- This haunting photo of a coal miner in Illinois was captured in 1915 and depicts the rough life of a job worked underground.
Flickr/Internet Archive Book Images
- Theodore Roosevelt visited Chicago in 1915, and this iconic image proves it. It is one of the best old photographs of Illinois that preserves the state’s history.
Wikimedia Commons/Unknown
- Taken in 1915, this is a photo of Market Day at Blue Island where people would sell livestock, produce, and farm equipment and which used to occur the first Thursday of every month.
Wikimedia Commons/Burnhamandroot
- Photographed in 1917, this image depicts the Seymour School in Blue Island that was built in 1892 and has since been taken down.
Wikimedia Commons/The Harmon Company
- Situated next to a church and city park, the Old North Side School in Geneseo is a historic building that has been around so long there are photos of it from the early 1900s.
Wikimedia Commons/Frederick Appleton
- This photo of one of the first Chicago Public Library locations, which opened in 1897, was taken in 1920 and shows off the incredible architecture.
Wikimedia Commons/Unknown
- Captured from the Union Pacific track in 1921, this street in Rogers Park shows vintage cars and a developing skyline in the east.
Wikimedia Commons/Global Pillage
- This image was taken before 1925 and depicts the Bascule Railroad Bridge with the Taylor Street Bridge just beyond.
Wikimedia Commons/Spangineer
Do you have any old photographs of the state? Share your images with us below in the comments.
Wikimedia Commons/Unknown
Wikimedia Commons/E. Benjamin Andrews
Flickr/Internet Archive Book Images
Wikimedia Commons/Tommyboymee
Flickr/The Library of Congress
Wikimedia Commons/Burnhamandroot
Wikimedia Commons/The Harmon Company
Wikimedia Commons/Frederick Appleton
Wikimedia Commons/Global Pillage
Wikimedia Commons/Spangineer
For more like this, check out 21 rare photos taken in Illinois during the Great Depression.
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