[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 74 (Friday, June 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E993]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN RECOGNITION OF THE TOWN OF FREEDOM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK GREEN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 6, 2002

  Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, today before this House I 
recognize and honor the Town of Freedom, a Wisconsin community that 
exemplifies the American dream in its past, present and future.
  On June 5, Freedom celebrates the 15th anniversary of its founding.
  Freedom has a rich history. Its first inhabitants were Indians that 
called the area Sagola, which means ``good morning.'' Some of Freedom's 
first settlers were James Jackson, an ex-slave, and his Native American 
wife. In recognition of his release from slavery, Jackson named the 
place ``Freedom'' In the years that followed, the demand for lumber 
from northeastern Wisconsin brought a number of Irish, German and Dutch 
immigrants to Freedom.
  In 1848, Wisconsin gained statehood, putting Freedom one step closer 
to its formal foundation. In June of 1852, Ethan Powers, Albert Cook, 
and James Taylor met for the first time as the town's Board of 
Supervisors, marking Freedom's beginning that we celebrate this year.
  Throughout the 19th Century, Freedom continued to build and prosper, 
growing along with the area's burgeoning timber industry. As the 20th 
Century arrived, and agriculture began to replace logging, the citizens 
of Freedom also began to change with the times. Like its Indian name, 
Sagola, meaning ``good morning,'' today the citizens of Freedom have 
woken to the glory of a new day and continue to march forward toward a 
bright future ahead.
  On this sesquicentennial anniversary of the inception of Freedom, I 
offer my congratulations to the town and its residents. Since its 
founding, Freedom has lived true to its name, welcoming every newcomer 
and providing all with the liberty and independence to prosper.

                          ____________________