Recognizing the Centennial of the City of Riverview

Floor Speech

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Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the city of Riverview, Michigan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of their founding. The growth of the city over the last century and the contributions it has made to Southeastern Michigan is worthy of commendation.

Riverview began as limestone quarry and source of lumber for the nearby city of Trenton. As the quarry grew, so did the local population, but the area lacked city water. With that in mind, the people of the area decided to incorporate the Village of Riverview in 1923 with a population of 704 and an annual budget of $20,000. The first thing they did after the vote was to start a city water system, allowing for the growth of their village well into the future. The Village of Riverview remained intact until the late 1950s, when some residents drew up petitions to become a city. At the same time, the city of Trenton was trying to annex Riverview to become part of their own city. The petitions arrived in Lansing in 1958 only an hour apart, but Riverview's were submitted first. On March 24, 1959, Riverview officially became the City of Riverview.

From 1956 to 1963, the city of Riverview was home to a Nike Missile site, one of many that dotted our homeland during the height of the Cold War. Crucial to our home defense, the site at Riverview was tasked with protecting the automobile and steel industries in the Detroit area from a Soviet missile strike. The current Riverview Community Center was once the barracks for the men serving at the Nike missile site.

Riverview has been called home by some of our most famous Michiganders. These names include Woody Widenhofer, defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won four Super Bowls with their famous ``Steel Curtain'' defense in the 1970s and Lloyd Carr, who served as Michigan's head football coach from 1995 to 2007, including leading our 1997 team to the national championship.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the centennial of the city of Riverview. From their humble beginnings, they have developed into a modern, progressive city that is crucial to the cultural fabric of Southeastern Michigan. We are excited to see what the residents of this great city can accomplish over the next 100 years.

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