[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 198 (Tuesday, December 5, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE LINCOLN STATION ON THE OPENING OF THEIR RENOVATED DEPOT

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                           HON. DARIN LaHOOD

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 5, 2017

  Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to recognize the Lincoln 
Depot, in Lincoln, Illinois, on the opening of their newly renovated 
Depot building this morning.
  In the 1850's, Abraham Lincoln helped citizens and railroads 
establish a needed rail line through Logan County. Soon after, this 
town was christened, by its founders, in Lincoln's name, beautifully 
described by the Looking for Lincoln marker just outside the Depot. 
Constructed in 1911, the Lincoln Depot enhanced this critical railway 
stop, essential for commerce and the pioneers of the last century and a 
half who were looking to explore and develop to the west. With an 
estimated 450,000 people now traveling through Lincoln and central 
Illinois annually, the depot will continue to be a vital part of the 
Midwest travel experience.
  Today, the depot is again restored as a beautiful landmark in 
downtown Lincoln that is crucial to the economy of this community, the 
students of both Lincoln College and Lincoln Christian University, and 
the residents of Logan County. Lincoln, and Central Illinois, rely on 
these very rail lines to connect them to communities and commercial 
markets throughout the Midwest and across America. The new Lincoln 
Depot modernizes the previous facility, ensuring improved safety and an 
enhanced travel experience, including improved on-time performance for 
Amtrak.
  I extend my sincere congratulations to the Lincoln community on the 
newly renovated Lincoln Station Depot. This renovation will ensure the 
legacy of the depot and the railway, envisioned by Abraham Lincoln as a 
catalyst for the future growth of central Illinois, will carry on for 
generations to come.

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