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SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Illinois barns are witnesses to the role of
3 agriculture in our State's image and its economy and serve as
4 scenic landmarks for residents and visitors alike; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Historic barns and agricultural structures across
6 rural Illinois symbolize important Illinois values of
7 heritage, hard work, productivity, and closeness to the land
8 and community with the people who built them; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Historic barns uphold the historic rural
10 qualities of the State's landscape, along with providing a
11 picturesque atmosphere for the State's citizens and visitors to
12 enjoy; and
 
13     WHEREAS, These structures provide insight into our
14 distinctive agricultural history and heritage, as well as a
15 visual description of rural life, both past and present, in
16 Illinois; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Local historic preservation and community
18 organizations in at least ten counties across Illinois
19 highlight their local barns with organized or self-guided barn
20 tours, the first of which began in Greene County in 1984 and
21 has continued every September since as part of Greene County
22 Days; and
 
23     WHEREAS, One private Illinois barn preservation
24 organization, the Illinois Barn Alliance, released a statewide
25 survey in August, 2005, and found that residents in 46 Illinois
26 counties have conducted barn surveys, organized barn tours, or
27 engaged in other activities that directly promote historic
28 barns; and
 
29     WHEREAS, While historic barns are cherished by so many

 

 

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1 Illinois residents and visitors, many barns can no longer
2 produce the necessary income to prevent their loss by decay or
3 demolition, or they become threatened when the surrounding land
4 is removed from active agricultural use; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Many states, including Iowa, Wisconsin, New York,
6 Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire enacted legislation creating
7 barn preservation and restoration programs to assist barn
8 owners with their efforts to preserve these cultural and
9 architectural treasures for the enjoyment and economic benefit
10 of this and future generations; therefore, be it
 
11     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
12 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that that the Department of
13 Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), in consultation with
14 the Department of Agriculture, the Illinois Historic
15 Preservation Agency, and any other public entities as the DCEO
16 deems necessary, shall conduct a study of (i) current historic
17 barn restoration/preservation efforts and needs in Illinois,
18 (ii) the benefits that an historic barn
19 restoration/preservation program in Illinois could have on
20 tourism and other economic development activities in rural
21 areas, and (iii) programs and incentives in place in other
22 states to promote historic barn restoration and preservation;
23 the DCEO shall report its findings to the Governor and the
24 General Assembly by December 1, 2006; and be it further
 
25     RESOLVED, That in conducting its study the Department of
26 Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall also consult with the
27 Illinois Barn Alliance and any other private local historical,
28 preservation, and community organizations engaged in promoting
29 and preserving historic barns in their communities or counties;
30 and be it further
 
31     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution shall be
32 presented to the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,

 

 

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1 to the Director of Agriculture, and to the Director of the
2 Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.