HR0396LRB100 12747 MST 26254 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish
to recognize the City of Watseka on the 
4occasion of the 150th anniversary of its founding; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Watseka was founded in 1867 and is located in

6north central Illinois, 24 miles from the border between 
7Illinois and Indiana; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Watseka is the county seat of  Iroquois County

9which is composed of 26 townships; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, The name Watseka derives from the Potawatomi name

11"Watch-e-kee", "Daughter of the Evening Star", who was the wife 
12of early
eastern Illinois settler, Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard; 
13and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, The Old Iroquois County Courthouse was 
15constructed
in 1866, with two additions built in 1881 and 1927; 
16in the early
1960s, an Iroquois County resident, Katherine 
17Clifton,
bequeathed to the county in her will a large sum of 
18money and a
site upon which to build a new courthouse which is 
19the only
courthouse in the United States built entirely with 
20private
funds; and
  
 
 
 
HR0396- 2 -LRB100 12747 MST 26254 r

1    WHEREAS, The Old Iroquois County Courthouse was advertised 
2for sale and
fell into disuse by  1967; during the Centennial 
3Celebration of
Watseka, the Iroquois County Historical Society 
4was organized
and circulated petitions throughout the county 
5not to sell the
old courthouse; the petitions were approved by 
6the County Board
of Supervisors and the old courthouse 
7re-opened as a museum in 1975; that same year, the old 
8courthouse was listed on
the National Register of Historic 
9Places; therefore, be it
  
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
11HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
12recognize the City of Watseka on the 150th anniversary of its 
13founding and we wish it many more wonderful years; and be it 
14further
  
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
16presented to the City of Watseka.