[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 126 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CELEBRATING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF ORAN

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                            HON. JASON SMITH

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 2019

  Mr. SMITH of Missouri. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the city 
of Oran in Scott County, MO on its 150th anniversary. The city of Oran, 
founded on July 16, 1869, was originally dubbed ``St. Cloud'' for the 
French town outside of Paris. The city was known to locals as ``The 
Land of the Watermelon.''
  After some debate in the community and the opening of a new post 
office in 1882, the city officially decided on the name Oran. Captain 
Ward L. Smith, a retired sailor, selected the name Oran in honor of the 
second most important city in Algeria, which he had visited during his 
time in the Navy. Oran is a North African word for lion and is 
historically associated with the Berber legend of ``the Mountain of 
Lions.''
  Traditions are a staple in Oran. Over the years, the city has hosted 
fall festivals, town celebrations, and picnics. Its most famous 
tradition is the Fourth of July picnic, which dates to 1908. Since its 
inception, the picnic has been celebrated annually except for a three-
year break during World War II. The picnic features a multitude of 
activities for families and a firework show. The celebrations attract 
people from all walks of life each year.
  Today, the city maintains its familiar farm town character, even with 
a growing population of over 1,300 residents. It is a charming 
community with a noteworthy history in the agricultural development of 
the Bootheel and of family values. It is my great pleasure to celebrate 
Oran today on the occasion of its sesquicentennial birthday before the 
U.S. House of Representatives.

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