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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Giant City Lodge is located within the
3boundaries of Giant City State Park and located in parts of
4Jackson and Union Counties in Southern Illinois; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The Giant City Lodge was built by the Civilian
6Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1934 and 1935; and
 
7    WHEREAS, In the early summer of 1946, work began to make
8the six cabins located near the lodge even more comfortable
9and convenient; this helped the Giant City Lodge establish a
10thriving business; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Increasing dining room business created the need
12to add a new dining room to the Giant City Lodge; the Bald Knob
13Room was added in 1958, followed by the Shawnee Room in 1969;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, Since its construction, the biggest improvements
16to the Giant City Lodge occurred under Governor James
17Thompson's Build Illinois Program; this program was started in
181985, over half a century after President Roosevelt's CCC was
19commissioned; and
 
20    WHEREAS, The twelve original overnight cabins, which were

 

 

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1beginning to deteriorate, were removed, and twelve new cabins
2were added; built on the same site as the "historic" cabins,
3the new cabins were built, styled, and finished exactly the
4same as the original ones; and
 
5    WHEREAS, In addition to the historic cabins, 22 new cabins
6were built around the Granite City Lodge, along with outdoor
7swimming and kiddie pools; and
 
8    WHEREAS, In 1981, a new era of management and hospitality
9began as Richard A. Kelley, with his son Mike, became the 6th
10concessionaire of the Giant City Lodge; and; and
 
11    WHEREAS, In 2021, Richard and Michael Kelley and the
12Kelley Family celebrated 40 years of service in running the
13operations of the Giant City Lodge; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The Kelley family has welcomed visitors both
15local and distant; they have been accommodating to those who
16drive from local communities as well as those touring the
17region's orchards, vineyards, and parks; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The staff of the Giant City Lodge provide a high
19level of hospitality for everyone who visits; therefore, be it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE

 

 

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1HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
2we congratulate the Kelley Family on their success and thank
3them for their tireless work to preserve the history and
4beauty of the Giant City Lodge, which has served as a gathering
5place for family dinners and celebrations of all kinds for 40
6years; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution shall be
8presented to Richard and Michael Kelly, the Kelley Family, and
9to the staff of the Giant City Lodge.