[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 145 (Thursday, September 27, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1998-E1999]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      IN HONOR OF THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF HOOPER, WA

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                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 27, 2007

  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the town 
of Hooper, WA, as they celebrate their 125th anniversary this year. 
This town has come a long way since four McGregor brothers, John, 
Archie, Peter and Alec, established the McGregor Land & Livestock 
Company in Hooper over a century ago. Hooper joins a long list of small 
communities in Washington State that have found a way to strive and 
succeed over the years through the trials and tribulations of an ever 
changing agriculture industry.
  Through the efforts of the community, Hooper has come to symbolize 
the importance of working together to restore and preserve a rich 
history. The citizen's commitment to revitalizing the buildings and 
grounds of the area is outstanding. Seeing refurbished early 20th 
century buildings like the Hooper Hotel, Hooper Store, and U.S. Post 
Office conjures memories of simpler times in Washington State's history 
when rough herdsman, seasonal workers, and aspiring immigrant farmers 
would come out west in search of the American Dream.
  The legacy of these brave individuals will echo for centuries. Due to 
the hard work and diligence in breaking out land and experimenting with 
agriculture methods in this part of the country, we now enjoy one of 
the most successful agriculture industries in the nation. More than 120 
families in Whitman County alone have farmed and ranched here for a 
century or more. Whitman County is the leading wheat producing county 
in the United States; the Hooper area contributes greatly to this 
impressive statistic.
  What a thrill it must have been to enjoy the company of nearly 400 
past and present residents of Hooper during their celebration in 
August. I am certain we will all be in awe as the beautiful restoration 
continues in Hooper. This town has been a diamond in the rough for 
Whitman County since 1882.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the town of Hooper and 
people who have made it such a wonderful part of Washington State 
history over the years. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring 
the community of Hooper, WA as they celebrate 125 years together.

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