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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate the owners and employees
4of Hamilton's Catering Service on the occasion of the
5organization's 100th anniversary; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Hamilton's Catering Service is a small family
7owned business which has been serving Central Illinois for the
8last 100 years; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The history of Hamilton's Catering Service began
10in 1913, when "Doc" Hamilton, a candy maker by trade, bought
11out the Ehnie Brother's Confectioners on East State Street in
12Jacksonville and expanded the soda fountain portion of the
13business by offering sandwiches and lunches; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Hamilton's Catering Service first provided
15off-premises food service during World War I as Doc fed troop
16trains passing through Jacksonville on their way to the war in
17Europe; and
 
18    WHEREAS, In the early 1970s, the center of business in
19Jacksonville started to shift from the downtown square to the
20busy Morton Avenue area; Doc's son, George A. Hamilton, Sr.,
21chose at that time to discontinue the restaurant and focus

 

 

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1solely on off-premises catering; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Soon after the closure of the restaurant,
3Hamilton's Catering Service became involved in providing noon
4meals to area senior citizens for the Prairie Council on Aging
5and Senior Services of Sangamon County, a partnership still in
6effect today; and
 
7    WHEREAS, As Hamilton's Catering Service became more
8involved in serving senior nutrition programs, the operation
9expanded to include Morgan, Sangamon, Menard, Scott, and Cass
10Counties; as the Village of Franklin was the geographic center
11of the region Hamilton's served, George Hamilton, Sr. decided
12that he would relocate his kitchen to Franklin; and
 
13    WHEREAS, During the revitalization of downtown
14Jacksonville, Hamilton's Catering Service opened a banquet
15facilities with 3 rooms at 110 North East Street in
16Jacksonville; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Hamilton's at 110 North East is one of the finest
18locations for weddings, banquets, and meetings in Central
19Illinois; this beautiful venue is located within one block of
20where Doc Hamilton started it all more than 100 years ago;
21therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
3we congratulate the owners and employees of Hamilton's Catering
4Service on the occasion of the organization's 100th anniversary
5and wish them continued success in the future; and be it
6further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8presented to Hamilton's Catering Service as a symbol of our
9esteem and respect.