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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate the Village of Stewardson
4on the occasion of its 150th anniversary; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Stewardson, located on Route 32 in the
6southeastern part of Shelby County, was founded on September
730, 1874; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Stewardson's namesake, William Stewardson Jr.,
9was born to William and Mary Nicholson Stewardson in
10Westmoreland County, England on February 24, 1828; he came to
11Shelby County in 1845; he married Nancy Douthit in 1851, and
12they relocated to Richland and Prairie Township soon after;
13and
14    WHEREAS, Stewardson was plotted by the surveyor of Shelby
15County on January 10, 1874, and it was incorporated as a
16village on September 30, 1874; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Stewardson's 150-year history includes a number
18of important events, such as the establishment of the
19Enterprise, the first village newspaper, in 1878, the building
20of an opera hall in 1893, the completion of the Hoffman Block
21Building in 1909, the vote for the village to be a dry
22community in 1910 which was later appealed in 2013, the

 

 

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1consolidation of Stewardson-Strasburg and the opening of a new
2high school north of town along Route 32 in 1951, the placement
3of street signs at intersections in 1969, the opening of a new
4series station and convenience store in 2000, and the opening
5of a Dollar General in 2022; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Stewardson's school system was consolidated in
71949, with its first class graduating from the new high school
8in 1951; the Stewardson Grade School was built adjoined to the
9high school in 1967; the old Stewardson Grade School building
10was then sold to the village to become the civic center in
111970, and the structure was demolished in 1980; the school
12system added an every-day kindergarten in 1988, a
13prekindergarten in 1995, and a new junior wing in 1997; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Today, Stewardson is home to over 20 businesses,
15three churches, the Stewardson Fire and Ambulance District, a
16new Stewardson Community Center, and a new American Legion
17Hall; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Stewardson is a standing example of the positive
19growth that can be found in a small community; its citizens
20show care and concern for one's family, neighbors, and
21community, and they also show continued dedication towards
22growth and a positive vision for the future; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Stewardson will celebrate its 150th anniversary
2from June 27 through June 30, 2024; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
4HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
5we congratulate the Village of Stewardson on its 150th
6anniversary; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the Village of Stewardson as an expression of our
9esteem and respect.