HR1003 LRB094 19745 HSS 56367 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, It is the privilege of this Body to recognize
3 milestone events in the history of businesses in our great
4 State; and
 
5     WHEREAS, In the 1800s, there were ten family-owned
6 potteries within miles of Monmouth, known as "Maple City" at
7 the time; in 1906, these ten families were brought together to
8 form the Western Stoneware Company and the maple leaf, which
9 remains the company trademark today, identified the location;
10 and
 
11     WHEREAS, The success of Western Stoneware Company is due,
12 in large part, to the high quality clay available in
13 Colchester; stoneware made from this unusual clay is
14 oven-resistant, provides superior retention of heat or cold,
15 and is lead-free, making it completely safe for use with all
16 foods and drinks; the company owns and operates its own clay
17 mines in Colchester; the clay mined there, one of Illinois'
18 rich resources, is unique to the area and offers the best raw
19 material available for high quality, natural stoneware; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Stoneware became popular in Europe during the
21 Middle Ages, because it was the best thing for serving the
22 strong drinks and corrosively spiced food consumed in those
23 days; when families immigrated from Colchester, England, to the
24 Midwest in the 1800s, they found the ample supply of quality
25 clay to be ripe for mining, and the labor market ready in
26 Monmouth for processing, and thus began the Western Stoneware
27 tradition; and
 
28     WHEREAS, The popularity of stoneware continues today,
29 because it adds charm and warmth to any home; the bold,
30 rough-hewn nature of stoneware combines with other natural
31 materials and imparts a feeling of great strength; therefore,

 

 

HR1003 - 2 - LRB094 19745 HSS 56367 r

1 be it
 
2     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
3 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
4 we congratulate the Western Stoneware Company on the occasion
5 of its 100th anniversary; and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7 presented to the Western Stoneware Company as an expression of
8 our esteem.