Full Text of HR0563 96th General Assembly
HR0563 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
|
|
|
HR0563 |
|
LRB096 13538 GRL 28286 r |
|
| 1 |
| HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 |
| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 |
| Representatives are pleased to congratulate the citizens of the | 4 |
| Village of Rock City on the occasion of the village's 150th | 5 |
| anniversary in 2009; and
| 6 |
| WHEREAS, The origins of the Village of Rock City began with | 7 |
| George Raymer and the many immigrants settled on the land | 8 |
| surrounding the waters of the Rock Run Creek, giving birth to | 9 |
| numerous failed settlements such as Jamestown and Graball; in | 10 |
| 1856, it became widely known that the Racine and Mississippi | 11 |
| Railroad was building a line through the territory; in | 12 |
| response, the owners of the land around Rock Run Creek formed | 13 |
| the village of Rock Run City, which was later renamed Rock | 14 |
| City; and
| 15 |
| WHEREAS, Despite predictions of great growth for the | 16 |
| Village of Rock City in its early days, growth during the | 17 |
| village's first few decades was slow; however, the villagers | 18 |
| decided to reverse their fortunes through a program of robust | 19 |
| economic growth and construction; the village eventually | 20 |
| boasted 3 general stores, owned by John Graham, David Wilcoxin, | 21 |
| and Perry Duncan; and
| 22 |
| WHEREAS, During the 1860s, the Village of Rock City was |
|
|
|
HR0563 |
- 2 - |
LRB096 13538 GRL 28286 r |
|
| 1 |
| centered on the outbreak of the Civil War, with dozens of men | 2 |
| from Rock City and the entire Rock Run Township enlisted in the | 3 |
| Union Army; following the war, Rock City enjoyed great economic | 4 |
| success with the Graham grain elevator and livestock sales at | 5 |
| the Valentine House; by 1877, however, agricultural prices | 6 |
| began to fall, with many Rock City residents feeling the pinch; | 7 |
| undeterred by the slumping market, the citizens of the village | 8 |
| built a school in 1878 and a Methodist church in 1879; the | 9 |
| 1880s and 1890s saw new periods of growth and prosperity for | 10 |
| the burgeoning village; and
| 11 |
| WHEREAS, The coming of the 20th century saw great changes | 12 |
| for the residents of the Village of Rock City; between 1910 and | 13 |
| 1920, the village joined the "gasoline age", with automobiles | 14 |
| racing down the streets of Rock City and a new auto repair shop | 15 |
| being opened; the village also opened a new bank; and
| 16 |
| WHEREAS, On April 6, 1927, the Village of Rock City was | 17 |
| caught in a fire that started in the Moellenbrandt's machine | 18 |
| shed; the fire eventually destroyed the village's grain | 19 |
| elevator, coal yard, lumber shed, and electrical substation, | 20 |
| along with the Hufford Garage, the Moellenbrandt home, and | 21 |
| numerous other structures; the conflagration helped expedite | 22 |
| the establishment of the Rock City fire department; and
| 23 |
| WHEREAS, The Great Depression struck the Village of Rock |
|
|
|
HR0563 |
- 3 - |
LRB096 13538 GRL 28286 r |
|
| 1 |
| City like most other places in the United States, making jobs | 2 |
| and money a scarce commodity; business went on as usual, | 3 |
| however, with new businesses opening their doors; during this | 4 |
| time, Clarno Lumber and Supply bought the Graham Elevator and | 5 |
| changed the name to Rock City Lumber and Supply; after the end | 6 |
| of Prohibition, Albert Kraul, the owner of the corner grocery, | 7 |
| opened a tavern in his establishment; and
| 8 |
| WHEREAS, Between 1940 and 1950, many people migrated in and | 9 |
| out of the Village of Rock City, with many young men called to | 10 |
| serve during World War II; in the 1950s, the village acquired a | 11 |
| municipal water system, with a new well drilled in 1956 and | 12 |
| mains laid in 1957; also in 1957, the village's Main Street was | 13 |
| surfaced with blacktop; and
| 14 |
| WHEREAS, Since 1984, many changes have occurred in the | 15 |
| Village of Rock City, including a new subdivision, an improved | 16 |
| water system, the removal of railroad bridges, and the arrival | 17 |
| of cable television; and | 18 |
| WHEREAS, Today, the Village of Rock City and its 313 | 19 |
| residents plan to continue the legacy of hard work and | 20 |
| dedication to their village and ensure that future generations | 21 |
| learn of the rich heritage and tradition of the villagers that | 22 |
| came before them; therefore, be it
|
|
|
|
HR0563 |
- 4 - |
LRB096 13538 GRL 28286 r |
|
| 1 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 2 |
| NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | 3 |
| congratulate the citizens of the Village of Rock City on the | 4 |
| occasion of the village's 150th anniversary and wish them | 5 |
| continued success and happiness in the future; and be it | 6 |
| further
| 7 |
| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 8 |
| presented to a representative of the Village of Rock City as a | 9 |
| symbol of our esteem and respect.
|
|