[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 97 (Friday, June 15, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO HAMILTON COUNTY, WEBSTER CITY, AND THE WEBSTER CITY DAILY 
                            FREEMAN-JOURNAL

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                            HON. TOM LATHAM

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 15, 2007

  Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hamilton 
County, Webster City, and the Webster City Daily Freeman-Journal on 
their 150th year anniversary. Hamilton County is located in north 
central Iowa and is home to approximately 16,500 people. It was named 
in honor of William W. Hamilton, who served as President of the Iowa 
State Senate from 1856-1857. Hamilton County was home to MacKinlay 
Kantor who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1956 for his novel 
Andersonville.
  The county seat of Hamilton County is Webster City, which is located 
along the Boone River. The city was started by Wilson Brewer when he 
built a log cabin by the Boone River. Brewer and William Flakes platted 
the town of Newcastle, which was later sold for $22,000 to Walter 
Wilson and his brother Sumler. Wilson was eventually elected State 
representative; in that capacity he requested the help of William 
Hamilton to divide the rather large county of Webster into two 
counties, Webster and Hamilton. The act of January 1, 1857 officially 
changed the city name from Newcastle to Webster City.
  Throughout its long tenure The Daily Freeman-Journal has provided 
excellent national, state, and local news coverage to the people of 
Webster City and Hamilton County. The Daily Freeman-Journal is Hamilton 
County's longest continuously operating business. Throughout its 
history, the paper has won numerous awards including the Governor's 
Volunteer Award, Outstanding Outreach/Community Service Newspaper, 
numerous advertising awards, and several best page awards.
  Again, I congratulate Hamilton County, Webster City, and The Daily 
Freeman-Journal on this historic anniversary.

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