HR0331LRB103 32712 LAW 62464 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to recognize Bill Rosso of Gurnee on his 
4donation of a historic Illinois Supreme Court desk to the 
5State of Illinois; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Bill Rosso, as a child, purchased the desk from 
7the Effingham City Council for $18.91 in April 1962; he saved a 
8newspaper article from the Effingham Daily News regarding his 
9purchase, which references that the desks being sold came from 
10the Vandalia Statehouse; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, After additional research, the desk is believed 
12to be one of the pieces created in the mid-1870s as furnishings 
13for the current Capitol building, with desks of the same 
14design being made for members of the Illinois House of 
15Representatives and the Illinois Senate, as well as for use in 
16the Illinois Supreme Court; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, The desk appears to have been received by the 
18Effingham City Council in approximately 1912, due to the most 
19visible signature in a desk drawer being from the city clerk of 
20that year; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, The desk was retrieved from Gurnee by the Office 
 
 
HR0331- 2 -LRB103 32712 LAW 62464 r

1of the Architect of the Capitol in January 2023 and has since 
2been cleaned and stabilized by  woodworker specializing in 
3historic pieces; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, The Office of the Architect of the Capitol plans 
5to put the historic desk on display in the future; therefore, 
6be it
  
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
8HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
9we recognize Bill Rosso on his donation of a historic Illinois 
10Supreme Court desk to the State of Illinois, and we thank him 
11for taking great care of the desk over the many years it was in 
12his possession; and be it further
  
 
13    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
14presented to Bill Rosso as an expression of our esteem and 
15respect.