HR0168 LRB094 10898 CSA 41449 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Galena Fire Department, the oldest fire
3 department in Illinois, celebrated its 175th birthday on
4 February 1, 2005; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The Department is planning a series of events in
6 August to celebrate the anniversary; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The Galena Fire and Protection Company was formed
8 in 1830; since its inception, it has gone from a company with
9 just a couple of fire hooks, ladders, axes, and buckets to the
10 department it is now; and
 
11     WHEREAS, On November 8, 1836, the first fire department was
12 organized with a roll of 66 members; from then on, there came
13 to be several different fire departments throughout Galena; and
 
14     WHEREAS, On August 1, 1876, John Hellman was made chief
15 director of all the fire stations in Galena; all five of these
16 fire stations were made into what is now known as the "Fabulous
17 Five"; and
 
18     WHEREAS, The Galena Fire Department became a mechanized
19 force in 1917; the era of the "Fabulous Five" was closed in
20 1935 and reorganized into the present fire department on South
21 Bench Street; and
 
22     WHEREAS, The Galena Fire Department has what is believed to
23 be the oldest fire station in the State; it was built in an
24 Italianate style; it has an overhung roof, corbels, and a watch
25 tower; an antique fire engine is showcased within the fire
26 station, the "Liberty", a hand pumper that arrived on January
27 5, 1855, from Philadelphia; the Liberty helped the Galena Fire
28 Department for more than 50 years and is presently being
29 restored; therefore, be it
 

 

 

HR0168 - 2 - LRB094 10898 CSA 41449 r

1     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3 we congratulate the Galena Fire Department on the occasion of
4 its 175th anniversary and honor its current members for their
5 efforts to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens of
6 Galena; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to the Galena Fire Department as an expression of our
9 esteem.