[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1761-E1762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


          ON THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CLARENDON HILLS, ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JUDY BIGGERT

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 5, 1999

  Mrs. BIGGERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
community of Clarendon Hills, Illinois, as it commemorates its 75th 
anniversary. Clarendon Hills has accomplished much in the past 75 
years, creating a congenial community that exemplifies the finest 
traditions and values of the American people. I, for one, take great 
pride in the legacy of Clarendon Hills and wish to share some of its 
history with you today.
  The legacy of Clarendon Hills extends far beyond its 75-year history, 
and as all those who live in close-knit communities can appreciate, the 
strongest roots always run deepest. This town of nearly 7,000 
originated from the far-sighted endeavors of ambitious men and women as 
early as the 1850's, seventy years before its incorporation as a 
village. Clarendon Hills emerged in progressive times, and the echoes 
of those times resonate today within the community.
  Just as every New England town is centered around a church, every 
midwestern town is born of the railroad. As the railroad moved west of 
Chicago, men and women established Clarendon Hills as their home. They 
were people on the move, people looking to move westward, to create, 
and to progress.
  Clarendon Hills was not simply ``settled.'' It was nurtured and 
molded into the town we know today, one of the towns I am honored to 
represent in Congress as a Representative from the 13th District of 
Illinois. The earliest inhabitants did not wish merely to live on the 
land we now know as Clarendon Hills. They made the land their own not 
by tilling fields and cutting trees--though farming and lumber were two 
of Clarendon Hills' industries. Instead, this town's earliest residents 
fostered the sense of community we enjoy today by sowing fields and 
planting trees. Henry Middaugh, who arrived in 1854, did both. As 
streets were designed to wind with the controus of the land, Middaugh 
planted 11 miles of trees, which now support children's swings, shade 
our streets, and grace our homes.
  Middaugh was also unintentionally responsible for the origin of 
Clarendon Hills Daisy Days. He ordered fine grass seed for his field 
and got daisies instead. Middaugh no doubt initially was disappointed, 
but, true to the spirit of those pioneers, he turned adversity into a 
blessing.
  Clarendon Hills is a community that turns peat bogs into parklands--
such as Prospect Park. It is a community that retains its small, 
locally owned businesses--with mom and pop stores as well as chain 
stores. It is a community that celebrates its distinctiveness together 
year-round--be it during the festive Christmas Walk in December or the 
carefree Daisy Days in July.
  Those who call Clarendon Hills ``home'' are at once blessed with the 
atmosphere and fellowship of a small town and the vitality, creativity, 
and enthusiasm of a major city. It is the home of young and older 
families who live together, work together, and volunteer together. The 
best example of its public spirit comes at the Christmastime Lumanaria, 
where over 20,000 candles are lit, producing such brilliance that they 
are clearly seen from airplanes flying overheaded. People drive from 
distant communities to see this show of lights. The celebration, 
however, is more than just a display of civic pride. The town raises 
over $200,000 for the Chicago Infant Welfare Society through the sale 
of the candles.
  And through it all, the Burlington Northern Railroad rushes by daily; 
and Henry Middaugh's mansion still overlooks the meandering shaded 
streets. Its been said that Middaugh would stand on his cupola and look 
out over the town. Were he to do so today, there is no doubt in my mind 
that he would be proud of what he would see.
  As we observe the 75th anniversary of Clarendon Hills, let us 
remember where it began. Let us remember the many challenges and 
successes that formed its history. And finally, let us remember the 
progress of Clarendon Hills--its collective history and its

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shared future. This town's roots run deep, and I have no doubt that, 
like Middaugh's legendary daisies, Clarendon Hills will continue to 
grow and flourish for many years to come.

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