[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9775-9776]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  100TH ANNIVERSARY OF LENEXA, KANSAS

  Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. President, I wish to honor the city of Lenexa, KS. 
On May 8, Lenexa, which is known as the City of Festivals for the 
numerous festivals and events it hosts each year, will mark its 100th 
anniversary. This grand event will be part of a weeklong community 
celebration of history and culture.

[[Page 9776]]

  Lenexa was platted in 1869 by French-born civil engineer Octave 
Chanute, who, in addition to designing the original Hannibal Bridge 
over the Missouri River in Kansas City, also served as a mentor to the 
Wright Brothers in their quest for flight.
  Lenexa was named for Na Nex Se, a highly respected, hard-working 
Shawnee Indian woman, the daughter-in-law of Chief Black Hoof. Thirty-
eight years later, on May 8, 1907, Lenexa was incorporated as a City of 
the 3rd Class.
  In Lenexa's earliest days, people from various backgrounds and 
cultures came together to form this great city. With a population of 
approximately 300, the young community boasted a healthful location, 
graded schools, three churches, suburban train service, excellent 
telephone service, and an electric railway station.
  Today, Lenexa has grown to a population of 46,000 residents and 
enjoys a healthy business base and is considered a city of choice for a 
variety of high-tech and bioscience companies. The city also is looked 
to as a leader in local government initiatives, including watershed 
management and public safety.
  Lenexa cherishes its rich history, heritage and culture, and with 
this celebration marking the city's 100th anniversary, Lenexa honors 
its past while looking forward to the future. I congratulate Lenexa and 
its residents, and I wish them an outstanding second hundred years.

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