[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 13, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E19]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CELEBRATING VALDOSTA, GEORGIA'S 150TH BIRTHDAY

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                           HON. JACK KINGSTON

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 13, 2010

  Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 150th 
birthday of Valdosta, Georgia. This impressive milestone allows us to 
take the time to celebrate the city's progress over the past 150 years.
  Valdosta was incorporated as a town in 1860, when Troupville, the 
previous Lowndes County seat, relocated to follow the expanding 
railroad. The city of Valdosta is home to more than 46,000 people, as 
well as Moody Air Force Base, where President George W. Bush received 
his National Guard flight training. Valdosta is commonly referred to as 
the ``Azalea City,'' as the red, pink, and white plants bloom in 
abundance throughout the city, especially in the spring.
  According to tradition, the first train came over the new road to 
Valdosta on July 4, 1860. Willis Allen was designated as the first 
manager of the railroad, which was then called Savannah, Florida, & 
Western and later became part of the Atlantic Coast Line. Valdosta was 
primarily an agricultural city, and with time it became the largest 
inland market for Sea Island cotton in the world, until the boll weevil 
beetle eliminated the crop in 1917. Today, Valdosta's agriculture 
consists mainly of row crops such as tobacco, cotton and peanuts.
  Valdosta has been the home of many skilled athletes, which earned the 
town the 2008 ``Titletown, USA'' award by ESPN. With 14 national 
titles, 47 conference titles, 99 state titles, and 289 region titles, 
Valdosta has certainly earned this honor. Valdosta has also thrived in 
the artistic realm. A number of comedians, actors, and musicians have 
emerged from Valdosta. The original ``Jingle Bells'' tune was even 
composed by one of Valdosta's music teachers, James Lord Pierpont. 
Valdosta's symphony orchestra--composed of local artists, students, and 
professors at Valdosta State University--attracts guest performers of 
international reputation. The Arts and Balloon Festival, held in April, 
serves to celebrate all of these artistic endeavors.
  Whether you are admiring the beauty of Valdosta at the annual Azalea 
festival in March, watching one of the city's athletes perform on the 
national stage, or simply encountering friendly faces as you pass 
through one of Valdosta's many parks and historic districts, the city 
is no doubt a captivating one. From its birth in 1860 until today, the 
year of its Sesquicentennial Celebration, Valdosta has remained one of 
the nation's greatest and most productive cities. It is one of the many 
cities that keep Georgia on the mind, and I am proud to celebrate its 
history with you today.

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