093_HR0378 LRB093 12081 HSS 16867 r 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, 2003 marks the Sesquicentennial (150th 3 Anniversary) of the City of Kankakee and Kankakee County; and 4 WHEREAS, In 1853, civil engineers from the Illinois 5 Central Railroad charted the path extending the railroad 6 south from Chicago, causing the rapid development of the 7 Kankakee River Valley and setting the rich agricultural 8 foundation that made the area part of the breadbasket for the 9 world; and 10 WHEREAS, As the industrial age progressed, numerous firms 11 found that the Kankakee River Valley was a great place to 12 prosper; and 13 WHEREAS, The diversity of the community adds to the 14 strength and the diversity of the economy; and 15 WHEREAS, Kankakee County schools have enthusiastically 16 sent representatives to proudly compete and return with 17 championship awards in basketball, football, tennis, golf, 18 music, and dance; and 19 WHEREAS, Kankakee County is the proud home of three 20 former Illinois governors; and 21 WHEREAS, Kankakee County hosts numerous festivals and 22 events and hosts the Chicago Bears summer camp; Kankakee is 23 also home to the championship power boat races on the 24 Kankakee River, which is one of the best fishing rivers in 25 the State and winds through the beautiful and historic 26 Kankakee River State Park; and 27 WHEREAS, Kankakee County is culturally rich with the 28 treasure of a symphony orchestra, municipal band, two Frank 29 Lloyd Wright houses inside an architecturally unique 30 historical district on the National Register of Historic -2- LRB093 12081 HSS 16867 r 1 Places, a community theater, several museums, and a new 2 library soon to open in downtown Kankakee; therefore, be it 3 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 4 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 5 we congratulate the City of Kankakee and Kankakee County on 6 their 150th anniversary; and be it further 7 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 8 presented to the Mayor of Kankakee and the County Board 9 Chairman of Kankakee County.