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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives wishes to 
3recognize Ryan's Round Barn, located in Johnson-Sauk Trail 
4State Park, as a significant cultural and historical treasure; 
5and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Ryan's Round Barn was built by Dr. Laurence Ryan, 
7a prominent physician and surgeon; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Dr. Ryan grew up in the Kewanee area and later 
9went to medical school; he was a renowned surgeon and served as 
10the Dean of Loyola Medical University in Maywood; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Dr. Ryan purchased 320 acres of active farmland 
12near Kewanee for use as a summer retreat away from the city; 
13and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, Inspired by the traditions of the Pennsylvania 
15Dutch Shaker Community, Dr. Ryan built a round barn to house 
16the 50 head of Black Angus cattle that he imported from 
17Scotland; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, In 1908, Dr. Ryan commissioned Mr. Feurst of 
19Kewanee, an immigrant from Germany, to build the barn; he 
20purchased the materials in Chicago and transported them to the 
 
 
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1construction site by rail and eventually horse and wagon; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Ryan's Barn was built 80 feet high and 85 feet in 
3diameter with a ten-foot-tall cupola and an upper hay mow 
4capable of holding up to 250 tons of straw; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Ryan's Barn featured many ingenious agricultural 
6devices, including a suspended hay carrier that ran along a 
7steel track in the ceiling, two granaries, and an ensilage 
8chopper blower that was powered by a steam engine; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, The lower level of Ryan's Barn housed Dr. Ryan's 
10prized Black Angus cattle and contained special underground 
11tanks to collect the cattle waste, as well as individual 
12calving pens for pregnant cows; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, Upon the death of Dr. Ryan, his widow sold the 
14farm and barn to E.A. Johnson of Annawan in 1939 who, in turn, 
15sold the farm and barn to the State in 1968; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, In 1984, the Friends of Johnson Park Foundation 
17was organized with the purpose of preserving Ryan's Round Barn; 
18therefore, be it
  
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
20HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
 
 
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1we commend the Friends of Johnson Park Foundation for their 
2continuing preservation efforts and recognize Ryan's Round 
3Barn as a cultural and historical treasure; and be it further
  
 
4    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
5presented to the Friends of Johnson Park Foundation as an 
6expression of our esteem and respect.