Illinois - Classic Prints and Maps. Settlers began arriving in the Illinois region from Kentucky in the 1810s Illinois became a state in 1818. The city of Chicago was founded in the 1830s on the banks of the Chicago River. The coming of the railroads and John Deere’s invention of the self-scouring farming plow made central Illinois' rich prarie into some of the world's most productive and valuable farmlands. President Abraham Lincoln is from the great state of Illinois. Prints and Maps from this collection will make wonderful additions to both home and office.
