[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 18, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E994-E995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




A UNIQUE PIECE OF AMERICANA IS PRESERVED THANKS TO JUDY DeMOISY AND THE 
                BROOKS CATSUP BOTTLE PRESERVATION GROUP

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 18, 1999

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to alert my 
colleagues to perhaps one of the most monumental events to take place 
this year.
  On June 13, 1999, my hometown of Collinsville, Illinois will have a 
happy 50th birthday party for the Brooks Catsup Bottle that sits

[[Page E995]]

170 feet above the community. The bottle was originally used as a water 
tower built by the G.S. Suppiger Bottling Company which produced the 
Brooks Old Original Catsup. Built in 1949, the bottle holds up to 
100,000 gallons of water.
  After the bottling plant shut down, the bottle itself fell into 
disrepair. In 1993 a group of local preservationists began to raise 
funds with the purpose of refurbishing and preserving the bottle for 
its 50th anniversary as well as for future generations. More than 6,000 
tee-shirts were sold to help raise money and thousands of volunteer 
hours were devoted to preserving an essential element of my community's 
heritage.
  Now there are hopes that we can get the bottle placed on the National 
Register of Historic Places and that effort has my wholehearted 
support.
  I commend the Catsup Bottle Preservation Group and Judy DeMoisy who 
manages Downtown Collinsville for their work in preserving a unique 
piece of Americana.

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