093_HR0432 LRB093 12246 KEF 17429 r 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION 2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 3 Representatives wish to congratulate the City of Centralia on 4 the celebration of its sesquicentennial anniversary; and 5 WHEREAS, One hundred and fifty years is quite a testament 6 to a community's strength and perseverance; founded and named 7 by the Illinois Central Railroad, Centralia was at the 8 doorstep of the new frontier, where the North-South rail 9 corridors met the East-West corridors; this fact helped build 10 Centralia into an industrial crossroads for the nation; and 11 WHEREAS, The development of energy sources in the 12 Centralia area was also a boost in the growth in both the 13 importance and the size of the community; coal mining became 14 an integral source to the community both for production and 15 rail export; in addition, Centralia once had the largest 16 producing oil field in the United States; and 17 WHEREAS, Centralia has a rich heritage and has produced 18 numerous professional athletes, including America's most 19 winning high school basketball team; Centralia also has 20 outstanding recreation facilities that are located throughout 21 the community; and 22 WHEREAS, Centralia also boasts a diversified community of 23 residents along with its history of diversified industry; it 24 is a place that families can call home, where residents 25 attend church on Sundays, and where charitable work and 26 helpfulness is the norm, rather than exception; therefore, be 27 it 28 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 29 NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 30 we congratulate the City of Centralia on its 150th 31 anniversary and commend its residents for making the City -2- LRB093 12246 KEF 17429 r 1 what it is today; and be it further 2 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 3 presented to the Mayor of the City of Centralia as an 4 expression of our respect and esteem.