[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                        RECOGNIZING TED HILLMER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILLY LONG-

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 6, 2020

  Mr. LONG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ted Hillmer, Jr.'s 17 
years of service as superintendent of Wilson's Creek National 
Battlefield in Greene County, Missouri. The park commemorates the 
Battle of Wilson's Creek, first major American Civil War engagement 
west of the Mississippi River on August 10, 1861. Hillmer's first 
experience at the park was in 1988, whereas project engineer he oversaw 
the construction of a brand-new visitor center for the 2,100-acre 
national park, southeast of Republic, Missouri.
  Hillmer later returned to the park in 2003, where he worked for 17 
years as park superintendent. He leaves the historic battlefield 
knowing that a new, vastly-improved, and expanded visitors center, 
which he oversaw the design and planning, is scheduled for completion 
sometime in summer. The expanded visitor's center will include a wider 
array of artifacts from the battle and a far more expansive retelling 
of the almost 5-hour long battle that claimed 2500 lives.
  Hillmer has overseen a great increase in visitors and interest to the 
park since he became superintendent. Last year saw 220,067 people visit 
the historic park, including 3 classes from the Fort Leonard Wood. 
Without Hillmer's oversight, or the staff and experts working to 
meticulously maintain the surviving documents and artifacts of the 
battle, these lessons would have been lost to history.
  Madam Speaker, the passion and hard work shown by Ted Hillmer, Jr. 
should be an example to all of us. The legacy Ted Hillmer leaves behind 
will not be forgotten, both by the staff of Wilson's Creek National 
Battlefield as well as the surrounding communities who cherish the 
historic site. I hope we can all join together in remembering him for 
his service, not only to the community, but to the continued 
remembrance of the victims of our civil war.

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