HR1109 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1109 LRB100 21911 MST 40269 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Village of Cambridge on its dodransbicentennial anniversary (175 years) on June 9, 2018; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Cambridge was established on June 9, 1843 by the Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury, who was well known in the early history of the New York and New England colonies; on April 19, 1843, Rev. Pillsbury deeded fractional parts of two 40-acre lots to the Board of County Commissioners at a special meeting; and

WHEREAS, On June 9, 1843, the court proceeded to lay out the town of Cambridge, a name suggested by Judge Tillson, and ordered a sale of lots to take place on June 26, 1843 - the two lots were approximately 36 acres each; lots were sold to incoming immigrants coming from New York and New England, roads were laid out, postal routes established, and people were invited to move there; and

WHEREAS, The original settlers derived entirely from New England or upstate New York, where many families were only one generation removed from settling in upstate New York following the Revolutionary War, thereby making Henry County very culturally contiguous with New England; and

WHEREAS, On September 5, 1843, the court contracted with several Cambridge residents to have the Henry County Courthouse moved from Morristown to Cambridge where they were awarded $10 and the use of the house for schools and other public purposes when not in use for the courts, for the term of three years; and

WHEREAS, The courthouse building was placed on runners and in two days hauled or moved by ox teams to Cambridge, a distance of 12 miles, and placed at the southeast corner of College Square, making Cambridge the county seat of Henry County; and

WHEREAS, The present courthouse, a Victorian structure of brick with stone, was started in 1866 and completed in 1880, at a cost of $77,147; the courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004; and

WHEREAS, The first building erected in the new county seat was a small unhewn log house constructed by John Russell, commonly known as "Lord John", and was used as a blacksmith shop; and

WHEREAS, Today, Cambridge has a population of nearly 2,200, is home to 90 businesses, including CSI (modular home builder), Michlig Grain and Michlig Energy (grain drying, sale of liquid propane, gasoline and diesel fuels), and Gold Star Agriculture Services (seed, fertilizer, spraying and fuels); it is the county seat of Henry County and has the State's only asphalt plant owned and operated by a county government; and

WHEREAS, For the past 159 years, the Village of Cambridge has been the home to the Henry County Fair, where residents compete with their neighbors showing their animals and enjoy country entertainment, demolition derbies, and the Henry County Fair Queen Contest; and

WHEREAS, Cambridge is proud to have the Gold Star FS Corporate Office located in their community along with the Henry County Farm Bureau, which just celebrated 101 years of service; and

WHEREAS, The Cambridge School District includes an elementary school, junior high school, and senior high school; like many small communities, the community revolves around arts and sports practiced at the school; in 2006, the elementary school was one of only 18 Illinois schools selected as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education; and

WHEREAS, Cambridge has five public parks offering sports, recreation, and activities for its residents; and

WHEREAS, Several notable figures have called Cambridge their home, including John Hughes (the original Lone Ranger), Dan Halldorson (PGA Golfer), John Hand (Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court), George Allen Neeves (member of the Wisconsin State Assembly), and Charles Wennerstrum (Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court); and

WHEREAS, With a village motto of "Where Agriculture, Business, and Education Come Together", the Village of Cambridge is well poised for the next 175 years; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we join the many friends of the Village of Cambridge in congratulating them on their dodransbicentennial celebration and we wish them continued good fortune; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Village of Cambridge as an expression of our esteem and respect for their many accomplishments.