Senate Resolution 150 PAG LIN 1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. ___ 1 2 BY McKIBBEN 1 3 A Resolution honoring the city of Alden on its 1 4 sesquicentennial anniversary year. 1 5 WHEREAS, the city of Alden, first settled in 1854 1 6 and platted in 1855, is celebrating its 150th 1 7 anniversary; and 1 8 WHEREAS, Henry Alden, a direct descendent of John 1 9 and Priscilla Alden who crossed the Atlantic Ocean on 1 10 the Mayflower, and Sumner Kemp heard glowing reports 1 11 of a vast, beautiful, rich, but unsettled land west of 1 12 the Mississippi River; and 1 13 WHEREAS, in 1854, Henry Alden purchased 120 acres 1 14 of land for $125 to build a saw mill, and in 1855, 1 15 Sumner Kemp, along with Ira Plummer, walked to Fort 1 16 Des Moines and under the Homestead Act entered 120 1 17 acres for himself and 80 acres for Henry Alden on 1 18 which the original plat for the city of Alden was 1 19 located; and 1 20 WHEREAS, the first schoolhouse was built in Alden 1 21 in 1856, and a grist mill was built in 1858, although 1 22 the town of Alden was not incorporated until 1879; and 1 23 WHEREAS, in 1884, the Chicago, Iowa, and Dakota 1 24 Railroad, now the Chicago Northwestern Railroad, was 1 25 completed to Alden from Eldora, allowing perishable 1 26 products to be brought to the area in refrigerator 1 27 cars, instituting a time of change and advancement, 1 28 and bringing new businesses such as a creamery; a 1 29 wagon works; a manufacturer of dirt loading equipment, 1 30 manure spreaders, excavators, and road builders; Hale 2 1 Roberts Stone Co., now I.L.C. Resources; ice houses; 2 2 several hotels; a grain elevator; and a lumberyard; 2 3 and 2 4 WHEREAS, by 1880, the city of Alden had four 2 5 churches and established a post office; NOW THEREFORE, 2 6 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 2 7 recognizes and extends its congratulations to the city 2 8 of Alden on the city's sesquicentennial year and for 2 9 its 150 years of service to its citizens and to the 2 10 State of Iowa. 2 11 LSB 6988SS 80 2 12 kk/pj/5