[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 146 (Monday, September 15, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               A TRIBUTE TO RICHFIELD'S 100TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 15, 2008

  Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, I am honored to congratulate the citizens 
of Richfield, Minnesota on the celebration of the city's 100th 
anniversary.
  Richfield is a diverse, vibrant community whose history mirrors that 
of the State of Minnesota. Originally, the territory was inhabited by 
the Ojibwe and Dakota tribes, and, in the late 18th century, was 
claimed by the French. The territory was first settled in 1852 by Riley 
Bartholomew on the eastern shore of Wood Lake; the Bartholomew 
homestead remains there to this day, and is listed on the National and 
Minnesota Registers of Historic Places. In 1804, the territory was 
purchased by the United States Government from France as a part of the 
Louisiana Purchase, and in the years following, would become a village, 
revered for the fertile texture of its soil and its farming 
communities. Richfield's economy would remain focused on agricultural 
commodities until the conclusion of World War II.
  Today, Richfield is a prosperous community, home to families, 
education facilities, businesses, community organizations, wetlands and 
parks. The city will celebrate its first century this year by 
remembering the past. In honor of the city's centennial, a statue of 
Charles W. Lindberg, who helped to raise the United States flag atop 
the island of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945, will be dedicated at 
Veterans Park on July 4, 2009. The dedication will also include a 
memorial to all veterans from Richfield.
  I am honored to represent the residents of Richfield, Minnesota in 
the United States House of Representatives, and I applaud everyone, 
past or present, who contributed to the history of this great city. I 
hope the events scheduled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 
city are enjoyed by all residents and I look forward to making the next 
100 years just as successful as the previous century.

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