HR 109 (LSB 5828YH (8) 91)

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 109

BY  MADISON, AMOS JR., GAINES, WILBURN, BAGNIEWSKI, BROWN-POWERS, WESSEL-KROESCHELL, ANDREWS, GEARHART, R. JOHNSON, GUSTOFF, LEVIN, and WILSON

A Resolution honoring the Jordan House Museum for more than 180 years of historical service to the people of Iowa.

   WHEREAS, the Jordan House, a Victorian home of Italianate Gothic design, was built in 1850 by abolitionist and influential early Iowa settler James C. Jordan, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973; and
   WHEREAS, the Jordan House is one of the oldest structures in Polk County and the oldest structure in West Des Moines; and
   WHEREAS, the area surrounding the Jordan House was historically inhabited by members of the Sac and Fox Indian tribes, and the West Des Moines Historical Society acknowledges Indigenous history at the Jordan House and Legacy Woods through educational programs highlighting the centuries-long presence of Native peoples; and
   WHEREAS, James C. Jordan was a staunch abolitionist and “Chief Conductor” of the Underground Railroad in Polk County which sheltered freedom seekers; and
   WHEREAS, prior to the Civil War, the Jordan House served as one of several stations on the Underground Railroad in Iowa; and
   WHEREAS, James C. Jordan founded West Des Moines and is the namesake of several local sites, including Jordan Creek Mall; and
   WHEREAS, the Jordan House remained in the Jordan family for nearly a century before it was preserved and opened to the public, and the West Des Moines Historical Society purchased the property in 1978 to renovate it as a period home and museum; and
   WHEREAS, the Jordan House continues to educate the public on the histories of African Americans, Indigenous peoples, and early Iowa settlers, and honors Iowa’s contributions to the nation’s history, including in celebration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States; NOW THEREFORE,

   BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, That the House of Representatives honors the Jordan House Museum for its more than 180 years of historical importance, and recognizes the Jordan House’s important contributions to the heritage of West Des Moines, the state of Iowa, and the United States; and

   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Jordan House should be included in the 250th anniversary of the United States commemoration because it is a nationally recognized Underground Railroad site where Iowans actively advanced the founding ideals of liberty, equality, and self-government in the generation after 1776; and
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution and cover letter celebrating the significant historical contributions of the Jordan House to the people of the state of Iowa and to the United States be sent to members of Iowa’s congressional delegation; and
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution and cover letter celebrating the significant historical contributions of the Jordan House to the people of the state of Iowa and to the United States be sent to the Jordan House and Legacy Trail Museum staff, the West Des Moines Historical Society, the City Council of the City of West Des Moines, Polk County government officials, and Catch Des Moines, a local tourism board; and
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution and cover letter celebrating the significant historical contributions of the Jordan House to the people of the state of Iowa and to the United States be sent to Iowa’s committee marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program; and
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution and cover letter celebrating the significant historical contributions of the Jordan House to the people of the state of Iowa and to the United States be sent to the African American Museum of Iowa, and Betty Andrews, President of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP State Area Conference of Branches.