In 2015, there were nearly 113 million registered cars in the United States, mostly powered by gasoline. A pair of Illinois brothers is credited with building the first gas-powered automobile in American history.

Virtually every day, the effects of the big lake to our east are brought home to us, even though for those of us out here in the Fox River Valley it is often only through news videos and weather maps on our television screens that we realize what’s happening.

As the United States Navy celebrates its 250th anniversary on Oct. 13, it’s a time to commemorate the Liberty ships, which were used for cargo and other utility purposes in WWII.

German ancestry is the most prevalent ancestry in the state, and the culture of the German homeland has been a mainstay in Illinois for a century and a half.

The Oswegoland Park District was created in a March referendum 75 years ago. The landmark Little White School Museum was completed on its present site at Jackson and Polk streets 175 years ago last spring.

The beloved "Peanuts" comic strip debuted 75 years ago on Oct. 2; two of the original four characters were written out.

But while water parks are fun, they don’t offer the thrills of rollercoasters and other rides that people travel some fair distances to enjoy. At the turn of the century, though, Kendall County residents didn’t have to drive for hours to enjoy amusement rides.

Abraham Lincoln’s connections to Ottawa were not limited to his 1858 debate with Stephen A. Douglas. He was also a staunch supporter of the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

Dog n Suds was a popular choice for fast food in the 1960s and 1970s, and remains a recognized root beer brand today. A co-founder of the chain was formerly a high school music teacher in Illinois.