[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 25, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H4546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THOMASVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

  (Mr. WATT of North Carolina asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WATT of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute 
to the city of Thomasville, North Carolina, part of which is located in 
my congressional district, as residents begin to celebrate the 150th 
anniversary of the founding of their city. The name Thomasville might 
sound familiar to my colleagues, because the Thomasville Furniture 
Company was established there and still has its headquarters in the 
Chair City. This fine company has made the city's name famous around 
the world. The 18-foot-high chair downtown serves as a symbol of the 
industry's importance to the city.
  While Thomasville is synonymous with furniture, it is a city of 
around 20,000 people and a thriving community in North Carolina's 
Piedmont Triad region.
  Thomasville is named for State Senator John W. Thomas who helped 
pioneer the construction of the first railroad across North Carolina. 
He founded the town of Thomasville next to the railroad in 1852.
  I salute my good friend Mayor Hubert Leonard and wish all the best to 
the residents of Thomasville as they celebrate the city's 150th 
anniversary.

                          ____________________