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The DeSoto Elementary School choir was on hand to sing
the Star Spangled Banner to begin the ceremony. |
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Rep. Bryant addresses a large crowd gathered for the ceremony. |
The renaming of this stretch of Rte. 149 was made possible by House Joint Resolution 81, with final passage through the Senate on August 5, 2015. Rep. Bryant and Senator Dave Luechtefeld were the Chief sponsors of the resolution in the House and Senate respectively.
In 2001, planning to build a memorial in the community to DeSoto’s veteran’s of the armed services began. The existing veterans’ memorial was built almost entirely with private donations. DeSoto resident and World War II veteran Jesse Crow designed the 6 ½ foot tall black granite monument; it sits on a triangular island of land bordered by Illinois 149 and Pine and Lincoln Streets.
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Pictured here are Jesse Crow, Rep. Bryant and Village President John Evans displaying the newly unveiled Veterans Memorial Highway sign on Rte. 149 in DeSoto. |
The ceremony was arranged by DeSoto Village President John Evans, and members of the Village staff.
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A large crowd gathered today to take part in the renaming ceremony and witness the unveiling of the new signs naming Rte. 149 from DeSoto East to Hurst as Veterans Memorial Highway. |