Midwest Facts

Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state, with Morton known as the Pumpkin Capital of the World. Why Illinois leads the nation in pumpkins.

How Wisconsin became America's Dairyland: its cheesemaking history, signature varieties, and squeaky cheese curds, plus ways to taste it for yourself.

Twice a year the Shawnee National Forest closes a 2.5-mile gravel road in Union County, Illinois, so snakes and amphibians can migrate between limestone bluffs and LaRue Swamp.

Michigan is a top producer of apples and tart cherries thanks to the Great Lakes. When to visit for peak harvest, from cherry season in Traverse City to fall apple picking.

From Green Bay and Chicago to Detroit, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, a guide to the Midwest's NFL teams and their history.

Labor Day has Midwest roots in the Pullman Strike of 1894 near Chicago. How the struggles of factory and rail workers turned into a national holiday.

How a family medical practice in Rochester, Minnesota, grew into Mayo Clinic, one of the world's leading medical centers, and what makes its model of care different.

A state-by-state look at the Midwest's top universities, from the University of Chicago and Northwestern to the region's flagship public schools, and what each is known for.