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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Underground Railroad was a network of people 
3offering shelter and aid to escaped enslaved people from the 
4South; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Most of the enslaved people helped by the 
6Underground Railroad escaped border states such as Kentucky, 
7Virginia, and Maryland; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Hiding places included private homes, churches, 
9and schoolhouses; and
 
10    WHEREAS, A former station on the Underground Railroad, the 
11Lovejoy Homestead, is located at the eastern edge of Princeton 
12and was the home of the Denham and Lovejoy families for nearly 
13100 years; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, Reverend Lovejoy was its most famous resident and 
15occupied the house from 1838 until his death in 1864; he was 
16prominent in the abolition movement and the Underground 
17Railroad, a founder of the Illinois and national Republican 
18Party, and a congressional leader; and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, Reverend Lovejoy is perhaps best known for his 
20role in the Underground Railroad; as an outspoken 
 
 
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1abolitionist, he openly proclaimed his willingness to assist 
2fugitive slaves; his involvement made his house one of the 
3most important stations on the Underground Railroad in 
4Illinois; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, The Owen Lovejoy Home now belongs to the City of 
6Princeton and was opened as a museum in 1972; the United States 
7Secretary of the Interior declared the property a National 
8Historic Landmark in 1997; therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL 
10ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Illinois 
11Department of Transportation to place road signs in the 
12vicinity of the Owen LoveJoy Homestead directing people to 
13this National Historic Landmark; and be it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15delivered to the Illinois Department of Transportation.