HR0860 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0860 LRB102 27687 MST 39481 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Lake Bracken Country Club on the occasion of its 100th anniversary on October 23, 2022; and

WHEREAS, In 1920, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) Railroad purchased 1,002 acres south of Galesburg for the cost of $368,000 in order to build a lake to supply its yards in Galesburg with water for steam locomotives and other machines, equipment, and systems requiring large amounts of water; and

WHEREAS, In 1921, Lake Bracken was formed with the damming of Brush Creek, with a surface area of 172 acres; and

WHEREAS, Just two years later, the Knox County Country Club approached CB&Q Railroad about the prospect of leasing all 1,002 acres of the property to be used by the club; and

WHEREAS, The Knox County Country Club was incorporated on October 23, 1922; a lease was signed between the Knox County Country Club and CB&Q Railroad, with the latter maintaining all rights to pump water, on December 28, 1923; and

WHEREAS, In 1930, a nine-hole golf course was ready for play, with the back nine holes becoming ready for golfers in 1951; and

WHEREAS, The Country Club Board changed the name from the Knox County Country Club to the Lake Bracken Country Club in 1947; and

WHEREAS, In 1974, Bracken Holdings, Inc. was formed to formally purchase the property from CB&Q Railroad, following years of declining revenue for the railroad that led to a stark increase in lease fees in 1965; and

WHEREAS, In the last 50 years, the Lake Bracken Country Club has added a tennis court, a swimming pool, and a bathhouse; the club's current clubhouse was completed and opened for business in 1988; and

WHEREAS, Outside of golf, the Lake Bracken Country Club has a number of outdoor activities for recreation enthusiasts to enjoy, including fishing, boating, ATV trails, hiking, a playground, and sand volleyball courts; and

WHEREAS, In July 2022, the Lake Bracken Country Club will have a week-long celebration honoring that 100 years have passed since the incorporation of the Knox County Country Club; 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 Lake Bracken Country Club on its 100th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Lake Bracken Country Club and Bracken Holdings, Inc. as an expression of our esteem and respect.