Harper College class rich in Prairie State history

There's a lot about Illinois history that you might not know – but Jim Edstrom does.

The Harper College professor can quickly rattle off a plethora of trivia tidbits about the Prairie State, from the geographic reason for the cold winters and hot summers to an overview of the nearly-abandoned first capital city and a rundown of why that city is the only part of the state that sits west of the Mississippi River.

This fall, he'll offer his unique expertise to students via an Illinois History class geared as much to those pursuing a degree in the subject as those who simply want to know more about the state they call home.

“There are basically three things I tell students to remember when studying our state's heritage,” Edstrom says. “First, the geography of Illinois is its history. Second, the history of Chicago is the history of Illinois. And beyond that, the history of Illinois is also the history of the United States.”

The class meets from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays beginning Aug. 25.

Among the subjects that may land on the syllabus: a look back at Illinois' slave-state history, an overview of the presidents who hailed from Illinois (it's not just Lincoln and Obama), and an analysis of why those in the mid-1800s – an era when Galena was more substantial than Chicago – thought the big city would never make it.

To enroll or for more on the course or other Harper history classes, call (847) 925-6600 or visit www.harpercollege.edu.