[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 76 (Thursday, June 3, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          HONORING THE CITY OF WARSAW ON ITS SESQUICENTENNIAL

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                          HON. MARK E. SOUDER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 3, 2004

  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to 
congratulate the City of Warsaw, Indiana, and its residents on the 
city's sesquicentennial anniversary.
  When Mathew Springer built Warsaw's first permanent residence--a 
tamarack log cabin on the edge of a swampy wilderness--in 1836, America 
was a young, vibrant nation, expanding rapidly across the continent 
from its eastern shores. Warsaw then was in the crossroads of this 
westward movement, and the region was rapidly populated by an intrepid 
collection of settlers much like Springer. Among those who came to 
inhabit this western land were traders, trappers, merchants and 
farmers, who put down roots and laid the foundation for the thriving 
community we see today.
  Within two short decades of the construction of Springer's cabin, 
Warsaw had become a permanent community, a county seat worthy of 
incorporation in its own right. The original traders and merchants had 
constructed stores to sell their wares, community associations had 
formed, schools were constructed and a local government was firmly in 
place. The majestic courthouse, built by the citizens of Warsaw during 
this time of exciting development, still stands in the heart of the 
city as a symbol of the longevity of the city and its institutions.
  It is striking to imagine the extent to which Warsaw's 19th century 
commercial enterprises have developed and informed the current economic 
engines of the region. In 1895, for example, Revra DePuy founded a 
small company to manufacture rather innocuous medical equipment like 
wire mesh and wooden splints. Today, firms such as Zimmer, Biomet, and 
DePuy have made Kosciusko County the center of the world's orthopedic 
manufacturing industry.
  When thinking of the history of Warsaw and Kosciusko County, one 
cannot forget the natural splendor of the surrounding region, which has 
served as an attraction for settlers and visitors, alike, since the 
early 19th century. In addition to the simple enjoyment that the local 
community derives from them, Kosciusko's many lakes are a foremost 
recreational and tourist center in the State of Indiana. Kosciusko not 
only hosts visitors from across the state, but, indeed, from across 
America because of the county's beauty.
  As Warsaw celebrates the 150th anniversary of its incorporation, it 
is my sincere pleasure to join in recognizing the valuable 
contributions that the City of Warsaw and Kosciusko County have made to 
the region, the State of Indiana and America itself.

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