[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 74 (Thursday, May 14, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1168]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CELEBRATION OF JONESBORO GEORGIA'S 150TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAVID SCOTT

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 2009

  Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
historic city of Jonesboro, Georgia on the occasion of its 150th 
anniversary.
  Officially founded as a town in 1859, Jonesboro existed as a small 
rural community until the rise of industrialization during the mid-19th 
century. Named after Colonel Samuel Goode Jones, an engineer who 
organized the construction of the first paved roads in town, Jonesboro 
continued to prosper until the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
  The legendary Battle of Jonesboro will always be remembered by our 
nation as one of the more significant milestones of the American Civil 
War. Because of the defeat of Confederate troops at the Battle of 
Jonesboro, General Sherman's army was successful in occupying the city 
of Atlanta, an event which directly contributed to the surrendering of 
the Confederate army in 1865. Following the end of the Civil War, 
Jonesboro began an arduous and trying period of reconstruction, along 
with the rest of the American South.
  The town of Jonesboro persevered through these numerous challenges 
and is known today for its extraordinary commitment to re-growth. 
Furthermore, the publication of Margaret Mitchell's internationally 
renowned novel, Gone with the Wind, has forever sealed this beautiful 
town and its remarkable past into our nation's cultural cannon.
  Madam Speaker, I am honored to represent such a remarkable city, a 
city which has played such an integral role in the history of the 
United States. I congratulate Jonesboro on this date, the 150th 
anniversary of its town's formation, and grant my sincerest wishes for 
its prosperity and success in the years to come.

                          ____________________