HR0543 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0543 LRB094 12632 CSA 47464 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Village of Gays is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2005; and

WHEREAS, The Village was once known as Summit; railroad officials named it that because it was the highest point on the Indianapolis and St. Louis railroad between Terre Haute, Indiana, and St. Louis, Missouri; the railroad was responsible for much of the community growth; in 1881, the name was changed due to postal service confusion in mail delivery; there were two towns in Illinois named Summit, so the name of Gays was selected; and

WHEREAS, The first residence in the area and a store with a small stock of goods was built by L. Waters in 1855; other people built homes and, by 1869, two more stores with general merchandise were located in Gays; in 1867, a school was under construction and a Methodist and Christian church were added; and

WHEREAS, The Gays Mutual Telephone Company was incorporated in 1904; in 1905, the Village was officially organized and an election was held with 26 votes cast for town officials; a bank was started, but was liquidated as a result of the bank moratorium in 1934; a fire in 1912 razed six buildings and dwellings near the business district; because there was no fire department, a bucket brigade was formed to control the flames; and

WHEREAS, Since its beginning, the Village of Gays has had restaurants, grocery stores, shoe repair shops, tile and brick yards, meat markets, blacksmithing and wagon making, hardware stores, feed mills, a cream station, garages, a filling station, beauty shops, radio repairs shops, a bulk plant, and bottle gas retail; in its early days, there was a succession of several doctors; the Village also has a two-story outhouse, and visitors from all over come just to see the novelty; and

WHEREAS, To its credit today, the Village has a new City Building, post office, and fire department; two churches and Heritage Christian School add to the community; there is also an elevator, a used car dealer, and a couple of beauty shops; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor and recognize the Village of Gays and its residents on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of its founding and express our sincerest best wishes for the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Village of Gays as an expression of our admiration and esteem.