HR0426 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0426 LRB101 12673 ALS 61282 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives wishes to recognize Ryan's Round Barn, located in Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park, as a significant cultural and historical treasure; and

WHEREAS, Ryan's Round Barn was built by Dr. Laurence Ryan, a prominent physician and surgeon; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ryan grew up in the Kewanee area and later went to medical school; he was a renowned surgeon and served as the Dean of Loyola Medical University in Maywood; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ryan purchased 320 acres of active farmland near Kewanee for use as a summer retreat away from the city; and

WHEREAS, Inspired by the traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch Shaker Community, Dr. Ryan built a round barn to house the 50 head of Black Angus cattle that he imported from Scotland; and

WHEREAS, In 1908, Dr. Ryan commissioned Mr. Feurst of Kewanee, an immigrant from Germany, to build the barn; he purchased the materials in Chicago and transported them to the construction site by rail and eventually horse and wagon; and

WHEREAS, Ryan's Barn was built 80 feet high and 85 feet in diameter with a ten-foot-tall cupola and an upper hay mow capable of holding up to 250 tons of straw; and

WHEREAS, Ryan's Barn featured many ingenious agricultural devices, including a suspended hay carrier that ran along a steel track in the ceiling, two granaries, and an ensilage chopper blower that was powered by a steam engine; and

WHEREAS, The lower level of Ryan's Barn housed Dr. Ryan's prized Black Angus cattle and contained special underground tanks to collect the cattle waste, as well as individual calving pens for pregnant cows; and

WHEREAS, Upon the death of Dr. Ryan, his widow sold the farm and barn to E.A. Johnson of Annawan in 1939 who, in turn, sold the farm and barn to the State in 1968; and

WHEREAS, In 1984, the Friends of Johnson Park Foundation was organized with the purpose of preserving Ryan's Round Barn; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend the Friends of Johnson Park Foundation for their continuing preservation efforts and recognize Ryan's Round Barn as a cultural and historical treasure; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Friends of Johnson Park Foundation as an expression of our esteem and respect.