PRINTER'S NO. 642
No. 108 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY MAITLAND, CORRIGAN, ARGALL, BAKER, BALDWIN, BARD,
BEBKO-JONES, BUNT, CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, CLYMER, COSTA, COY,
CREIGHTON, DALEY, DERMODY, DeWEESE, J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD,
FLEAGLE, FLICK, FORCIER, GABIG, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH,
GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARHART, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HERSHEY,
HUTCHINSON, KELLER, KOTIK, LAUGHLIN, LEACH, LEDERER, LEWIS,
MAJOR, MANDERINO, McGEEHAN, MELIO, NAILOR, PAYNE, PICKETT,
PIPPY, PISTELLA, READSHAW, RIEGER, ROBERTS, ROEBUCK, ROHRER,
ROSS, RUBLEY, SANTONI, SATHER, SCHRODER, SHANER, B. SMITH,
SOLOBAY, STABACK, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE, TRUE, TURZAI,
WALKO, WATSON, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK,
MARCH 3, 2003
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 3, 2003
A RESOLUTION
1 Honoring the State Archives on its 100th anniversary.
2 WHEREAS, The Division of Public Records, now known as the
3 State Archives, was created on April 14, 1903, to acquire,
4 preserve and provide public access to the historically valuable
5 records of this Commonwealth; and
6 WHEREAS, Beginning with the 1681 Royal Charter to William
7 Penn, the State Archives hold the surviving records of hundreds
8 of State and local government agencies, including those of
9 William Penn's provincial government and the Revolutionary
10 government which preceded the constitutional government
11 established in 1790; and
12 WHEREAS, The historical and archival collections of the State
1 Archives have grown from barely a room full of 17th and 18th
2 century government manuscripts to more than 230 million
3 documents, photographs, maps, drawings, videotapes, audiotapes
4 and microfilm images of historical documents and vital records;
5 and
6 WHEREAS, These records provide contemporary, eyewitness
7 accounts of the persons, places and events which have shaped
8 Pennsylvania's rich history since 1681; and
9 WHEREAS, Each year thousands of historians, genealogists,
10 government officials, title searchers and researchers of every
11 description write or visit the State Archives seeking
12 information about government policies, individual Pennsylvanians
13 and our numerous communities; and
14 WHEREAS, The State Archives staff is dedicated to the
15 preservation of these unique records and continuing public
16 access to this treasure trove of recorded information; therefore
17 be it
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives congratulate the
19 State Archives on its 100th anniversary and extend best wishes
20 for continued success in its second century of service to the
21 citizens of this Commonwealth.
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