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92_HR0182
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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to honor milestones in the State
4 of Illinois; and
5 WHEREAS, The City of Zion has recently celebrated its
6 centennial year; in 1900, the City of Zion was founded by Dr.
7 John Alexander Dowie; Dr. Dowie was Scottish by birth, and
8 had been a congregational minister in Melbourne, Australia;
9 Dr. Dowie came to America and began preaching in front of the
10 Columbia Exposition in Chicago; and
11 WHEREAS, As his following increased, Dr. Dowie founded
12 the Christian Catholic Church and Zion City, a religious
13 industrial community; the city was located seven miles north
14 of Waukegan on the shore of Lake Michigan; Zion was a part of
15 Benton Township until 1931, when Zion Township was formed;
16 and
17 WHEREAS, The town began with a bank, a candy factory, a
18 printing establishment, a cookie factory, and the famous Zion
19 Lace Factory, later purchased by Marshall Field of Chicago;
20 the property went from undeveloped wilderness to having a
21 value of $7,000,000; by 1905, problems were developing in the
22 Zion industries; bankruptcy was declared and a receiver was
23 appointed to handle the financial problems; and
24 WHEREAS, Wilbur Glenn Voliva succeeded Dr. Dowie as
25 Overseer of Zion; under his leadership, the City of Zion
26 began to regrow until the Great Depression of 1929; by 1935,
27 people were disillusioned with the community and its state of
28 disarray, causing a break in the Christian Catholic Church; a
29 city election during this time changed the leadership of the
30 community, allowing for new industries and growth in the
31 city; and
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1 WHEREAS, The City of Zion and the Christian Catholic
2 Church continue to grow and develop; this unique community
3 has a rich history and deserves recognition; therefore, be it
4 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
6 we congratulate the people of Zion, Illinois as they
7 celebrate their centennial year; and be it further
8 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9 presented to the Mayor of the City of Zion.