Champaign is a city in the east central part of Illinois. Founded in 1855, it is a twin city with Urbana, Illinois.http://ci.champaign.il.us/about-champaign/history/creation-of-champaign/ Former Illinois State Senator John Vance gave the names to Champaign County and the main cities that occupy it. He represented Vermilion County but he named Urbana and Champaign County in honor of the places of the same name in his home state of Ohio.http://ci.champaign.il.us/about-champaign/history/creation-of-champaign/

The cities of Champaign and Urbana are home to the University of Illinois. Its library offers over 11 million volumes, making it one of the leading public university libraries in the U.S. Along with the university, Champaign's downtown area provides several cultural centers, including museums and art galleries.http://illinois.edu/about/overview/facts/facts.html http://www.champaigncountyedc.org/champaign.html In addition to education, some of the leading industries in Champaign County include manufacturing and healthcare.http://www.champaigncountyedc.org/TopEmployers.html

The history of the Champaign area is intertwined with that of the largest railroad undertaking of the 1850s. The Internal Improvements Act of 1837 was proposed by a contingency of Illinoisans led by Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. The plan was to shift trade from the Mississippi River and St. Louis into central Illinois.http://champaign150.com/history/ http://ci.champaign.il.us/about-champaign/history/

The main part of the plan was to build a railroad from Galena, Illinois in the north to Cairo, Illinois in the south. This would become the Illinois Central Railroad. One of the main stops on the line was in an area west of Urbana. Urbana chose not to move its city limits, so when the time came to incorporate the area as a city, the name was changed from West Urbana to Champaign when it received its city charter in 1860.http://champaign150.com/history/ http://ci.champaign.il.us/about-champaign/history/

With the signing of the Griggs Bill by Governor Richard J. Oglesby in 1867, the state of Illinois further enabled the growing area in Champaign County. This bill established the Illinois Industrial University.http://www.fs.uiuc.edu/hpmp/historical%20preservation/establish.html The state placed the university in Champaign County over other sites in Logan, Morgan and McLean counties. This was due in part to the lobbying efforts of a group led by Clark Robinson Griggs, for whom the legislation was named. This institution would become the University of Illinois in 1885.http://champaign150.com/history/ http://www.fs.uiuc.edu/hpmp/historical%20preservation/found.html

The presence of the railroad and the university have contributed to Champaign's growth and stability as a community. Champaign is home to many industries, such as metal forging, lumber, glass works and construction. In 2010, the city celebrated its 150th anniversary and focused the celebration on the significance that each has had in the city's development.http://champaign150.com/champaign-150th-pioneers/historically-significant-businesses/ http://champaign150.com/history/

Besides Urbana, other cities close to Champaign are Rantoul, Decatur, Charleston, Mattoon and Bloomington. http://www.travelmath.com/cities-near/Champaign,+IL Champaign covers a land area of 16.99 square miles. It is located at 440° 6' 59" North latitude and 88° 14' 35" West longitude. Its elevation is 738 feet.http://illinois.hometownlocator.com/il/champaign/champaign.cfm http://www.travelmath.com/city/Champaign,+IL Champaign has an annual temperature of 51.4° F, with an annual precipitation amount of 41.06 inches. http://www.idcide.com/weather/il/champaign.htm

• Orpheum Children's Science Museum — provides science exhibits designed to be fun and educational.http://www.museumstuff.com/rec/org_20020201_12057.php
• Champaign County Historical Museum — offers educational programs related to the county's history and museum collections.http://www.champaignmuseum.org/mission.html
• Kappa Sigma Fraternity House — listed on National Register of Historical Places and that dates back to the early 20th century.http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/IL/Champaign/state.html
• William M. Staerkel Planetarium — offers projections of stars on the interior dome of the facility for indoor displays and shows.http://www.goby.com/william-m-staerkel-planetarium--near--champaign-il/e-85540
• Illinois Heritage Association — researches and documents the history of Illinois and offers its services to educational and non-profit organizations.http://www.illinoisheritage.org/mission.htm

• Alison Krauss — singerhttp://www.cmt.com/artists/az/krauss_alison/bio.jhtml
• Bonnie Blair — Olympic speed skaterhttp://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014107.html
• George Will — TV commentator and Washington Post columnisthttp://www.postwritersgroup.com/will.htm
• Lewis Hastings Sarett — inventor of synthetic cortisonehttp://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/27/us/dr-lewis-hastings-sarett-81-leader-in-cortisone-research.html
• REO Speedwagon — rock band formed in Champaign in 1967http://www.speedwagon.com/bio.php