[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 97 (Friday, July 21, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1478]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. FRED UPTON

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 20, 2006

  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 150th 
anniversary of the founding of a storied community in Southwest 
Michigan, Chikaming Township. This Saturday, members of the community 
will come together to celebrate the township's sesquicentennial.
  The earliest known residents of Chikaming Township were the Miami 
Indians, who were first encountered by the European explorer, Father 
Jaques Marquette, in 1675. By the early 1820s the land was ceded to the 
U.S. Government and Chikaming was formally established on March 6, 
1856. The first pioneers to settle there were lumbermen who harvested 
trees that were used to build the piers that extend out into Lake 
Michigan--a source of great pride for all Michiganders who reside on 
the lakeshore. As time passed, the first of many successful farmers and 
growers in Southwest Michigan took advantage of the soil and climate of 
Chikaming by harvesting a variety of fruits and vegetables. The 
magnificent weather and scenic beauty of the land attracted families to 
vacation on the lake's shores and continues to be a popular summer 
escape today.
  Chikaming Township has also long been an important center of commerce 
for Southwest Michigan. Forestry and agriculture are only two of the 
many industries that have strengthened Southwest Michigan's economy. 
The beautiful beaches and friendly residents have been bringing 
generations back to the township for years.
  I would like to congratulate the residents of Chikaming on their 
sesquicentennial. Know that your vital community will continue to be a 
blessing and an asset to our comer of Southwest Michigan for many years 
to come.

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