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 The top vote-getters include Chicago’s Wrigley Field,
the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette, a “Prairie style” Frank
Lloyd Wright home in Springfield and Chicago’s soaring Willis Tower.
The Illinois Top 200 project lets Illinoisans vote every two weeks
on the most inspiring leaders, greatest books, top businesses and
much more. By the state’s 200th birthday on Dec. 3, voters will have
chosen 10 favorites in 20 different categories – the Illinois Top
200.
Voting in the next category, top historic sites, is underway at
www.Illinois Top200.com.
Nominees include the Old State Capitol and the Lincoln Home in
Springfield, Pullman National Monument in Chicago, Cahokia Mounds in
Collinsville, and Route 66.
Here are the top 10 Illinois buildings:
Wrigley Field – Home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916, this
stadium is known for its ivy-covered outfield walls, hand-operated
scoreboard and cozy neighborhood setting. With appearances in
movies, plays and songs, Wrigley has become synonymous with Chicago.
Dana-Thomas House – Designed in 1902, this Springfield
landmark is the most complete of Frank Lloyd Wright’s early
“Prairie” houses. Its 35 rooms and three main levels are filled with
Wright-designed furniture, lights and art glass.
Baha’i House of Worship – The Baha’i faith
has nine houses of worship around the world, and oldest of them is a
stunning structure in Wilmette. It opened in 1953 after decades of
planning and features a dome 138 feet high.
Willis Tower – The Willis Tower (originally the Sears Tower)
is a 110-story skyscraper in Chicago. It was the tallest building in
the world for nearly 25 years. More than one million people visit
its observation deck each year.
Robie House – The Frederick C. Robie House, in Chicago’s Hyde
Park, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and is considered the
greatest example of the “Prairie School” of architecture, with
clean, horizontal lines that match the flat landscape.
Tribune Tower – Completed in 1925, the Tribune Tower is a
landmark in downtown Chicago. The neo-Gothic building, the product
of an international competition, is 462 feet high with buttresses at
the top, reminiscent of European cathedrals.
John Hancock Center – This 100-story Chicago skyscraper (now
going by the name 875 North Michigan Avenue) was the second-tallest
building in the world when it opened in 1969. The distinctive
X-bracing on the exterior has helped make the building an
architectural icon.
Farnsworth House – Located along the Fox
River in Plano, this steel-and-glass residence was designed by
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and was soon considered a masterpiece for
its open design and the contrast of its sleek, modern lines against
its natural surroundings.
Jarrot Mansion – This Cahokia mansion was
completed around 1810, making it the oldest brick building in
Illinois. The owner, Nicholas Jarrot, was a French immigrant who
became a successful businessman and wanted a substantial home in the
new Federal style.
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Fort de Chartres Powder Magazine –
The powder magazine is considered the oldest building in Illinois, dating back
to the 1750s. It was part of a fort the French built about 45 miles south of
modern St. Louis to control “the Illinois country” – the area that supplied
vital food to Louisiana.
Among the buildings that did not make the top 10: Bloomington’s David Davis
Mansion, Carbondale’s R. Buckminster Fuller Dome, Champaign’s State Farm Center
and Moline’s Deere & Co. headquarters.
The Illinois Top 200 is a joint initiative of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential
Library and Museum, The (Springfield) State Journal-Register and the Illinois
Bicentennial Commission.
Future categories include authors, musicians, actors, leaders and unforgettable
moments. Everyone is invited to suggest possible nominees in each category by
using the hashtag #ILtop200 on social media.
ABOUT ABRAHAM LINCOLN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
The presidential library and museum uses a combination of rigorous scholarship
and high-tech showmanship to immerse visitors in Lincoln’s life and times.
Visitors can see ghosts come to life on stage, watch TV coverage of the 1860
Presidential election, roam through the Lincoln White House, experience booming
cannons in a Civil War battle and come face to face with priceless original
Lincoln artifacts.
The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents,
photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to
all aspects of Illinois history.
For more information, visit
www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov. You can follow the ALPLM on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT ILLINOIS BICENTENNIAL
On Dec. 3, 1818, Illinois became the 21st state in the union. The Illinois
Bicentennial is a yearlong celebration of what has been BORN, BUILT & GROWN in
the state and a reminder of why we are #IllinoisProud. Citizens are encouraged
to participate in the celebration by visiting www.illinois200.com and using the
hashtag #IllinoisProud. Partners and event and project managers planning
activities between Dec. 3, 2017, and Dec. 3, 2018, can apply for endorsement to
become an official part of Illinois Bicentennial by visiting the PARTICIPATE
page at www.illinois200.com.
[Christopher Wills]
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