[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 87 (Thursday, June 29, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING THE CITY OF KEARNEY

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                            HON. SAM GRAVES

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2006

  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize the city of 
Kearney, Missouri. The city of Kearney has long played a vital role as 
one of the most outstanding communities in Missouri and this year marks 
the 150th anniversary of the founding of Kearney in 1856.
  Kearney was originally settled under the name of Centerville and was 
first laid out by David T. Duncan and W.A. Cave in the spring of 1856. 
Eleven years later in 1867, the city of Kearney was again laid out by 
John Lawrence and was incorporated as a town or village by the Clay 
County Court April 5, 1869. Kearney was vital to the growth and 
development of Clay County in those early days as a major thoroughfare 
for the railroads and that growth and development continues to this 
day.
  As the original birthplace of the infamous outlaw Jesse James, today 
Kearney has embraced its heritage as a fixture of the Old West and 
holds the wildly popular Jesse James Festival each year. The festival 
is just one event among the numerous activities that makes Kearney a 
wonderful place to work and raise a family. Kearney remains an economic 
and social focal point of Clay County, bringing in families throughout 
the country to this historic area and welcoming businesses that are 
seeking a friendly and vibrant community.
  Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in recognizing the 
achievements of Kearney, Missouri, over the past 150 years. Kearney is 
a wonderful community and its future will surely be as bright as the 
past 150 years. It is an honor and a privilege to represent such a fine 
community in the United States Congress.

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