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Letter from Rockford 1975 Inc. on Five Flags_10.10.73ROCKFORD 1975 /NC. NON-PROFIT October 10, 1973 Mr. Gent Wittenberg, Director Department of Housing & Redevelopment Suite IOB, Fischer Building Dubuque, Iowa 52001 Dear Mr. Wittenberg; RUID OCT D 1y7,- 97 EAST STATE STREET ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS 611104 PHONE (815) 963-4845 0/rectors John Gordon, President Raymond F. Applequist, Vice Pre,. Eugene Abegg, Treasurer Seth G. Atwood Harry A. Harris Cove Hoover Paul E. Lindstedt Clint Maslen Clarendon Mower, Jr. David S. Paddock Harold W. Schabacker S. Penfield Stewart John Whitehead E+ecuflee Director Karl A. Bliese, Secretary Enclosed are news items of the fine program you and Mr. Wayne Norman presented at our Annual Meeting, and we also include a reproduction of the Morning Star write-up, which is made a part of our minutes. We also enclose a copy of our letter to our area Legislators, regarding your "Five Flags Center." Please advise if you wish additional copies of any of these enclosures or if we may be of further service to you in your undertaking. The information you gentlemen so enthusiastically provided relative to your Town Clock Plaza and proposed civic center should add impetus to our envisioned State and Main Plaza and civic center plans. We again thank you sincerely. Cordially, FrV Executive Director WHAT'S GOOD FOR CENTRAL ROCKFORD IS GOOD FOR ALL OF ROCKFORD I FIFTH ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING, ROCKFORD 1975, INC. _A 12 MORNING STAR, ROCKFORD Thdrs., Sept. 20, IS73 Downtown mallin Dubuque keyed by IbusinessmenocaI A "miracle mall" In down. town Dubuque, Iowa, was solely the result of a push by commu- nity businessmen, two men close to the project said Wednesday. Efforts to rejuvenate the downtown area in cities such as Dubuque or Rockford need not compete with shopping centers on the periphery of the cities, they said. Gent Wittenberg, director of Housing and Redevelopment in Dubuque, and Wayne Norman, general chairman of the pro. posed Five Flags civic center in Dubuque, spoke before Rockford 1975, a group dedicated to im- provement of the downtown dis. trict here. About 35 Rockford business- men and political leaders at. tended the discussion during the yearly meeting of Rockford 1975. "Dubuque had a typical down. town. Narrow streets, tali build- ings and no trees. Now we have a beautiful mall centered around the town clock on a pe. destal and many trees," Nor. man said. The mall, begun in January, 1968, was completed three years ago. Dubuque is now seeking to build a $1.3 million civic center. _ Rockford downtown planners are currently seeking to build two malls at W. State Street from Wyman to Church Streets and at Main from Elm to Mul- berry Streets. John Gordon, president of Rockford 1975, said the two Du- )uque men were invited to Rock. 'Ord Wednesday "because the en. husiasm they show for their Karl Blfese, left, and John Gordon, right, view photos of Dubuque, Iowa, redevelopPhoto ment�� 'I ... Gent Wittenberg and Wayne Norman, center, spoke to Rockford 1975 meeting ommumty a lust outstanding." The mall in Dubuque was fi- Donald Busch, owner of Busch nanced with federal funds while 'ewelets, 213 W. State St., told the street work and refurbishing lednesday's meeting, "Id like of the area was financed by the a see some of the dollars come city. The proposed civic center award to develop our down. will be financed with local dona- nm the way the dollars came Was and matchinv federal rward in Dubuque." funds. The city has already col. lected $700,000 in local donations for the project, Norman said. Also at Wednesdays meeting, current officers and board mem. bers were re-elected to another year's term. The non-profit group has been in existence 10 years. Re-elected Wednesday were Gordon, president; Karl Blaise, secretary and executive direc- tor; Raymond F. Applequist, vice president; and Eugene Abegg, treasurer. Other board members are Seth G. Atwood, Harry A. Har. rig, Gove Hoover, Paul