HR1114

LRB094 20050 RLC 57604 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Throughout the month of July 2007, the City of 
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Tuscola will celebrate its 150th birthday; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The origin of the name Tuscola is a mystery but it 
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is widely accepted that the name is of Native American origin 
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and may be from the Muscogee Indian word for warrior; and
 
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    WHEREAS, In 1835, the first settlers came to the Tuscola 
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area; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Tuscola was established because the Illinois 
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Central Railroad was constructed through the area in 1851 and 
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needed towns along its route to help finance the railroad; and

 
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    WHEREAS, A railroad charter was issued to the Decatur and 
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Indianapolis Railroad in 1855 and a company was soon formed to 
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promote the growth of Tuscola; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The east and west railroad did not materialize 
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until July 9, 1873, and another east and west railroad, the 
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Chicago and Eastern Illinois, was completed in September, 1887; 
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and
 
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    WHEREAS, Tuscola is unique because it covers the original 
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square mile of land granted by Congress to the Illinois Central 
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Railroad; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Tuscola was originally laid out July 19, 1857, as 
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a part of Coles County but residents of the area petitioned the 
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legislature for the creation of a new county from the northern 
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portion of Coles County; and
 
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    WHEREAS, The bill creating the new county passed the 
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legislature on February 16, 1859, and was named Douglas County 
 


 






HR1114
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LRB094 20050 RLC 57604 r




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after Stephen A. Douglas; and 
 
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    WHEREAS, Tuscola was incorporated on March 11, 1859; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Tuscola was the home of Joseph G. Cannon, 
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Tuscola's most famous citizen, who served as Douglas County's 
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first State's Attorney and also served in the United States 
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House of Representatives from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1891, 
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and from March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1913, and served as Speaker 
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of the United States House of Representatives from 1903 to 
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1911; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we honor and recognize the City of Tuscola and its residents on 
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the 150th birthday of the city and extend our  best wishes for 
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the future; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the Mayor of the City of Tuscola.