III 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 44
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
MARCH 27, 2003
Received and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
To express support for the celebration in 2004 of the 150th 
anniversary of the Grand Excursion of 1854.
Whereas reaching the shores of the Mississippi River rep-
resented a major milestone for the westward expansion of 
the system of railroad infrastructure that began on the 
East Coast in the 1830s; 
Whereas in 1854 the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad be-
came the first railroad to reach the Mississippi River and 
that achievement was celebrated with a combined railroad
HCON 44 RFS 
and riverboat trip known as the ‘‘Grand Excursion of 
1854’’;
Whereas the Grand Excursion of 1854 began in Chicago with 
a gathering of more than 1,000 dignitaries from profes-
sions encompassing the fields of government, education, 
business, journalism, and the arts, and included most 
prominently former United States President Millard Fill-
more; 
Whereas the excursion party of 1854 traveled from Chicago, 
Illinois, to Rock Island, Illinois, by train and then pro-
ceeded by boat from Rock Island to the present-day twin 
cities of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and St. Paul, Min-
nesota; 
Whereas the Grand Excursion of 1854 is credited both with 
bringing the upper Mississippi Valley into the national 
spotlight and with solidifying Chicago’s role as a major 
transportation hub; 
Whereas communities located on the 419 mile stretch be-
tween Rock Island and Minneapolis are investing more 
than $5,000,000,000 in recreational, commercial, and en-
vironmental improvements to prepare for the celebration 
of the Grand Excursion in 2004; 
Whereas an educational program in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, 
and Minnesota will bring the history of the Mississippi 
River to life for thousands of students from kindergarten 
through 12th grade and will focus on the recreational, 
environmental, and commercial importance of the river; 
Whereas the Grand Excursion celebration of 2004 will estab-
lish a series of permanent exhibits throughout the upper 
Mississippi River, recognizing the achievements of the
HCON 44 RFS 
many communities and celebrating the history of the Mis-
sissippi River; 
Whereas the Grand Excursion, through its local, regional, na-
tional, and international marketing programs and initia-
tives, will communicate to the world the incredible at-
tributes of the upper Mississippi River, and will invite 
hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region to cele-
brate; 
Whereas the National Park Service, along with other Federal, 
State, and local agencies and many other interested 
groups, is preparing activities to celebrate the sesqui-
centennial of the Grand Excursion in 2004, to educate 
local residents and visitors about the attributes of the 
river, and to commemorate the occasion by establishing 
future traditions that will improve community connec-
tions to the river; and 
Whereas Grand Excursion, Inc. is organizing and coordi-
nating the celebration in 2004 of the 150th anniversary 
of the Grand Excursion of 1854: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) expresses its support for the work of all the 
Federal, State, and local entities, and the work of all 
interested groups that are preparing sesquicenten-
nial activities to celebrate the 150th anniversary of 
the Grand Excursion of 1854; 
(2) expresses its support for the events to be 
held in observance of the Grand Excursion of 1854 
in Chicago, Rock Island, Moline, and Galena, Illi-