[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 127 (Monday, November 13, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S10870]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CELEBRATING THE CITY OF LODI'S 100TH ANNIVERSARY

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
celebrating the 100th anniversary of the city of Lodi, a thriving, 
family-oriented community located in California's San Joaquin Valley.
  The city originally known as Mokelumne was founded in 1869 when 
Charles O. Ivory and John M. Burt established the Ivory Store, an 
enterprise that attracted scores of homesteaders and businesses to the 
area. In order to avoid confusion between the towns of Mokelumne, 
Mokelumne Hill, and Mokelumne City, the city's name was officially 
changed to Lodi in 1874. According to local folklore, the city's new 
name was inspired by a successful local racehorse, as horse racing was 
a popular activity in the area during this period. By the time its 
residents overwhelmingly voted for incorporation on November 27, 1906, 
Lodi was already one of the fastest growing communities in San Joaquin 
County.
  In 1907, in an effort to publicize a large carnival to promote Lodi's 
famous Tokay grapes, a mission-style arch was erected at Pine and 
Sacramento Streets. The Lodi Arch, one of the few remaining Mission 
Revival ceremonial arches left in California, has served as an entrance 
into Lodi for the past century. In 1919 and 1926, the world-famous A & 
W Root Beer and the Supertreader, the first successful full-circle tire 
retreading mold, were respectively introduced to the world within a 
short distance from the Lodi Arch. To many people, this remarkable 
landmark symbolizes the city's proud history and economic vitality.
  In 1956, the Federal Government officially recognized Lodi as a 
winegrape growing region, thus allowing vintners to label their wine as 
originating from Lodi. However, it was not until 1986, when the Lodi 
Appellation was formally approved, that Lodi began to shed its label as 
the wine industry's best kept secret to become one of the emerging 
wine-producing regions in the Nation. Today, Lodi is home to a highly 
regarded and vibrant wine industry where nearly two dozen wineries 
utilize exemplary viticulture practices to consistently produce wines 
that are renowned for their quality.
  The city of Lodi has grown from a town of less than 2,000 residents 
from the time of its incorporation to a flourishing and diverse 
community of 63,000 that rests in the middle of one of the most dynamic 
regions of California. The state of the city as it turns 100 is best 
captured by its slogan: ``Livable, Lovable, Lodi.'' The story of the 
city's first 100 years is a testament to the value of community, 
vision, and optimism. As the residents of the city work together to 
make their city a better place to call home, I congratulate them on 
their centennial anniversary and wish them another 100 years of good 
fortune and success.

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