By Chris Cosci

Web designers are always coming up with new features that make web sites appear more impressive. They add moving graphics, mini-movies, and interactive programs. These high-level technological features are used in web sites for movie studios, computer companies, and other major corporations to turn the ordinary activity of surfing the web into a full-blown experience.

What better way is there to illustrate the power and appeal of this technology than to create a web site about license plates?

With the high demand for top-of-the-line license plate web sites, the state of Illinois has jumped head first into the 21st century and delivered a fact-filled, graphic-intensive look at the history of Illinois license plates.

The sites for the history of Idaho and Michigan license plates are put to shame by this tremendous display. Upon entering the site, you are treated to a short, news-reel style film that details a few facts about cars in the U.S. and Illinois. Then you enter a virtual gallery where you can view an Illinois license plate from any year since they were introduced in 1907.

If this sounds exciting, just wait it gets better. Not only do you get to see pictures of the license plates, but each year contains a "This Year In Illinois" article that details all sorts of you'll-never-need-to-know-them facts about the automobile industry in Illinois. For example, in 1934, Illinois became the 30th state in the union to use prison labor to make license plates. Think of how intelligent you'll feel when you can show off this knowledge at your next cocktail party.

But that's not all! There's also a picture of the Illinois Secretary of State for each year! Now you can look back and see some of your favorite Secretaries of State. There's William "Pretty Boy" Stratton, Edward "The Snake" Barrett, and "Madman" Michael Howlett. Please note, these nicknames may or may not be entirely accurate.

And don't think it ends there. The site is broken up into decades. Upon entering a new decade, you are treated to a short clip of music to put you in the spirit of that decade. There isn't anything better for background music while viewing Illinois license plates than being taken back to the 70's with Captain and Tennille or going grunge with Nirvana.

Parks can be closed. Roads can go unpaved. School budgets can be slashed until all that's left is just enough money to keep the school from imploding. But it's worth every penny of the taxpayers' money to provide us with a web site as imaginative and informative as this one. Using the best technology for this web site is like using a sledgehammer to crack nuts: sure, it may be overkill, but think of how much cooler it is!

http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/special/plate_history/start_history.html