[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20034]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE 175TH BIRTHDAY OF THE CITY OF CHESTER, IL

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                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2004

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like my colleagues to join me in 
honoring one of the oldest and most historical communities in 
southwestern Illinois. The City of Chester is one hundred and seventy-
five years old.
  The town of Chester, also the county seat of Randolph County, traces 
its origins to its location as a river community along the bluffs of 
the Mississippi River. The river serves as the community's western 
boundary and has long been a critical part of Chester's history, 
development and growth.
  The founding of Chester is traced to an early settler named Samuel 
Smith. Smith became associated with a small settlement otherwise known 
as Smith's landing, due to its proximity to a river ferry crossing and 
supporting business. In the summer of 1829 however, Smith erected a 
dwelling, established a ferry and began construction of a mill. His 
wife, a native of Chester, England, was named Jane Thomas. Thomas 
originally came to Illinois with the Swanwick family and bestowed the 
name of her home town on this new and growing settlement. Smith kept a 
hotel and ferried passengers across the river on a flatboat.
  Chester's chief commodity back then was castor oil which was used as 
a lubricant; however Castor oil lost its importance as the petroleum 
industry developed. In production of this oil, Chester had the 
advantage over other surrounding communities in the region such as 
Pinckneyville and Frankfort, who also had castor oil presses, because 
of its close proximity to river transportation. Castor oil shipments 
from Chester were made to St. Louis, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and as 
far away as England. In 1830, Chester increased in size and an iron 
foundry, machine shop and several large stores were constructed on the 
riverfront. Steamboats did a brisk business at Chester.
  In 1837, Nathan Cole began operating a small sawmill with a corn-
grinding attachment. A few years later he converted this enterprise 
into a flourmill which became the Cole Milling Company, otherwise known 
as present day Con Agra. Cole Milling made use of one of the first 
electric generators, allowing its surplus power to be utilized for 
power to operate Chester's street lights. Chester actually became one 
of the first communities in the state to have electric street lights, 
even prior to their use in Chicago.
  Samuel Clemens, otherwise known as Mark Twain, was a pilot on the 
Mississippi from 1857 to the Civil War and on several occasions stopped 
at Chester at the Cliff House, which was a river hotel.
  In 1832-33, a cholera epidemic swept through the community which took 
many lives. South of the present site of the Con Agra Mill, a few 
stones on a hillside mark the burying place of those who died of the 
epidemic.
  The Illinois State Penitentiary at Menard had its beginning during 
the Civil War when it was a repository for Confederate prisoners being 
transported to the Federal Prison on the Alton, Illinois riverfront. 
The original brick building is still standing inside the prison's 
yards.
  After the capitol moved from Kaskaskia to Vandalia and later 
Springfield, Illinois the region had a disastrous flood in 1844. When 
the Randolph county seat was moved from Kaskaskia to Chester, records 
were stored in a schoolhouse which was the temporary courthouse until a 
new one was completed in 1848. The stone annex, now the Archives 
Building, was built in 1863 and serves today as a museum for Randolph 
County history. The new Randolph County Courthouse, built in 1975, 
stands today on the bluff overlooking the river.
  The buildings along the river that were part of the original town of 
Chester have been razed. However, a number of the old homes which stood 
on the bluffs above the town overlooking the river still give evidence 
of the wealth and the architectural style of that period. Many 
riverboat captains and other patrons of the river settled to this 
riverboat row of homes with an impressive overlook of the river.
  Chester has had a rich and varied history in the development of the 
state of Illinois and of the nation. Illinois' first Governor, Shadrach 
Bond, has his resting place in Chester. Bond, who had lived in nearby 
Kaskaskia, was elected Governor without opposition in 1814, when 
Illinois was founded. Chester is also home to the Gilster Mary Lee 
mills and operations, producing high quality baking products for use 
throughout the world.
  Chester also counts several historic homes as part of its heritage 
and culture. The Pierre Menard home is the finest example of Southern 
French Colonial architecture in the central part of the Mississippi 
river valley. Menard was a busy trader, storekeeper and politician of 
his period. He served as Lt. Governor under Governor Bond.
  Chester is also home to one of America's most beloved cartoon 
characters, Popeye. Popeye's creator, Elzie Segar, was born in Chester 
and spent much of his youth there. When Elzie was 12 years old, he 
worked at the Chester Opera House and during that time he did odd jobs, 
played the drums with the orchestra and became the theatre's 
projectionist.
  While films were re-wound, Popeye and many other characters were born 
as Elzie drew and showed them on glass slides before the local 
townspeople. Elize Segar and Popeye still have a place in Chester.
  Chester today is a community of over 8500 people and boasts many 
hotels, restaurants and businesses. It continues to serve as a historic 
focal point for the development of southwestern and southern Illinois.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the community 
and people of Chester, Illinois and to recognize its role in the 
development of southwestern and southern Illinois.

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