HR1020 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1020 LRB093 22425 HSS 51784 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois are pleased to congratulate the City of Beardstown on the occasion of its 175th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, Beardstown was first settled in 1819 and is the sixth oldest chartered city in the State of Illinois; the city's founder, Thomas Beard, originally from Granville, New York, with his friend, General Murray McConnel of Edwardsville, arrived at the Indian Mound Village in 1819; Mr. Beard erected a log cabin at the edge of the Illinois River and began trading with the Indians; he went on to start a ferry service crossing the river in 1826 and later built a two-story brick building which was used for 85 years as a store and inn; this inn sheltered the young lawyer, Abraham Lincoln, on his visits to Beardstown; the inn was torn down when the new modern post office was erected on the site; and

WHEREAS, Many people soon settled in this bounty land; in 1829, the city was platted and named for Thomas Beard; the original town consisted of 21 blocks along the river front, 3 blocks deep, with City Square as the center block; both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas gave speeches in the square during their senatorial campaign in 1855; as a young man, Abraham Lincoln was chosen to lead the Sangamon County company of soldiers during the Black Hawk War in 1832; he was installed as Captain on a spot near the Illinois River, located in Schmoldt Park at the North end of Wall Street in Beardstown; and

WHEREAS, By 1834, Beardstown was a growing port that shipped from its wharves grain, hogs, and provisions to the interior of the State and downriver to markets; it became known as "Porkopolis" because of its stockyards and slaughterhouses, where more than 50,000 hogs were processed annually; the railroad came to Beardstown in 1869 with the laying of the Rockford, Rock Island, and St. Louis Railroad track; Beardstown was an important division point, and a roundhouse was built in 1882 for repair of engines; and

WHEREAS, Beardstown, located on Mile 88 of the Illinois River, was at one time known as the Belle of the Bend; its famous marina was a well-known boat stop for river travelers; today, many hunters and fishermen travel to Beardstown for sport because of its many natural bays, streams, and wooded areas; surrounding the town is a marsh that is the habitat for several species of wildlife; local people still use the Illinois River for pleasure as well as to earn a living; in the days of old, fishing was a major industry in the area and button factories opened along the river because of the mussel and freshwater pearl fishing; and

WHEREAS, Agriculture is important in the area, Beardstown being well-known for its production of watermelons, which are trucked to many major cities in the country; nearby farms also produce corn, soybeans, Christmas trees, hogs, and cattle; and

WHEREAS, The City of Beardstown will celebrate its 175th anniversary July 2, 2004 through July 4, 2004; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the City of Beardstown on the occasion of its 175th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the City of Beardstown as an expression of our esteem and with best wishes for a prosperous future.