HR0854 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0854 LRB103 41116 ECR 74333 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Village of Ridge Farm in the Elwood Township of Vermilion County on the occasion of its 150th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, Abraham Smith, a Tennessee farmer seeking the rich soil and opportunities that Illinois had to offer, founded Ridge Farm in 1829, building his farm on a glacial ridge and thus giving the village its name; he later opened a post office, a blacksmith shop, a tavern, a general store, and an inn, planting the roots that would anchor and help develop the village; and

WHEREAS, From 1873 to 1874, the Village of Ridge Farm further grew with the construction of railroads, increasing the number of its local businesses in the village, which included flour mills, lumberyards, hardware stores, hotels, grain businesses, and a bank; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Ridge Farm's incorporation petition was filed at the Vermilion County Clerk's Office on March 3, 1874, signed by County Judge R. W. Hanford on March 4, 1874, and approved by the general consensus of the community in a store owned by John C. Pierce on March 21, 1874, exemplifying the principles of a government by the people, for the people; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Ridge Farm has important connections to several historical figures, including Abraham Lincoln, who frequently spent time in the area early in his legal career; the village was also once home to such esteemed individuals as Brigadier General Bonner Fellers, an assistant to General Douglas MacArthur and director of psychological warfare, Lori Gerard Hutt, an Emmy Award winner, and Ron Dillman, a Pulitzer Prize winner; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Ridge Farm is less defined by boundaries on a map and more defined by its shared community values, rich cultural history, environmental stewardship, and commitment to progress in local business; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Ridge Farm has many ties to the past but also ties to its future through engaging in a number of projects to build a better tomorrow for its residents; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Village of Ridge Farm on its sesquicentennial anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Ridge Farm Village President Shawn Schendel and Elwood Township Supervisor Jennifer Kunze as a symbol of our esteem and respect.