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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, On April 10, 1816, in a log cabin now known as the
3Robinson Stewart House, a town was born; the leaders decided to
4call the new county seat Carmi, a name mentioned eight times in
5Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, and First Chronicles; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Carmi was a log cabin village founded on the bank
7of the Little Wabash River; there were no streets - only dirt
8roads; the village had promise of beauty and gracious living
9even in a backwoods settlement; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Many came to Carmi from Virginia and the
11Carolinas, where they had been accustomed to stately houses and
12appreciated good architecture, art, literature, and music;
13Carmi grew fast and settlers poured in; more and more cabins
14were built and the town was thriving; by 1818, White County was
15the third most populous county in the State; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The Little Wabash River which flows through Carmi
17once marked the dividing line between the forest and the
18prairie; and
 
19    WHEREAS, As the early settlers of White County poured into
20the area, a mill on the river became the first business in town
21to serve early farmers; today, Carmi continues to serve the

 

 

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1agriculture industry; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Today, the majority of farmers plant grain, corn,
3soybeans, and wheat; there are also a growing number of farmers
4who are turning to vegetable and specialty crops and a growing
5number of farmers raising livestock; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Each year, more than $42.5 million of crops and
7$4.5 million of livestock and livestock products are produced
8and sold from White County; all of this is produced on 188,400
9acres of cropland or 234,900 acres of total farmland, which is
10controlled and operated by 448 farms; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Farming is a major source of income in White
12County, but agricultural-related employment with fertilizer
13companies, grain elevators, implement dealers, seed dealers,
14accounting firms specializing in farm accounting, high school
15agriculture teachers, and many other areas of agriculture still
16provide most of the area's jobs; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Agriculture is a cherished way of life for people
18in White County and it provides a natural place to raise a
19family and enjoy the harmonious relationship between nature and
20the industrialized world; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Carmi is a community built on farming and

 

 

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1continues to reap the rewards of strong agricultural tradition;
2and
 
3    WHEREAS, One of Carmi's most famous visitors was Abraham
4Lincoln, who visited the community to speak at a political
5rally in 1840 and stayed in the building now known as the
6Ratcliff Inn, which is a part of the White County Historical
7Society; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The area was rich in natural resources and early
9settlers used the river for transportation; the oil business in
10Carmi goes back to 1939 with the discovery of the first oil
11well in the area; nearly 75 years later, White County has
12produced over a quarter million barrels of oil per year and
13remains one of the top three oil producing counties in the
14State of Illinois; it is still a hub of the industry for the
15location of service companies; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The growth of the oil service industry is
17expanding the services already offered, from drilling and
18completion rigs, pulling units, supply companies, acidizing
19and stimulation, cased hole logging and perforating, drill pipe
20and casing inspection, coring services, down hole completion
21tools, rock bit services, down hole production chemical
22services, and injection pump and valve repair; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, With a new facility that increases the reserves of
2obtainable coal by 140 million tons, White County Coal is
3positioned to aggressively develop new markets and additional
4services and to establish itself as the supplier of choice for
5customers, including services such as ash and scrubber
6disposal; and
 
7    WHEREAS, A surprising amount of Carmi history, including
8the Webb-Hay House, the Old Graveyard, Robinson Stewart House,
9the Ratcliff Inn, and the L. Haas Store Museum, still stands
10downtown; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Carmi takes pride in the tranquil beauty
12throughout the town, the dedication of its loyal citizens, the
13outstanding school system, and the continued success of the
14business community; and
 
15    WHEREAS, To commemorate Carmi's 200th birthday, 200 native
16trees have been planted to help beautify the town for future
17generations; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Carmi's bicentennial festivities planned
19throughout the year include Memorial Day, July 4th, Corn Day,
20and the It's a White County Christmas celebration in November;
21therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
3congratulate Mayor Jeff Pollard and the citizens of Carmi as
4they celebrate the 200th anniversary of their community and
5wish them many more years of success and prosperity in the
6future; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to the Mayor of Carmi as a symbol of our respect and
9esteem.