Northwestern Illinois is a geographic region of the state of Illinois

Illinois

Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...

 within the USA.

Northwestern Illinois is generally considered to consist of the following area: Jo Daviess County

Jo Daviess County, Illinois

Jo Daviess County is a county located in the northwest corner of U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,678, which is an increase of 1.7% from 22,289 in 2000. Its county seat is Galena....

, Carroll County, Whiteside County, Stephenson County

Stephenson County, Illinois

As of the census of 2000, there were 48,979 people, 19,785 households, and 13,473 families residing in the county. The population density was 87 people per square mile . There were 21,713 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...

, Winnebago County

Winnebago County, Illinois

Winnebago County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 295,266, which is an increase of 6.1% from 278,418 in 2000...

, Ogle County

Ogle County, Illinois

Ogle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 53,497, which is an increase of 4.8% from 51,032 in 2000. Its county seat is Oregon, and its largest city is Rochelle...

, and Lee County. Northwestern Illinois borders the states of Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

 to the west and Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

 to the north.

The largest city in this region, located near the eastern edge, is Rockford

Rockford, Illinois

Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...

. Rockford's Metropolitan Area includes Winnebago County and Boone County (to the east), with an estimated 2009 population of 353,722.

Former US President Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

 was born in the Whiteside County town of Tampico, IL.

Geography

The geography of northwestern Illinois varies from that of the rest of the state. The area is primarily in the Coulee Region

Coulee Region

The Driftless Area or Paleozoic Plateau is a region in the American Midwest noted mainly for its deeply carved river valleys. While primarily in southwestern Wisconsin, it includes areas of southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa and extreme northwestern Illinois...

, which is characterized by bluffs, valleys, and rolling hills. Counties especially characterized by the coulee region include: Jo Daviess County, and Carroll County, but nonetheless, the whole region is characterized by the region.

Visitors Guide

Areas to visit include Galena, Illinois

Galena, Illinois

Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...

, located in central Jo Daviess County

Jo Daviess County, Illinois

Jo Daviess County is a county located in the northwest corner of U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,678, which is an increase of 1.7% from 22,289 in 2000. Its county seat is Galena....

, and less than fifteen minutes from Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque, Iowa

Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....

, the city was the home of Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...

 U.S. President. His home can be found downtown. The downtown of the city includes hundreds of small ma' and pa' shops, with antiques, goodies, and furniture. The city draws visitors mainly from Dubuque, Madision, Davenport, and Chicago, but visitors come from all around to experience the quaintness of Galena. The city's population is near 3,500.

Oregon, Illinois

Oregon, Illinois

Oregon is a city located in Ogle County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 3,721, down from 4,060 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ogle County.- History :...

 along the Rock River in Ogle County, the city is quaint, and quiet, almost centered around the historic Ogle County Courthouse. Oregon is right in the middle of Ogle County. It is a very peaceful place. It holds a county fair every August and draws quite a crowd from this. There is always a demolition derby which is the highlight of the fair and always draws the biggest crowd. The fair also has carnival rides. Also, it has a parade every October called Autumn on Parade. This event lasts all weekend and draws people from all over the Midwest to check out the arts and crafts. Oregon has some of the most beautiful parks in the Northwest. Ranging from the park district's parks to the state parks, everything is amazing. The parks are well groomed and are very pleasing to the eye. Flowing through Oregon is the Rock River. For the past few years there is always a tragedy that happens in this river. There is a dam in Oregon that has a very rough current. This current has claimed the lives of a few unfortunate people in the past few years.

In addition to Oregon, Byron occupies the Ogle county area as well. Every summer Byron holds a festival called Byron Fest. This fest showcases a carnival and bands that play during the evening hours. This wonderful event brings people from all different ages to enjoy the festivities. Byron is also home to the Byron drag strip. Every weekend during the summer months people from all over the Midwest come to race their cars down this quarter mile strip of asphalt.

Others: Savanna, Illinois

Savanna, Illinois

Savanna is a city in Carroll County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,062 at the 2010 census, down from 3,542 at the 2000 census. Savanna is located along the Mississippi River at the mouth of the Plum River. Going from north to south, the second automobile bridge between Iowa and...

, Hanover, Illinois

Hanover, Illinois

Hanover is a village in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, along the Apple River. The population was 844 at the 2010 census, up from 836 at the 2000 census- Geography :Hanover is located at ....

, and many more.