HR1114 LRB094 20050 RLC 57604 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Throughout the month of July 2007, the City of
3 Tuscola will celebrate its 150th birthday; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The origin of the name Tuscola is a mystery but it
5 is widely accepted that the name is of Native American origin
6 and may be from the Muscogee Indian word for warrior; and
 
7     WHEREAS, In 1835, the first settlers came to the Tuscola
8 area; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Tuscola was established because the Illinois
10 Central Railroad was constructed through the area in 1851 and
11 needed towns along its route to help finance the railroad; and
 
12     WHEREAS, A railroad charter was issued to the Decatur and
13 Indianapolis Railroad in 1855 and a company was soon formed to
14 promote the growth of Tuscola; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The east and west railroad did not materialize
16 until July 9, 1873, and another east and west railroad, the
17 Chicago and Eastern Illinois, was completed in September, 1887;
18 and
 
19     WHEREAS, Tuscola is unique because it covers the original
20 square mile of land granted by Congress to the Illinois Central
21 Railroad; and
 
22     WHEREAS, Tuscola was originally laid out July 19, 1857, as
23 a part of Coles County but residents of the area petitioned the
24 legislature for the creation of a new county from the northern
25 portion of Coles County; and
 
26     WHEREAS, The bill creating the new county passed the
27 legislature on February 16, 1859, and was named Douglas County

 

 

HR1114 - 2 - LRB094 20050 RLC 57604 r

1 after Stephen A. Douglas; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Tuscola was incorporated on March 11, 1859; and
 
3     WHEREAS, Tuscola was the home of Joseph G. Cannon,
4 Tuscola's most famous citizen, who served as Douglas County's
5 first State's Attorney and also served in the United States
6 House of Representatives from March 4, 1873, to March 3, 1891,
7 and from March 4, 1893, to March 3, 1913, and served as Speaker
8 of the United States House of Representatives from 1903 to
9 1911; therefore, be it
 
10     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12 we honor and recognize the City of Tuscola and its residents on
13 the 150th birthday of the city and extend our best wishes for
14 the future; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to the Mayor of the City of Tuscola.