HR1351 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1351 LRB094 20746 HSS 59064 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois are pleased to recognize the sesquicentennial of the village of Tolono; and

WHEREAS, The original town of Tolono plat was filed on October 17, 1856; the first post office was established on June 8, 1857; on February 9, 1866, the "Rules of the Town Council of the Town of Tolono" were passed and G. W. Burr was elected President of the Board of Trustees of the village of Tolono; it wasn't until April 1, 1873, that Tolono was incorporated even though the village voted to incorporate on December 2, 1865; and

WHEREAS, With two major railroads intersecting in Tolono, at one point in time the village was one of the largest switching points in the world; the "rails" have brought Presidents to Tolono; train buffs and enthusiasts have traveled to Tolono for years to photograph and observe trains; Willard Airport, located in Tolono Township, has brought celebrities and dignitaries as well as Presidents to the Champaign County area; and

WHEREAS, Tolono is the home of an historical marker on Route 45, which marks the time when President-Elect Abraham Lincoln was traveling to Washington, D.C., by rail for his inauguration; although he had previously traveled through Tolono several times, February 11, 1861, was significant, because that is when President Lincoln gave his last formal address in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The village of Tolono will celebrate its 150th anniversary on June 17, 23, and 24, 2006; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the 150th anniversary of the village of Tolono, and we wish all of the residents of the village the very best; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the village of Tolono as an expression of our esteem and with best wishes for a prosperous future.