[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 958]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGE OF WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS ON THEIR 
                     125TH ANNIVERSARY AS A VILLAGE

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                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 26, 2011

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the residents of 
Western Springs, Illinois, a village in my district and my hometown, 
which will celebrate its quasquicentennial anniversary on January 30, 
2011.
  Western Springs enjoys a long and colorful history beginning in the 
early 19th century. The area, originally consisting of swampland and 
flat plains, was settled by a small population of farmers in 1834. 
These rural families enjoyed a very quiet life until the CB&Q Railroad 
arrived in 1863. New construction filled the swamps and the Western 
Springs Land Association purchased the three tracts of land on which 
Western Springs now sits for $105,000.
  Many of the area's earliest inhabitants were Quaker, so the town 
adopted a personality that included a simple lifestyle and a 
prohibition of alcohol. Eventually, developer Thomas Clarkson Hill 
moved to the area and helped to organize the community to attract more 
residents. Area inhabitants built a school house in 1872 and a post 
office in 1873 and as more new immigrants arrived, Quaker influence 
dwindled. After several more community projects, the Village of Western 
Springs incorporated in 1886, named for the mineral springs to the 
southwest of the town.
  In 1890, the Village hired Edgar and Benezette Williams to design and 
build a waterworks system after the local water springs were depleted. 
The famous Western Springs Water Tower was part of that project and 
still stands 112 feet tall as a National Register Historic Place.
  Western Springs' other most historic site is the Ekdahl House, built 
by August Ekdahl as a general store. The general store was one of the 
town's first businesses and later served as a post office. The building 
is now a museum where local residents can learn about the history of 
their village. The preservation of the Water Tower and the Ekdahl house 
can be attributed to the efforts of the determined members of the 
Western Springs Historical Society.
  Although Western Springs has come a long way since its days as a 
Quaker farm settlement, it is still a safe and quiet town as 
demonstrated by its being named by Business Week a ``Great Place to 
Raise Kids'' and one of CNN Money's ``Best Places to Live.'' My wife 
Judy and I are proud to be counted among the Village's 12,493 
residents. I will gather with my fellow Western Springs residents at 
McClure Junior High on January 30th to celebrate the Village's 125th 
year. We will enjoy festivities including a giant tower cake, ice 
skating, and a bonfire, along with honoring the 2010 Citizens of the 
Year.
  I ask you to join me in honoring the residents of Western Springs, 
Illinois on their 125th anniversary as a village. May they enjoy this 
weekend's celebration and may the Village continue to thrive as a close 
community.

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