E. Lind. stedt, Clint Maslen, Clarendon Mower Jr., David S. Paddock, Harold W. Schabacker, S. Pen- field Stewart and John White. head. ROCKFORD 19 75 INC. NON-PROFIT October 10, 1973 Hon. John B. Anderson Congressman 1101 Longworth Building Washington, D. C. 20515 Dear Congressman Anderson: 97 EAST STATE STREET ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS 61104 PHONE (815) 963-4845 Directors John Cordon, President Raymond F. Applequist, Vice Pres. Eugene Abegg, Treasurer Seth G. Atwood Harry A. Harris Cove Hoover Paul E. Undstedt Clint Maslen Clarendon Mower, Jr. David S. Paddock Harold W. Schabacker S. Penfield Stewart John Whitehead Executive Director Karl A. Bliese, Secretary "Rockford 1975" was organized more than ten years ago for the purpose of stimulating redevelopment of our deteriorating Central City area. Recently, at one of our regular meetings, which was attended by our Mayor Robert F. McCaw, City and County Officials and other interested in Rockford's central urban renewal, we learned.about the proposed Five Flags Civic Center of Dubuque, Iowa, in connection with their downtown plaza, from a program presented by Messrs. Wayne Norman and Gent Wittenberg from that city. Significantly they have chosen "Five Flags" because that is the number of flags that have flown over Dubuqueland since 1673, the period of Jolliet and Marquette explorations - Fleur de Lis of France, Royal Flag of Spain, Union Jacket of England, French Republic of Napoleon and the Stars and Stripes of America. Therefore, their "Five Flags Center" is intended to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of the United States of America. Documentary evidence establishes that a Dubuqueland miner, Jean Marie Cardinal, following his escape from the British marching down the Mississippi, warned the French at St. Louis and gave his life in a subsequent battle. Historians suggest that had it not been for Cardinal's warning, the exploits of George Rogers Clark might have been in vain and the Treaty of 1782 might have fixed the western boundary of the United States along the Allegheny Mountains instead of at the Mississippi River. In view of the foregoing historical events and patriotic commerative plans by our neighboring community, the Board of Directors of Rockford 1975, at our regular meeting October 3, 1973, resolved to respectfully request that our area United States Legislators, as good neighbors, co-operate with the Dubuque area officials in gaining all possible interest, recognition and financial support in Washington for the Five Flags Center, which will serve a wide area as a cultural, educational, recreational and entertainment center. Your interest and assistance will be deeply appreciated. Sincerely yours, President WHAT'S GOOD FOR CENTRAL ROCKFORD IS GOOD FOR ALL OF ROCKFORD ROCKFORD 97 EAST STATE STREET 19 �]� ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS 61104 / �IVC. NON-PROFIT PHONE (8IS) 963-4845 Directors John Gordon, President Raymond F. Applequist, Vice Pres. Eugene Abegg, Treasurer Seth G. Atwood October 10, 1973 Harry A. Harris _ - Cove Hoover Paul E. Lindstedt Hon. Adlai E. Stevenson, III ClarendoClint Maslen n Mower, Jr. U. S. Senator - David S. Paddock 456 Old Senate Building _ Harold W. Schabacker Washington, D. C. 20510 S. Penfield Stewart John Whitehead Dear Senator Stevenson: [vecettve Director Karl A. Bliese, Secretary "Rockford 1975" was organized more than ten years ago for the purpose of stimulating redevelopment of our deteriorating Central City area. Recently, at one of our regular meetings, which was attended by our Mayor Robert F. McGaw, City and County Officials .and other interested in Rockford's central urban renewal, we learned about the proposed Five Flags Civic Center of Dubuque, Iowa, in connection with their downtown plaza, from a program presented by Messrs. Wayne Norman and Gent Wittenberg from that city. Significantly they have chosen "Five Flags" because that is the number of flags that have flown over Dubuqueland since 1673, the period of Jolliet and Marquette explorations - Fleur