HR1110 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1110 LRB096 21838 GRL 39954 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor the Sheldon Peck Homestead in Lombard; the popular museum and tourist destination is recognized as the first local landmark in Lombard; and

WHEREAS, Sheldon and Harriet Corey Peck were pioneers in 1837, moving from Vermont and New York to Illinois to settle "the west" prairie lands of Illinois; Sheldon Peck is nationally famous for his folk art portraits, which are now in major art museums like the Art Institute of Chicago, the New York Folk Art museum, the Illinois History Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, and others; in the early 1800s, portraits were necessary since cameras had not yet been invented; his first portraits were of his family; today the Smithsonian archive lists 50 known Sheldon Peck portraits; and

WHEREAS, Sheldon Peck was a self-taught artist whose only signature was "rabbit track" prints on the portrait; and

WHEREAS, The Peck family was active as conductors in the Underground Railroad movement to help slaves escape from the south to freedom in the north; as members of the Methodist church, the Peck family felt it was their religious responsibility to help end slavery; and

WHEREAS, Sheldon Peck was listed as a political leader of the Illinois Radical Abolitionist Party; his sons, John and Charles, were also known abolitionists; and

WHEREAS, Sheldon Peck died in 1868; after his wife died, Frank, the youngest son, inherited the family house; the Peck house remained where it was built, and has continuously been owned by Peck descendants until great-grandson, Allen Mertz, donated the house to the Lombard Historical Society for use as a pioneer museum; the historic home was dedicated as a local museum in 1999; and

WHEREAS, Today over 7,000 people visit Lombard's two museums to attend events, take tours, and participate in special programs; the Sheldon Peck Homestead museum site, which is owned and managed by the Lombard Historical Society, shares Peck's story with visitors, stories of his famous portrait paintings, his work as an abolitionist and underground railroad conductor, his early Illinois farm life, and his effort to start the first school in Babcock Grove for his and neighboring children; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Lombard and the Historical Commission officially recognized the Sheldon Peck Homestead as its first local landmark in 2008; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor the Sheldon Peck Homestead and its historic significance to the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Lombard Historical Society and Lombard Historical Commission as a symbol of our respect and esteem.