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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to recognize the citizens of the
4City of Salem on the occasion of the City's 150th anniversary
5on April 17, 2015; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The City of Salem was initially organized as a
7town on February 14, 1855 and was incorporated into a city on
8April 17, 1865; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The New Madrid earthquake of 1811 caused the
10Mississippi River to flow backwards, church bells to ring as
11far away as Boston, and sent Captain Samuel Young searching for
12a more hospitable home, which he found when he reached
13present-day Salem; he set up camp on what is now the courthouse
14square; and
 
15    WHEREAS, A severe drought hit northern and central Illinois
16in 1820, which contributed to wagon loads of people traveling
17to Illinois; as this was compared to the Biblical story of
18Israel going to Egypt to purchase grain, southern Illinois
19became known as "Egypt" and Salem became the "Gateway of Little
20Egypt"; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Salem was originally founded in 1823 as the county

 

 

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1seat of Marion County; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Salem is located halfway between the Indiana and
3Missouri borders on what was originally the Vincennes-St. Louis
4Road, now U.S. Route 50; Salem evolved into a stagecoach stop
5on the Vincennes Trail; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Salem was home to William Jennings Bryan, who was
7known as "The Great Commoner" and "The Silver-Tongued Orator"
8and was a candidate for President of the United States;
9Jennings was born in Salem on March 19, 1860; he attended Salem
10public schools and was a member of First United Presbyterian
11Church; a bronze statue stands today in Bryan Memorial Park on
12the east side of Illinois Route 37 North; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Salem played a significant role in the G.I. Bill
14of Rights; it was born in Luther B. Easley Post No. 128 of the
15American Legion in Salem on November 4, 1943 and was drafted by
16Omar J. McMakin and Earl W. Merritt, both of Salem, before
17being taken to Washington D.C. to be signed into law; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Salem is rich in history, beauty, and solid
19American values; active volunteer support, the Salem Chamber of
20Commerce, the Historic and Patriotic Commission, and the Keep
21Salem Beautiful Organization play an essential role in the
22community; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
3congratulate the citizens of the City of Salem on the occasion
4of the City's 150th anniversary and wish them great success and
5happiness in the future; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the City of Salem as a symbol of our esteem and
8respect.