Senate Resolution 167 PAG LIN 1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY ANGELO 1 3 A Resolution honoring the town of Afton on its 1 4 sesquicentennial anniversary year. 1 5 WHEREAS, the town of Afton was platted in 1854 with 1 6 a center block=square park on land owned by E. A. 1 7 Temple of Chariton, and every alternate lot was 1 8 donated to the county to be sold and the proceeds 1 9 spent for the erection of public buildings; and 1 10 WHEREAS, Mrs. Temple named the town either from the 1 11 song "Flow Gently, Sweet Afton" or for the River Afton 1 12 in Scotland; and 1 13 WHEREAS, church services held in a private home in 1 14 1855 heralded the beginning of the Methodist Church in 1 15 Afton, and on July 4, 1855, a flagpole was raised and 1 16 a flag made by the town's ladies flew proudly; and 1 17 WHEREAS, Afton was the county seat for Union County 1 18 from 1855 until 1890; and 1 19 WHEREAS, the first house in Afton, built in 1855 by 1 20 David Fife, was constructed of logs and used both as a 1 21 dwelling and a store, stocked with goods brought by 1 22 wagon from St. Joseph, Missouri; a two=story log hotel 1 23 was built the same year, followed by a post office in 1 24 1856 and the first courthouse in 1857; and 1 25 WHEREAS, in the summer of 1859, The Afton Eagle 1 26 became Union County's first newspaper, followed in 1 27 1871 by a second newspaper, The Afton News, which was 1 28 the forerunner of the current Afton Star=Enterprise; 1 29 and 1 30 WHEREAS, in 1867, D. J. Spencer established a 2 1 brickyard west of town that was in operation for 50 2 2 years and produced the bricks for many of the 2 3 buildings in Afton and nearby Creston, including the 2 4 "new" courthouse built in 1872 on Afton's town square; 2 5 and 2 6 WHEREAS, the railroad known as the Burlington and 2 7 Missouri River Road, now the Burlington Northern, 2 8 arrived in 1868; and 2 9 WHEREAS, in 1954, the Afton Centennial Celebration, 2 10 held in conjunction with the Union County Fair, was 2 11 attended by an estimated 15,000 people and featured 2 12 Governor William S. Beardsley as the evening speaker, 2 13 as well as a large parade, a beef barbeque, local 2 14 ladies in long skirts, a whisker competition for the 2 15 local men, window displays, a period clothing style 2 16 show, and a local talent show, with fireworks closing 2 17 out the day; and 2 18 WHEREAS, the town of Afton is located in Union 2 19 County, near highways 34 and 69, and in close 2 20 proximity to Three Mile Lake which, with its 24 miles 2 21 of shoreline, provides not only water and wildlife 2 22 recreation, but flood control and a source of water 2 23 for surrounding communities; and 2 24 WHEREAS, today Afton has a population of 917, with 2 25 402 households, and boasts four churches, several 2 26 social and service organizations, a golf club, 2 27 thriving local businesses, and a very efficient 2 28 volunteer fire and rescue unit; and 2 29 WHEREAS, Afton is celebrating its 150th anniversary 2 30 on June 26, 2004, in conjunction with the annual 3 1 Lion's Pre=Fourth Celebration on June 27, and all 3 2 former and current residents and friends are invited 3 3 to attend and celebrate their heritage; NOW THEREFORE, 3 4 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 3 5 recognizes and extends its congratulations to the town 3 6 of Afton on the town's sesquicentennial anniversary 3 7 and for its 150 years of service to its citizens and 3 8 to the State of Iowa. 3 9 LSB 7094SS 80 3 10 dea/sh/8