de Lis of France, Royal Flag of Spain, Union Jacket of England, French Republic of Napoleon and the Stars and Stripes of America. Therefore, their "Five Flags Center" is intended to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of the United States of America. Documentary evidence establishes that a Dubuqueland miner, Jean Marie Cardinal, following his escape from the British marching down the Mississippi, warned the French at St. Louis and gave his life in a subsequent battle. Historians suggest that had it not been for Cardinal's warning, the exploits of George Rogers Clark might have been in vain and the Treaty of 1782 might have fixed the western boundary of the United States along the Allegheny Mountains Instead of at the Mississippi River. In view of the foregoing historical events and patriotic commerative plans by our neighboring community, the Board of Directors of Rockford 1975, at our regular meeting October 3, 1973, resolved to respectfully request that our area United States Legislators, as good neighbors, co-operate with the Dubuque area officials in gaining all possible interest, recognition and financial support in Washington for the Five Flags Center, which will serve a wide area as a cultural, educational, recreational and entertainment center. Your interest and assistance will be deeply appreciated. Sincerely yours, President WHAT'S GOOD FOR CENTRAL ROCKFORD IS GOOD FOR ALL OF ROCKFORD ROCKFORD 1975INC. NON-PROFIT October 10, 1973 Hon. Charles H. Percy U. S. Senator 4321 New Senate Office Building Washington, D. C. 20510 Dear Senator Percy: 97 EAST STATE STREET ROCKFORD,. ILLINOIS 61104 PHONE IBIS) 963-4845 Directors John Gordon, President Raymond r. Applequist, Vice Pres. Eugene Abegg, Treasurer Seth G. Atwood Harry A. Harris Cove Hoover Paul E. Lindstedt Clint Maslen Clarendon Mower, Jr. David S. Paddock Harold W. Schabacker S. Penfield Stewart John Whitehead Executive Director Karl A. Bliese, Secretary "Rockford 1975" was organized more than ten years ago for the purpose of stimulating redevelopment of our deteriorating Central City area. Recently, at one of our regular meetings, which was attended by our Mayor Robert F. McCaw, City and County Officials and other interested in Rockford's central urban renewal, we learned about the proposed Five Flags Civic Center of Dubuque, Iowa, in connection with their downtown plaza, from a program presented by Messrs. Wayne Norman and Gent Wittenberg from that city. Significantly they have chosen "Five Flags" because that is the number of flags that have flown over Dubuqueland since 1673, the period of Jolliet and Marquette explorations - Fleur de Lis of France, Royal Flag of Spain, Union Jacket of England, French Republic of Napoleon and the Stars and Stripes of America. Therefore, their "Five Flags Center" is intended to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of the United States of America. Documentary evidence establishes that a Dubuqueland miner, Jean Marie Cardinal, following his escape from the British marching down the Mississippi, warned the French at St. Louis and gave his life in a subsequent battle. Historians suggest that had it not been for Cardinal's warning, the exploits of George Rogers Clark might have been in vain and the Treaty of 1782 might have fixed the western boundary of the United States along the Allegheny Mountains instead of at the Mississippi River. In view of the foregoing historical events and patriotic commerative plans by our neighboring community, the Board of Directors of Rockford 1975, at our regular meeting October 3, 1973, resolved to respectfully request that our area United States Legislators, as good neighbors,. co-operate with the Dubuque area officials in gaining all possible interest, recognition and financial support in Washington for the Five Flags Center, which will serve a wide area as a cultural, educational, recreational and entertainment center. Your interest and assistance will be deeply appreciated. Sincerely yours, President WHAT'S GOOD FOR CENTRAL ROCKFORD IS GOOD FOR ALL OF ROCKFORD