HR0918 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0918 LRB095 18661 GRL 44750 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the citizens of the Village of Buffalo Grove on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their village; and

WHEREAS, The history of Buffalo Grove began in the 1840's, when German immigrant farmers, including Melchior Raupp, John Simon Hennemann, and Jacob Weidner, began inhabiting the lands native to the Pottawatomi tribe; between the 1840's and 1950's, the area now known as Buffalo Grove became a farming community; and

WHEREAS, After World War II, the new demand for single-family homes outside of Chicago led to a wave of "suburban settlers" in the Buffalo Grove area; one of these new settlers, Al Frank, purchased about 100 acres and began building 1,000 square foot homes that would become the backbone of residential development in the area; and

WHEREAS, On March 6, 1958, incorporation of the Village of Buffalo Grove was approved by a vote of 38 to 8; a Cook County court approved the incorporation the following day; the population of this new village was 162, with 42 homes; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Buffalo Grove's first election was held on March 27, 1958; the first village president was William Clohessy, who served until April of 1959; his wife, Paula, served as the first village clerk, the village's first village board meetings were held in an old farmhouse; in 1958, the Buffalo Grove Village Board established a plan commission and a park and recreation commission; in the same year, the first volunteer chief of police, Arthur Dick, was appointed; in 1959, the village hired a professional planner to create a comprehensive village land use plan, which enabled the village to avoid the problems associated with rapid growth in suburban areas; Alcott School opened its doors in 1960; and

WHEREAS, In 1962, the village's first Buffalo Days festival was held; during the festival, a competition was held to obtain a design for the new Buffalo Grove flag; the winner of the contest was Joan Kuffel, who depicted a majestic, fighting buffalo to represent strength, green leaves to represent the wilderness from which Buffalo Grove arose, and gold bands to represent the bright future of the Village; and

WHEREAS, The 1970s represented a period of major growth for the Village of Buffalo Grove; the population of the village grew by more than 80 percent, the third highest rate in the northwest suburbs during the decade; Buffalo Grove's Village Hall, created to house the village administration and the police department, was dedicated in 1970; the village annexed the Highlands, Green Knolls, and Windfield subdivisions in 1977, adding greatly to the village's housing stock; and

WHEREAS, In 1980, the Village of Buffalo Grove established home rule status by referendum, giving greater flexibility to the village to craft its own solutions to local problems; in 1985, the village was designated as an Illinois Certified City, receiving its own zip code, 60089; and

WHEREAS, In February of 1992, the Village of Buffalo Grove made history with the United States Postal Service by creating the first main postal facility in the United States in 20 years, an effort only made possible by persistent pressure on the village's federal legislators; in 1994, the village's reconstructed village hall was rededicated; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Buffalo Grove's forward-thinking mentality was proven once again in 2006, when the village became one of the first official smoke-free communities, banning all smoking in public places and work environments; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Buffalo Grove's sterling reputation as a well-liked and family-friendly village is indicative of its wonderful residents, who have given much of their time, money, and spirit to make Buffalo Grove such a great place to live, work, and visit; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the citizens of the Village of Buffalo Grove on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of their village and wish them continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein as a symbol of our esteem and respect.