source: State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols by Benjamin F. Shearer, Barbara S. Shearer . Illinois Known unofficially as the “Prairie State”, a fitting nickname for a state that sets aside the third full week in September each year as Illinois Prairie Week to demonstrate the value of preserving and reestablishing native Illinois prairies. read more
Illinois is called the prairie state because the state has an abundance of prairie grasses. The nickname for Illinois probably dates back to around 1842, maybe even earlier. Before the first European settlers came to Illinois, the state was mostly covered in prairies. read more
Illinois is known as the Prairie State and even named the third week in September Prairie Week. read more