HR1086 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1086 LRB097 21564 KXB 69739 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the citizens of Princeville as they celebrate the town's 175th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, Princeville incorporated in Peoria County in 1874; Princeville was officially organized decades earlier on June 22, 1837 by William C. Stevens, Benjamin Clark, and Jesse M. McCutchen in an area previously known as Prince's Grove after Daniel Prince, said to be the first European to live among the Native Americans in the area; and

WHEREAS, Princeville has a proud military history dating back to the Lucky 13 who served in Company K in the 86th Illinois during the Civil War; Technician 4th Grade Robert E. Ward was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism during World War II for administering first aid and evacuating 15 other soldiers while under enemy fire despite a fractured arm; Captain Lowell Fred Pierce served in Vietnam with honor and was awarded a purple heart, silver star, and 2 bronze stars; Mr. Finch Stowell survived Pearl Harbor and worked for the Department of Defense for 31 years; and

WHEREAS, In addition, the Princeville American Legion, Post #248 was established March 11, 1935 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Gold Star Post #1255 was chartered July 17, 1952; and

WHEREAS, Princeville also has a tradition of voluntary service with the Princeville Fire Company No. 1, formed in February, 1889, which evolved into the Akron-Princeville Fire Protection District in 1945; the Akron-Princeville Ambulance Service has operated with volunteers since March 1980; and

WHEREAS, Princeville was once a factory town with a long tradition of making lawn sprinklers at L.R. Nelson, spreaders for L.L. Larson and then canning at the Princeville Canning Company, later associated with Joan of Arc, Pillsbury, and now Seneca Foods and is one of the nation's largest producers of canned pumpkin; and

WHEREAS, Princeville is the "Peony Capitol of the World" because, in 1937, Mr. Ed Auten introduced over 300 varieties of peonies and received a gold medal from the American Peony Society in 1950; and

WHEREAS, Princeville has a long tradition of excellence in education from the days of the one room schoolhouse to the enriched opportunities of the Princeville Academy, which opened prior to the Civil War and then re-opened in 1887, which was followed by the building of a new school in 1908, the construction of the present high school in 1951, and the construction of the present grade school in 1964; one of the finest gymnasiums of its time was built at the old school in 1927 and became host to the longest running Boys' Basketball Holiday Tournament in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Princeville will now have 3 parks, including Stevens Square, which was originally platted by founder William Stevens in 1837; Cutter's Grove, named for Dr. Charles Cutter, who deeded his family home to Princeville, and which is now the Lillie M. Evans Memorial Library and once served as a station on the Underground Railroad; and Troutman Park, which was purchased by a resident, Dean Troutman, and named in memory of his late wife, Dorothy (Peggy) Troutman, and which will open in concert with the 175th anniversary; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the citizens of Princeville as they celebrate the 175th anniversary of their community on June 22, 2012 and wish them the best in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Sid Stahl, Village President, as a symbol of our esteem.