HR0447 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0447 LRB102 19973 ECR 28757 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Altamont is a city in Effingham County with a population of 2,319 as of the 2010 census and is located along Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40 (The Cumberland Road); and

WHEREAS, Altamont was settled by German immigrants from the banks of the Rhine River, who came through Pennsylvania and Ohio; agriculture is a prominent industry with a good mix of manufacturing employment in Altamont; and

WHEREAS, Altamont, the "City of Plain", was charted in Mound Township and got its name from J.W. Conlogue, a Latin language romantic, because of the elevation or "mound" that lies northwest; "alta" means altitude or height, and "mont" means mound; and

WHEREAS, At 23 years old, Dr. Charles M. Wright came to Effingham County in 1857; the town of Altamont was organized in 1871, and Dr. Charles M. Wright purchased five acres from the Vandalia Railroad and built a home in 1874 at 3 West Jackson Street, which was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1986; he established the C.M. Wright & Co. private bank in his former medical building in Altamont in 1878; and

WHEREAS, The Altamont Living Museum is housed in the former First Presbyterian Church of Altamont; the church was declared organized with a congregation of 30 charter members on February 16, 1913; and

WHEREAS, Altamont is home to the Effingham County Fair and the Wolf Family Farm of Mound Township; the farm was established on September 30, 1869 and is designated a sesquicentennial farm by the Illinois Department of Agriculture; and

WHEREAS, Altamont is home to the Annual Mill Road Thresherman's Association Steam, Gas & Threshing Show; and

WHEREAS, Local legend states that Griffin Tipsword, whose original family name was Souards, came to the Altamont, Mound Township area first; living with the Kickapoo Native Americans, he was a pioneer, a missionary preacher, a hunter, and a medicine man; he was a veteran of the Revolutionary War who first fought at Ramsour's Mill in the Carolinas; he died in 1845 and was buried on the banks of Wolf Creek in the Tipsword family cemetery in Effingham; and

WHEREAS, A trading center called Montville had existed on the bank of the creek south of what is now Altamont but was then called Southmore Heights; the Southmore Heights postmaster was G.H. Milleville, and in 1871, the post office moved to this new place called Altamont, which was officially organized as a town in 1871; and

WHEREAS, On August 8, 1872, Altamont adopted the village form of government with a mayor and four council members; on April 16, 1901, the Altamont voters adopted a city form of government and became the City of Altamont; and

WHEREAS, Altamont is home to the Effingham County Fairgrounds, where the Effingham County Fair has been held annually in the first week of August since 1945; the Effingham County Fair hosts nationally known country singers, a touring rodeo, ITPA truck and tractor pulls, a queen pageant, a talent show, Standardbred and Thoroughbred races, and a demolition derby; the fairgrounds were once host to the Illinois High School rodeo finals and currently host the Mill Road Thresherman's gathering and the annual Schutzenfest; and

WHEREAS, Altamont is home to the Ballard Nature Center; the nature preserve and educational center consists of 217 acres and is located east of town; it includes 107 acres of woodland, 15 acres of restored prairie, 10 acres of shallow water wetlands, and 85 acres of agricultural land for educational programs and the enjoyment of families and visitors; Ernie Ballard donated 210 acres for the site of a nature center and the funds to construct a visitor center; in 2014, the Glen Mathias family donated another 7 acres of land adjacent to the original 210 acres; and

WHEREAS, Altamont Lutheran Interparish School (ALIS) is a private school that serves grades K-8; the cornerstone reads "Immanuel Lutheran School 1959", but the school is now a joint effort of Immanuel, Bethlehem, St. Paul (Blue Point), and Zion Lutheran Churches; and

WHEREAS, The Altamont Living Museum is a not-for-profit organization and offers many forms of entertainment, including award winning performers, plays performed by local theater troupe A.C.T. and Altamont High school students, country/bluegrass variety shows on Tuesday nights, and memorabilia exhibits on display for visitors' enjoyment; the Altamont Living Museum building was a church built in the late 1800s that still has all of its original stained glass windows, wooden pews, wood floors, antique tin patterned ceiling, and lighting fixtures; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the City of Altamont on the occasion of its 150th year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the City of Altamont as an expression of our esteem and respect.